The national Republican., 1861-07-06

get 10 its stesd-whethsr the substitute will
give, or be intended TO give, 90 .puch of GOOD 70
the people. la -s'. .''.,' .
There are some foreshadowings on this sub.
ject Our adversaries have adopted some dec.
larations OF independence, in which, unlike the
good old one, penned BY Jefferson, they omit
the words "all men are created squal." Why2
They have adopted a temporary national Con.
stitution, in the preamble of which, unlike our
good old one, signed by Washington, they omit
We. the people," aud substitute ave, the
duPuhes OF the sovereign and independent
States" Why3 Why this deliberate pressing
out OF view the rights Of men, and the authority
of the people?
Thi. is essentially peoples contest On the
In the world, that form and substance of govern
ment, whose leading object IT, to elevate the
condition Of men-to lift artificial weights from
all snouldersj to clear the paths of laudable
pursuit Tor all to all an unfettered start, and
iair chance in the race of life. Yielding to par
ual ana temporary departures, from necessity,
TINS 10 the leading object Of the Government for
whose existence we contend.
l am most happy to believe that the plain peo.
PIE understand and appreciate this It is worthy
OF note, that while In this, the Governments
hour OF trial, large numbers Of those 10 the amy
ana navy who have been favored with the Of
noes, nave resigned, and proved false to the hand
wnich mad pampsred them, not one common
soldier, or common sailor, is known to have d.
serted his flag. -
Great honor Is due to those officers who re-
mained true despite the example of their treache.
rous associates but the greatest honor, and most
important fact Of all, is the unanimous 6rmness
OF the common soldiers and common sailors To
the last man, 30 far as known, they have sue
cessfully resisted the traitorous efforts of those
whose commands, but IN hour before, they obeyed
as absolute law. This Is the patriotic instinct
OF plain people. They understand, without IN
argument that the destroying the Government
which was made by Washington means no good
to them.
Our popular Government has often been called
an experiment Two points in il our people
have already settled-the successful eaabii,hnq
and the successful administering of IT, One still
remains-its successful maintenance against q
formidable internal attempt to overthrow It. Il
10 now for them to demonstrate to the world,
that those who can fairly carry an election, can
also suppress rebellion that ballots are the
rlghtful and peaceful successors of bullets and
that when ballots have fairly and consttution ally
decided, there can be successful appeal back to
bullets that there can be no successful appeal
except to ballots themselves, at succeeding
elections Such will be great lesson of peace ;
teaching men that what they cannot take by an
election, neither can they take 1t by q war /;
teaching all the folly of being the beginners of q
war.
Lest there be some uneasiness in the minds OF
candid men, as to what Is to be the course Of the
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 Con-
stitution and the laws; and that he probably
will have no different understanding of the pow.
ers and duties of the Federal Government re.
latvely 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 II
may be administered for sl az 1t was admin stored
by the men who made 1t. Loyal citizens every
where, have the right to claim this of their Gov.
eminent; and the Government has no right to
withhold, or neglect II. It 10 not perceived that
10 giving 1t, there Is any coercion, any conquest
or any subjugstion, in any just sense of those
terms.
The Constitution provides, and all the States
have accepted the provision, that " The United
States shall guarantee to every State in this
Union Npublican form of government" But,
If State may lawfully 60 out of the Union,
having done so, 1t may also disc ard the republi-
can form Of government so that to prevent its
going out Ia an indispensable means, to the end
OF maintaining the guaranty mentioned and
when 40 end is lawful and obligatory the indis-
pensable means to 1t, are also lawful and oLli-
gatory.
1t was with the deepest regret that the Execu
tive found the duty Of employing the war-power,
In defence OF the Government, forced upon him.
He could but perform this duty, or surrender tn e
existence Of the Government. No compromise,
by public serVants, could, 10 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 i'm
mediate destruct on, by giving up the main point,
upon which the people gave the election. The
people themselves, and aot their servants, can
safely reverse their own deliberate decisions.
As a private citizen, the Executive could not
| have consented that these institutions shall
perish; much less could he, in betrayal of go
vast, and so sacred trust, as these FREQ people
had conGded to him. He felt 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 responsibility, he has,
20 far, done what he has deemed his duty. You
will now, according to your own judgment, per
form yours. He sincerely hopes that Your views,
and your action, may so ACCORD with his, as to
assure all faithful citizens, who have been dis
turbod in their rights, of certain, and speedy
| restoration to them, under the Constitution and
the laws.
And having thus chosen our course, without
guile, and with pure purpose, let US renew our
| trust in God, and 90 forward without fear, an
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.