Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-07-10

They have adopted temporary nstia,.,
stitutlon in the preamble of which. rnI,, 0Oa-
good old one, signed by Washington ,S7 ou7
init s'we the people, ," and substitute o.
deputies of the sovereign and inSs,,'h 'he
States" Why ? why this deliberate .nuent
out of view the rights of men and the e,.Lhs
ty of the people This is essentially
Piles contest. On the side of the Union - peo-
struggle for maintaining in the world thu, rs "a
and substance of government whose La
object is to elevate the condition Of ma,
lift artificial weights from all shouldo,- 70
clear the paths of laudible pursuit IN, III 70
afford all an unfettered start and fair a. 70
in the race of life, yielding to the partial ar
TO temporary departure from necessity. tn
is the leading object of the goyernna,, J.
whose existence we contend. vi
| am most happy to believe that tbs ,t..
people understand and appreciate this pap I.
worthy of note that while i'll this. the Gora.Is
ment's hour of trial, large numbers of ,Sa.,
in the army and navy who have been fsrosss
with the offices, have resigned and NJ
false to the hand which pampered ,b.
not one common soldier or common sa;Io, u
ksown to have deserted his flag. Gres, h..
or is due to those officers who remain -
despite the example of their tFeacherop, :.
sociates. But the greatest honor and M.
important ldCl Oi dll,lS the uldllInOuS
of the common soldiers. To the last mar =
far as is known they have successfulv rssi.,
ed the traitorous efforts OF those whose con.
mands but an hour before they Obeyed sss
solute law. This is the patriotic ipy,ir,, =,
plain people, they understand without an .,
gument that the destroying OF the Cove
ment which was made by Washington ns,n.
no good to them. Our popular Goyernms1,
has often been called an experiment. Two
points in it our people have already settled
the successful establishing and the succass'
ful administering of it. One still remains
its successful maintenance against . for
mdable internal attempt to overthrow II. I,
is now fox them to demonstrate 10 the world
that those who can fairly carry an election
can also suppress rebellion that ballots are
the rightful and peaceful successors of buIla,s
and that when ballots have fairly and consti,
tutionaliy decided there can be no snccrs,fpt
appeal back to bullets, and that there can he
no successful appeal except TO the ballots
themselves at succeeding elections. Such
will be great lesson of peace, teaching m.n
that what they cannot take by an election
neither can they take it by war, teaching ali
the folly of being the beginners Of war. Lest
there be some uneasiness in the minds of can.
did men as to what is to be the course OF the
Government toward the Southern States al
ter 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 Constitution and the laws, and that be
probably will have no different understanding
of the powers and duties of the Federal Gov
ernment relative to the rights of the States
and the people under the Constitution, than
that expressed in the inaugural address. He
desires to preserve the Government that it
may be administered for all,,as il was admins.
tered by the men who made it.
LOYAL citizens every where have the righ,
to claim this of their government, and tbe
Government has no right to withhold or ne-
glect it. It is not perceived that in giving II
there is any coercion, any conquest, any
subiugation, in any just sense Of these terms.
The Constitution provided, and all the States
have accepted the provision, that the United
States shall guarantee to every State in ihis
Union a republican form of Government, but
if State may lawfully go out Of the Union,
having done so it may also discard the Repub-
6can form of Government, SO that to prevent
its going out is an indispensable means b. the
end of maintaining the guaranty mentiOnef.
When an end is lawful and obligatory, the in
dispensable means to it are also lawful and o.
bIigatory. 1t was with the deepest regret
that the Executive found the duty OF employ
ing the war power in defence OF the govern
ment forced upon him. He could but per-
form this duty or surrender the exlStance 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 government can long survive
a marked precedent, that those who carry an
election can only save the government from
immediate destruction by giving up the main
point upon which the people gave the cleo
ton. The people themselves, and not theT
servants, can safely reverse their own delibeT-
ate decisions. As private citizens the TX
ecutiye could not have consented that these
institutions shall perish, much less could he
in betrayal of so vast and so sacred trust as
these people had cont1ded to him, he felt that
he dad no moral right to shrink, nor even 70
count the chances OF his own life IN wh'
might follow. In full view of his great re-
sponsibilty, he has so far done what he has
deemed his duty. You viii now accordingt 10
your own judgments perform yours. lie sh-
cerely hopes that your views and your actions
may so accord with his as TO assure all falthiu1
citizens who have been disturbed in tleH
rights of a certain and speedy restoration 70
them under the Constitution and laws ano'
having thus chosen our cause without gui#
and with pure purpose, let us renew our tTuS.
in God, and 60 forward without fear and VIE
manly hearts. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Washington, July 4th, 1861.