Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1861-07-17

by force for its preservation. The call was made
and the response of the country was most grati-
flying, surprising in unanirnity and spirit the
most sanguine expectation Yet none of the
States commonly called Slave States, except
Delaware, gave a regiment through regular State
organization. a few regiments have been organ
lied within some others of those States by indi-
vidual enterprise, and received into the govern
ment service. OF course the seeded States, so
called, and to which Texas had been joined about
the time of the Ipauguration, gave no troops TO
the cause of the Union. The border-states, so
called. We're not uniform in their action, some of
them being almost for the Union, while in others,
as Virginia North Carolina, Tennessee and Ar
kansas the Union sentiment nearly repressed
and siIenced. The course taken in Virginia was
the most remarkable, perhaps the most important.
\ convention, elected by the people of that
State, to consider this very question of dsrupting
the Federal Union, was in session at the Capitol
of Virginia when Fort Sumter fell To this body
the people had chosen large majority Of profess
ed Union men. Soon after the fall of Sumter,
many members of shat majority went over to the
original disunion minority, and with them adop-
ted an ordinance for withdrawing the State from
the Union. Whether this change was wrought
by their great approval Of the assault upon Sum
ter or the great resentment at the Governments
resistance to the assault, Is not definitely known,
although they submitted the ordinance for ratif-
cation to a vote of the people, to be taken on a
day then somewhat more than month distant
The Convention and the Legislature, which was
also IN session at tie same time and place, with
leading men of the State not members Of either,
Immediately commenced acting rs if the State
were already out of the Union. They pushed
military preparations vigorously forward all over
the State; they seized the United States Arnory
at Harper's Ferry. and the Navy Yard at Cos
port, near Norfolk; they received, perhaps invi-
ted into their State large bodies Of troops, with
their war ike appointments, from the so-calIed
seeded States; they formally entered into a
treaty Of temporary alliance and cooperation
with the so-calIed Confederate States, and sent
members of their Congress TO Montgomery; and
finally they permitted the insurrectionary gov
crumcnt to be transferred 10 their capital at
Richmond.
The people of Virginia have thus allowed this
giant insurrectiOn TO make its nest within her
borders, and this government has no choice left
but 10 deal with it where it finds it; and it has
the less regret as the loyal citizens have in due
form claimed It's protection. Those loyal citizens
this government IS bound to recognize and pro
tee, as being Virginia. IL the border States. 50
called, in fact the middle States, there are those
who favor policy Of armed neutrality-that is,
an arTning of those States to prevent the Union
forces passing one way the disunion the other.
! over their soil. This would be disunion compile
tel figuratvely speaking, it would be she build
in. IF an impossible wall along the line Of sepa-
r.ltiun. And yet not quite impossible one,
fyr, under the suise of neutrality, it would tie
the hands of the Union men and freely pass sup
plies from among them to the insuIrectionists,
which it could not % as open enemy. At
stroke it would take all the trouble off the hands
+ of secession, except only what proceeds from the
external blockade 1t would do for the disun-
ionists that which of all things they most desire
feed them well and give them disunion without
a struggle of their own. 1t recognizes no fidelity
to the Constitution no obligation to maintain the
Union and while very many who have favored
it are doubtless loyal, it is, nevertheless, very in
furious in effect. Recurring to the action of the
Government, /: may be stated that at first call
was made for -, 600 militia, aud rapidly follow
ing this, proclamation was issued for closing
the ports of the insurrectionary districts, by pro-
eeedings in the nature of blockade. So far all
was believed to be strictly legal.
At this point the insurrectionists announced
their purpose to enter upon the practice Of Priva-
teering Other calls were made for volunteers to
serve three years unless soocer discharged, and
also, for large additions to the regular army and
navy. There measures, whether legal or no.,
were veutured upon under what appeared to be
popular demand and public necessity, trusting
then, as now, that Congress would readily ratify
them. 1t Is believed that nothing has been done
beyond the constitutional competency of Congress.
Soon after the first call for militia, it consid-
cred duty to authorize the commanding Gener-
al in proper cases. according to this discretion tc
suspend the privilege of the writ of hdbeas corpus
or in other words, tc arrest and detain, without
resort to the ordinary processes and forms of law
such individuals as he might deem dangerous tc
the public safety. This authority has purposely
beer exercised but very sparingly. Nevertheless:
the legality and propriety of what has been done
under it are questioned, and the attention of the
: country has been called to the proposition thai
one who is sworn to take care that the laws bt
faithfully executed should not himself violate
them. OF course some consideration was giveI
TO the questions of power and propriety befor,
this matter was acted upon The whole Of tht
, laws which were required to be faithfully execut
ed were being resisted and failing of execution il
nearly one-third of TIE States. Must they be al
lowed to finally fail of execution, had it beer
perfectly clear that by the of the means neces
, sary TO their execution some single law made il