Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-06-27
DeIligcrent Rishts-What Shall be Don,
With the Slaves Emancipated by War.


The popular instinct. which goes right
to the truth of the natter, says "Slavery
made the war: let it take the consequences
of war;" We expect that nothing more
just than that conld be proclaimed from
Sinai itself. But. politicians in office
have but little faith either in the popular
instinct or in eternai justice. Why should
men who are conscious of their own weak
ness. have faith in the popular instinct
the question with them is how to avoid
these self evident truths To this want of
faith is added another dcmoraliz;ng ele-
ment. in the common political idea that
the more that truth and Justice are violat-
ell. the better our constitutional obliga-
tions are fulfilled; and that the sacrifice
of the great popular instinct Of truth is
patriotic sacrifice to the country. eu = +
Heaven help country where to crush
out the instincts Of right. and to sacrifice
manhood, is set up as patriotism;--that is,
nothing but heaven could save such coun-
try. but il would not be worth saving -
How mnch better would such people be
than those who set up the most hideous
reptiles and all manner of bcastlness as
objects Of worship? -nl i '' ae -
Is the Government which we are sup.
porting Legitimate. constitutional aud
just Government. Then to rebel against
it is the greatest crime known to humani-
ty. 1t Is guilt for all the horrors of the war.
1t is the sum of all iniquity, for it includes
all possible crimes. The rebels have for
feitcd all right to life. liberty and property.
and only holde;ther at the mercy Of the
Government. after complete submission
This is the natural and universal law of all
ages and governments. They who take up
the sword must perish by the sword. sd1
Are we to carry on this war as il it was
for a Just Government against rebellion?
Are We Justified In using the most efficie
means to crush the rebellion? Have we
even belligerent rights? Or is il only an
other and q desperate effort to fulfill what,
in the slavishness in which the people of
the North haze wsllowed until it has be-
came second nature, is called our oblies-
tions to the South? We ask this because
so far orr attitude in this war seems to in
|dicate this motive. Our citizens are rob-
bed of their dues. property and ships,
themselves abused with more than savage
ferocity. and hundreds of them murdered
Hundreds, of millions of Northern in
vestmcnts swept out Of existence By
Southern rascality, our industry destroyed.
the very existence Of tho Government
threatened by the rebellion; yet onr brave
volunteers. who have rendered their lives
to save their country and to show taat
they have q country worthy ofthe lives Of
its citizens, are informed at the outset of
the campaign that their first duty is to
catch fugitive slaves, for rebel masters,
and suppress black instructions for white
Insurgents. Three great Generals. in COM
maud, of thee great. Of the grand
army of the North. have succcssively pro-
claimed this degradation to the nation. ~
And fpgitiyes il the. very Capital. flying
from masters who had plotted It's destrucr
tion.. to the soldiers Inf. the Government
for protection. bsya been stoppQd BY their
bsyonets. and delivered up to masters who
would gladly assassinate every one our
men with steel Or poison; ,'~a -. ,,,os 80. :,
81 Is ionly an enlarged slave hunt that she
North is called te carry on With such geusr:
ops. petriptic. saeFl6css?e Disguised with
the degFadingo swoykchs had sssumed. q
Democratic General took the rssponsibili,
~ Of holding the fegitive slaves Of rebels
IS contrsbsnd' Of war. His report of this
course hfopebt : diplomatic pon-com-
initial reply, instructing the General to
Ioev> ~ !. -co,rt ofxbo l.bo~ ~f H. r..