Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1861-08-15

naughty and traitorous demand was, that
we should consent to the dissolution OF
the Union. and the dismemberment of the
Government. They said if this Govern.
ment would write its name upon blank
piece Of paper, and allow them TO write
over it, the conditions upon which they
would compromise this difficulty and re-
turn to the Union, they had none to
write.
4 proposition to compromise now is
simply a proposition to surrender, and the
man who makes it, disguise it as he may,
means that and nothing else.
We are now fighting to preserve what
our fathers fought to win. They estab-
lished a republican government, and we
will uphold it. If their cause was sacred,
then is ours, sanetifed by their blood, and
should, if necessary, be sealed with our
own.
SECESSION.
To concede practically or theoretically
the doctrine of secession, upon which this
rebellion is based, is to concede the des-
truction Of our social and political insti-
tutions. That doctrine is that any State
has the right to withdraw from the Union
at pleasure, without consulting the Ma
tional Government or the other States
This being admitted, it requires no argu-
ment to prove that we have no govern
ment, but mere voluntary association
with no higher sanctions than pleasure
party, from which any guest may retire at
his own convenience. Carried to It's con.
sequences, it does not stop with the des
truction of the National Government, but
is equally fatal to State and local institu
tons. Commerce must perish when one
party can withdraw from the contract
without the consent of the other. Nc
other war ever involved such mighty in
terests, eomprehending, as it does, the 20
litical and social existence of the Nation
and if, while everything is thus at stake
we shall suffer ourselves to be distracted
and conquered by old preiudices and ieal
ousies, false views of public economy anC
the evil Vaccinations of selfish dema,
gogues, the world may well pronounce
final Judgment, that the experiment OF
self government has failed, and that men
can be successfully governed only by al
aristocracy or a monarchy.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
Much is being said in certain quarters
now about the freedom of speech. allow
no man to be n more firm and consistent
advocate of that right than myself.
have battled for it for many years, and
shall ever uphold it as the very touchstonC
of liberty. 1t will be found, on examina
ton. that those who are now making the
clamor, mean, by the "freedom ofspee ch, >
the right TO weaken our hands, ant
strengthen the hands of our enemy, 10y
distracting our councils, by reviling oul
cause, by ignominious propositions to lay
down our arms. and by assailing the pur;
ty of all men who are laboring to uphold
the honor and integrity of the nation. 1
arv man in the rebellious States should
utter, in defense of the North tithe oil
what men in indiana are daily saying in de
fence of the South, he would not be permit
ted to live long enough to say his prayers
T his freedom Ofspeech is exercised in be
half ofthose who denytbe right to all other
and who punish its exercise with DEATH
The men who thus abuse this right offre,
speech, are living monuments of the for
bearance of our laws, and of the libert,
and security of persons, guaranteed BY
our institutions. While | admit, an,
will uphold the freedom of speech, it i
not improper to state that there are Sat,
and National laws defining and punishin.
the crime of treason, and that infractiou
of these laws will be searched out and pun
ished with the utmost rigor.