Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-10-23
Mr.. Brownson on Slavery and
the Rebellion.

of the Roman Catholics in the United
States, contains most able and patriotic
essay on the different questions raised by
the pro-slavery rebellion, and in particular
on the relations Of slavery to the rebellion
and to the Union
Mr.. Brownson takes the position that If
we value peace, honor, liberty, prosperity,
all we have or hope for. we must maintain
the Union; and he believes that to put
down the rebellion, and bring back a
peace which shall be lasting and honorable
as well as righteous, we must not only put
down the rebellion, but that which is the
sole cause Of rebellion-slayory.
We make room for few extracts which
well deserve a careful perusal:-
MR.. BRowNsoN's POSITION.
We need not say, for the fact is well
known to our readers, that no man, ac-
cording to his ability and opportunity, has,
since April, 1888, more strenously opposed
the abolition movement in the free states
than we have; not because we loved slave
ry, or had any sympathy with that hateful
institution, but because we loved the Con-
slitution of the Union, and because we
believed that liberty at home and through
out the world was far more interested in
preserving the Union Of these states under
the federal constitution, than abolishing
slavery as it existed in the southern section
Of our common country. But we believe,
and always have believed, that liberty, the
cause of free institutions, the hopes Of phi
lanthropists and christians, both at home
and abroad, are more interested in presew-
ing the Union and the integrity of the ma
ton, than they are or can be in maintain
ing negro slavery. If we have opposed
abolition heretofore, because we would pre-
serve the Union, we must, q .fortiori, op
pose slay cry whenever, in our judgment, its
continuance becomes incompatible with the
maintenance of the Union, or Of our ma
ton as free republican state.
Certainly we said in the article on "The
Great Rebellion" in our last P9eieac, the
North has not taken up arms for the de-
struction of negro slavery, but for the
maintenance Of the federal government,
the enforcement Of the laws, and the pres
ervation Of the Union. This is true. The
liberation of the slave is now engaged
The war is war against rebellion, engaged
in by the rebels for the purpose Of making
this a great slaveholding republic in which
the labor of the country shall be performed
ny sltyes, either black or white; and if,
Il, defeat the rebellion, the destruction Of
slavery be necessary, and be actually effect
ed, it will change nothing in the character
or purpose Of the war. 1t will haze been
necessitated by the rebellion, and the reb
els will have only themselves to thank for
the destruction or abolition they force us to
adopt in defence Of liberty. the Union, and
the authority of the government.
THE WAR SERIOUS MATTER.
1t is no time to mince words or to study
out honeyed phrases; We must call things
by their right names, and treat all who are
not for us as against US. We have some
thing more than even the constitution and
laws to maintain; the very existence Of
the government is at stake; and as no
means are scrupled at to destroy it, we
have a right to use all the means which
the law of preservation renders necessary
or expedent. We wish our readers and
the public at large to understand that We
are in war, and to let it get through their
heads that the war which the rebellion
has forced upon us is no mimic war, no
child's play, and is not to be conducted to
a successful issue on the principle Of treat
inc the rebels as friends, giving them every
advantage and doing them no harm. They
are in downright earnest, and are putting
forth oil their strength, and doing their
best to subjugate us; and We also must be
in downright earnest, put forth all our
strength. and do our best to subjugate
hem. War cannot be conducted on peace
or successfully conducted by |
men who do not enter into it with spirit,
resolution.
THE SLAVE POPULATION.
THIS brings us to the ques-
ion Of the slave population in the rebel
ious states. In these states there are
over three millions Of the population held
~ the laws or usages of these states as
slaves. These people are an integral por
ion Of the people of the United States,
owe allegiance to the federal government,
md are entitled to the protection of that
government The government has the
.ame right to make friends and allies Of
hem, and to enroll and arm them against
he rebellion, that it nas to make friends
md allies, or to enroll and arm the white
population of Western Virginia or Eastern /
tennessee. 1t makes nothing again.t
his that these people have been hereto
ore slaves by the Jaws or usages OF the /
states in which they reside; for these
avs or usages are deprived Of all force
against the Union by the very act Of the
rebellion. Rebellion dissolyes all laws for
he protection o, the lives and property Of
he rebels. BY the very act Of rebellion,
he rebel Iorfeits to the government against
which the rebels, both his property and his
life, and holds henceforth neither, save at
It's mercy and discretion. If it were not
70, the government would have no right to
confiscate the property Of rebels, or 10 at
tempt to suppress rebellion by force Of
arms. If the slaves held in the rebellious
states are property, they are forfeited
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