Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-06-08

If the southern states that have attempted
to destroy the Union, had proceeded honora-
bly,, by peaceful and orderly methods, it is
possible that their desire might have been
granted. There has beet in the loyal states
an extreme backwardness to engage in civil
war Until the last moment, they refused to
believe it possible, and while the conspirators
were operating reasonably upon the army
and navy, organizing military force, robbing
the arsenas, seizing the forts, stealing from
the treasury, and doing their best to break
down the government entirely, the free states
were still dreaming OF peace and fermentng
with schemes for appeasing the conspirators.
They might have had, what Kentucky proposed,
national convention, in which to discuss the
matter, and adopt such measures as might
seem necessary. Such a convention could
have proposed an amendment of the federal
constitution, allowing the gulf states to depart
in peace. We do not say that this should
have been done, nor that it would have been
desired by the sober judgment of the people
in any Of those states. But it was possible,
they could leave the Union peaceably.
The leading conspirators had strong reasons
for not adopting this or any other peaceable
method OF separation. In the first place. their
main purpose was to break down the gov
eminent and render continuance of tile Union
impossible. 1t would not be enough to sep.
arate peaceably, and by method that respect
ed and preserved the federal constitution for
those who should remain loyal to its spirit
and purpose. No, the Union must be broker
up en- irely and made useless for those who
desired to retain it, by establishing the doc
trine that any state has right to secede q
pleasure, without consulting The Others. II
the second place, secession by peaceabe meth
h-l.s.--Sssf i' '- "een impossible. even if the
tiiteu % a separation in
regular way. The southern people them
selves would have voted down the conspirators
if they had attempted the work by any means
that gave full scope to free and deliberate ac
tion. They did not dare to try such means,
but saw more hope for themselves in vigilance
committees; disorder, revolution, and violence
The mel who have undertaken this work
of destruction are unfit for power, unfit for the
associations of good neighbors, unfit TO live.
They should be exterminated. Their crime
is too great for any common punishment.
There never was another such causeless re-
bellion,-never such another wicked crusade
against government that none could accuse
Of oppression, and against which the rebels
themselves could not devise reasonable com
plant Peace with such men is impossible,
and the first and most pressing duty Of patriot
ism is t. beat, humiliaie, and hang them. For
the last few years the country has been sore
ly troubled by their arrogance, intolerance,
violence in the official positions which many
of them have contrived to occupy They
have assumed to be lords and masters of the
republic. 1t is because the overthrow of these
enemies OF the public welfare had been de
creed by the voting people of the republic
that they resolved to destroy it. Now lie
them be annihilated by the war they have re
ated Their destruction is necessary to {
settled peace between the two sections andit
dealing with them there should be no forbear
ance, no hesitation. The government has al
ready suffered too much from such weakness.
The arrest and punishment of traitors should
have begun months ago. Mason, Wgia, and
some others, should have had visitation OF
Justice, last March, when Mason openly pro-
claimed himself traitor and dehed the sena-
tors to expel him. Forbearance was suicidal
weakness, and continuance Of it would have
done the work of the secessionists more effec
tually than they will ever be able 10 do i
themselves.