Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-07-03

public. 1t is perfectly certain that in the at
tempted exercise of this right neither States
nor statesmen will be sslet alone" Should a
ruffian meet me in the streets, and seek with
his axe to hew an arm and leg from my body,
l would not the less resist him because, as a
dishonoreG and helpless trunk | might per-
chance survive the mutilation. 1t is easy to
perceive what fatal results to the old confed-
eracy would follow should the blow now struck
at its integrity, ultimately triumph. We can
we'll understand what degradation it would
bring to it abroad, and what weakness at
home ; what exhaustion from inceSsant war
and standing armies, and from the erection OF
Notifications along the thousands of miles of
new frontier; whot embarassmentS to COM
merce from having its natural channels en-
numbered or cut of; ; what elements of disn-
tegration and revolution would be introduced
from the pernicious example; and above all,
what humiliation would cover the whole A
merican people for having failed in their great
mission to demonstrate before the world the
capacity of our race for self-government.
While far more fearful responsibility has
fallen upon President Lincoln than upon any
of his predecessors, it must be admitted that
he has met it with promptitude and fearless
ness. Cicero, in one of his 0rations against
Cataline, speaking of the credit due himself
for having suppressed the conspiracy of that
arch traitor, said, elf the glory of him who
founded Rome was great, how much greater
should be that of him who had saved it from
overthrow after ii had grown to be the mis-
tress of the world ?'' So it may said of the
glory of that statesman or chieftain who sha II
snatch from the vortex of revolution this re-
public, now that it has expanded from ocean
to ocean, has become the admiration of the
world, and has rendered the fountains of the
lives cf thirty millions of people, fountains Of
happiness.
The vigorous measures adopted for the safe
ty of Washington and the Government itself
may seem open to criticism, in some of their
details, to those who have yet to learn that
not only has war like peace its laws, but it
has also its privileges and its duties. What
ever of severity, or even of rregularity, may
have arisen, will find its justification in the
pressure OF the terrible necessity under which
the administration has been called to act.
When man feels the poignard of the destroy
er at his bosom, he is not likely to consult
the law books as to the mode measure of
his rights of self-defence. What is true of in
dividuals is in this respect equally true Of
Governments. The man who thinks he has
become disloy al because of what the Admin
stration has done, will probably discover, af
ter close selfexamination, that he was dis
loyal before. But for what has been done,
Washington might ere this have been smoul.
derirg heap OF ruins.
They have noted the course of public affairs
to little advantage, who suppose that the elec-
tion OF Mr.. Lincoln was the real ground of the
revolutionary outbreak that has occurred. The
roots of the revolution may be tracked back
for more than quarter of century, and an
unhoy lust for power is the soil out Of which
it Sprang. A prominent member of The band
of agitators declared in of his speeches,
at Charleston, last November or December.
that they had been occupied for thirty years in
the work of severing South Carolina from the
Union. When General Jackson.crushed null
lfcation, he said it would revive again under
the form of the slavery agitation, and we have
lived to see this prediction verified. Indeed
that agitation, during the last Is or 20 years
has been almost the entire stock in trade Of
Southern politicians. The Southern people,
known to be as generous in their impulses as
they are chivalric, were not wrought into
phrenzy of passion by the Incorporate words
of few fanatical abolitionsts; for these
words, If left to themselves, would have fallen
to the ground as pebbles into the sea, and
would have been heard of no more. But it
was the echo of those words, repeated with
exaggeration for the thousandth time by
Southern politicians in the halls of Congress,
and in the delIberative and popular assemblies,
and through the press OF the South that pro-
duced the evaporation which has proved
potent lever in the hands of the conspirators.
The cloud was fully charged, and the Juggling
revoutionists who held the wires and could at
will direct it's ligbtnings, appeared at Charles
ton, broke up the Democratic Convention as
Sembled to nominate candidate for the Presi-
dency, and thus secured the election of Mr..
Lincoln. Having thus rendered this certain,
they at once set to work to bring the popular
mind of the South to the point of determining
in advance that the election of Republican
President would be, per Sc, cause for a disso-
luton of the Union. They were but too sue
cessful, and to this result the inaction and in
decision of the Border States deplorably con-
tributed. When the election of Mr.. Lincoln
was announced, there was rejoicing in the
streets of Charleston, and doubtless at other
points in the South; for it was believed by
the conspirators that this had brought tide
in the current of their Vaccinations which
would bear them on to victory. The tdrama
of secession was now open, and State after
State rushed out Of the u Union, and their men,
bers withdrew from Congress. The revolution
was pressed on with this hot haste in order
that no time should be allowed for reaction in
the Northern mind, or for any adjustment on
the slavery issues by the action of Congress,
or of the State Legislatures. Had the South
ern members continued in their seats, salts
factory compromise would, no doubt, have
been arranged and passed before the adjourn
ment Of Congress. AS it was, after their re-
tirement, and after Congress had become Re-
publican, an amendment to the Constitution
was adopted by a two-thrds vote, declaring
that Congress should never interfere with Sla-
very in the States and declaring, further, that
this amendment should be irrevocable. Thus
was falsied the clamor so long and so insidi-
ously wrung in the ears of the Southern people,
that the abolition of slavery in the States was
the ultimate aim of the Republican party.
But even this amendment, and all others which
may be needed to furnish the guarantees de-
manded, are now defeated by the sece ssion of
eleven States, which claiming to be out of the
Union, will refuse to vote upon, and, in effect,
will vote against any proposals to modify the
Federal Constitution. There are now thirty