The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-02-28
Nor,hern pemocracy ON Coercion.

our forefathers, and putting these men i'll alto
gvther too favorable light.
The Kenosha Democrat OF last week, merely
reiterating the foolish trash going the rounds Of
the doughface papers, says:
When George he Third blockaded Bostoh
he denied Its being an act Of war He only
meant to enforce the laws (of ParliamenD AM
collect his duty on tea. The people made com
mon cause, declared it an act Of war. and George
by the grace of Cod King of England, was com.
PEELED to acknowledge them free at the end of q
bloody war. And so it will be again if the
north attempt to enforce their laws, and collect
their dutie by blockading Charles ton"
We do not quote this as a peculiar view Of
the editor of the Kenosha Democrat. 1t is not
by any means original with him, but it is the
style of argument adopted by northern Demo
Gratis generally. This is the view Of secession
that the Democratic Press and Democratic
speakers al e doing their best to palm off upon
The people. The North, or rather the Republi
can party is George the Third and the British
PaIliment enforcing odious and oppressive laws
upon the much abused South. Such compari
sons and statements would be only supremacy
ridiculous were they not so mischievons in theil
action upon the illiterate aud simple minded
both north and south.
Just look at the facts of the case and see how
they sustain or warrant such comparison. The
Republican party has nevcr had control of the
law-making or the law-executing power of the
Federal Government consequently il has never
enacted law oppressive or otherwise against
the South, nor enforced law against the South
oppressive or otherwise. The South has had
for long series of years entire and almost un.
disputed possession OF the law. making, the
law expounding, and the law-enforcing power
in its own hands. If there has been any Cd
preston either in the laws or their execution il
must have been by the South upon itself. But
say they, George the III blockaded Boston to
enforce the laws (of Parliament) and collect his
duty on tea, and the people made common
cause declared it an act of war and maintain
ed their independence. "And SO it will be
again if the North attempt to enforce their law.
and collect their duties by blockadlng Charles
ton" Now if any laws are enforced at the
South, it will be the South's own laws, framed
by Southern men,and if hitherto enforced at all
enforced by Southern men. There are no Fed
eral laws depressing the South; none that i
enforced with the utmost rigor could Cypress
any portion of the southern people, or interfere
in the remotest degree with any of the rights
privileges or institutions of the South. And
as to the North collecting "heir duties by
olockading Charleston" it is sufficient to say
that all the revenue collected in all the ports O
all the seeding States never amounted in an,
one year to anything like the amount expended
by the Federal Government, in those States TO
their especial and local benefit.
From such considerations, it needs but hal
an eye to see that all this attempt to compare
southern secession with the American Reyol
lon' and to make heroes and patriots out o
rebels and TRAITORS is the broadcast kind offarce
and deserves only the C ontempt and pity of al
honest men.
Our own immortal Declaration of Indepen
dence is frequently quoted as auI hority for Sc
cession. 1t is said that that instrument de
cIares the right of revolution inherent in thu
people, and guarantees to lhem them the right
OF revolution whenever the people fancy the,
nave sufficient reason. But this is a SANDER G
the instrument and Of the gifted men who drew
1t up. What the Declaration says is this, Gal
men are created equal that they are endowed
by their Creator with certain inalienable RIGHTS
that among these are life, liberty, and the pur
SUIT OF happiness that to secure these right
governments are instituted among men, deriv
ing Their just powers from the governed; anC
that whenever any form Of government be
c ONES destructive of these ends. it is the RICH
OF the people to alter abolish it, and to insti
tute new governments
What warrant is there in that para
graph for southern secession or rebellion Ho:
the Federal Government become destructive to
the rights of the South to life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness Nobody claims any sucl
thing. Under tina. Declaration of Indepen
dence, the war OF the revolution was fought. ant
in pursuance OF its principles and spirit, thu
Constitution Was framed and adopted by tn
people of the several States, and by that act tn
Union was cemented and all parties to the CON
pact became indiSsolubly bound thereby as lon
as the govenmentShould secure to the govern
ed those inalienabe rights, for which it wa
instituted, If N the midst of peace and pros
penty' and in the full enjoyment of all those in
allenable rights by all sections of the country
and by all classes and conditions of the peonl,
except the slaves few dissatisfied or ambi
uous or designing men set on foot and carr,
out plan to dismember the Union and destro,
the government, they are rebels and traitors, anC
the assumed right of revolution should not b.
permitted to shield them from the punishment
their crimes deserve.
HE doctrine assumed and put forth by the
doughtace Democracy destroys all form or sem.
blance of government in our country, and de-
prlYes 1t of all power either for good or evil In
several of the States, as is we'll known, the
laws of Congress are resisted, and the property
OF the Federal Government has been seized and
appropriated to private uses. The Dem ocracy
say the government cannot coerce a State tc
stay in the Union. But coe.cing these States
and enforcing the laws there mean one and the
same thing; therefore the government cannot
enforce its laws. Again, the Southern States
have by force taken possession of and hold a
number of the Forts, Arsenals, Navy Yards.
MINIS. &c. Retaking them and forcing these
States to yield their possession is coercion. The
u 5. Government cannot coeIce, therefore it
cannot ietake its own Again, the laws OF Con-
sfsss cannot be enforced in the seeding States
""hou' war. Enforcing ihe laws is coercion.
coercion Is war; therefore those who favor en-
forcing the laws favor coercion: " those who
fAVor coercion favor war, for to u.s." says the
Democrat, the terms are synonomous." there.
fore mark the conclusion, "all who vote for
enforcing the laws of Congress in the seeding
States, vote for commencing the most terrible
and relentless war ever waged by n ciyilizad