Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1861-07-05

| the point that the one, because 1t is minority
may rightfully do what the other, because
they are majority, may not righttnlly do
| These politicians are subtle and profound on
he rights of minorities; they are not partial
/ TO that power which made the Constitution
and speaks from the preamble calling itself
| 1.-THE People," 1t may well be questloneu
| whether there is to-day majority of the legal
| qualified voters of any State except, perhaps
South Carolina, in favor OF disunion. There
| Is much reason to believe that the Union men
are the majority in many, if not in every other
| one of the so-called Seeded States. AS the
| contrary has not been demonstrated in any one
| of them, il is yentured to affirm this even of
| Virginia and Tennessee, for the result OF an
| election, held in military camps where the
| bayonets were all on one side OF the question
| voted upon can scarcely be considered as Il
demonstration of popular sentiment. AT such
IN election, all that large class who are not
at once for the Union and against coercion,
would be coerced to vote against the Union.
1t may be affirmed, without extravaganza,
that the free institution we enjoy have de-
veloped the power and improved the condition
of our whole people beyond any example in
| the world. Of this we now have striking
and impressive illustration So large an ar
my as the government has now on foot was
never before known, without soldier in it
hut who had taken his place there of his own
free eli dice.
But more than this. There are many single
regiments whose members one and another
possess full practical knowledge of all the arts,
Sciences professions, and whatever else ,wheth-
| err useful or elegant, is known in the world
and there is scarcely one from which there
could not be selected n President, a Cabinet, n
Congress, and perhaps Court abundantly
competent to administer the Government
itself. Nor do say this is not true also in
a., - Late friands odv rip
in this contest. But If it is, so much better
the reason why the Government which has
conferred such benefits upon them and us
should no. be broken up.
Whoever, in any section, proposes to aban-
don such government would do well to con-
slider in reference to what principle it is that
he does it. What better he is likely to get in
its stead, Whether the substitute will give,
or be intended to give, so much Of good to the
people. There are some foreshadowings on
this subject Our adyersaries have adopted
some declarations OF independence in which,
unlike the good old one penned by Jefferson,
they omit the words "all men created
equal" Why2 They have adopted tempo
rary National Constitution, in the preamble OF
which, unlike our good old one, signed by
Washington, they omit, awe, the people,
and substitute We, the deputies of the SOW
eregn and independent States."
Why? Why this deliberate pressing out of
view the rights of men and the authority Of
the people
This is essentially peoples contest. On
the side of the Union II is n struggle for main
tanning, in the world, that form aud substance
of government whose leading object is to ele-
vate the condition Of mem 10 lift artificial
weights from all shoulders; to clear the paths
of laulabe pursuits for all; to afford all nm
unfettered start, and II fair chance in the race
of life.
Yielding to partial and temporary depar-
lures from necessity, this is the leading object
of the government for whose existence we con-
tend
! am most happy to believe that the plain
people understand and appreciate this 1t is
worthy of note that while in this, the govern
ments hour of trial, large numbers of those
in the army and navy who have been honored
with the offices, have resigned and proved
false to the hand which had pampered them.
Not one common soldier or common sailor
is known to have deserted his flag. Great
honor is due to those officers who remained
true, despite the example of their traitorous
associates But the greatest honor and most
important fact of all, is the unanimous firm
ness of the common soldiers and common sail
ors. To the last man, so far as known, they
have successfully resisted the traitorous eff
forts of those whose commands but an hour
before they obeyed as absolute law. This is
the patriotic instinct Of plain people. They
understand without an argument that the de-
stroying of the government which was made
by Washington, means no good to them. Our
popular government has often been called an
experiment. Two points in 1t our people have
already settled. The successful establishing
and the successful administering of it, One
still remains. It's successful maintenance
against formidable internal attempt to over
throw it. 1t is for them to demonstrate to the
world that those who can fairly carry an cleo
ton can also suppress a rebellion; that bal
lots are the righttul and peaceful successors
of bullets, and that when bullets have fairly
and Constitutionally decided, there can be no
successful appeal except to bullets themselves
at succeeding elections. Such will be great
lesson OF peace, teaching men what they can
not take by an election, neither can they take
it by war; teaching all the folly of being the
beginners of war
Lest there be some uneasiness in the minds
of candid men MS to what is to be the centre
ofthe Government towards the Southern States
after the rebellion shall have been suppressed,
the Executive deems it proper to say it will be
his purpose then, as ever, to be guided by the
Consultation and the laws, and that he proba-
bly, will have no different understanding OF
the powers and the duties Of the Federal Gov
ment, relatively to the rights OF the States and
the people under the Constitution than eX-
to preserve the Government that it may be
administered to all ms it was administered by
the men who made it. Loyal citizens every
where have the right to claim this of their
Government, and the Government has no
right to withhold or neglect it, II is not per-
ceived that in giving it there is any coercion,
and conquest or subjugatiOn in any just sense
of these terms.
The Constitution provides, and all the States
have accepted the provision that the United
States shall guarantee to every State in this
Union Republican form of Government. But
if II State may lawfully go out of the Union,
having done so it may also discard the Repub-
lican form of Government so that to prevent
its going out, il is all Indispensable to use
every means to the end of maintaining the
guaranty. When an end is lawful and Obliga-
tory the Indispensable means to obtain it are
also lawful and obligatory.
II was with the deepest regret that the Ex-
ecutive found the duty of employing the war
| power in defence of the Government forced
| upon him. He could but perform this duty or
surrender the existence of the Government
| No compromise by public servants could in
| this case be cure. Not that compromises are
not often proper, but that no popular move
| ment can long survive marked precedent
| That those who carry an election can only save
| the Government from immediate disruption, by
giving up the main point, upon which the peo-
| pie gave the election. The people themselves
and not their servants, can safely reverse their
own deliberate decisions.
| AS private citizen, the Executive could not
have consented that these institutions shall
perish, much less could he, in betrayal of so
vast and so sacred IL trust as these free people
had confded to him.
He telt that he had no moral right to shrink
nor even to count the chances of his own life
in what might follow. In full view of his great
| III. 10. H..
deemed his duty. You will now, according to
| vnnr own Judgment nerfnrm Ynnrs He sin.