Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-12-05
Tho war-Mal1inE Power.

|. The War-Mnktmg POWef'J 4l7
The extent Of the war making power vested
1 In the Congress and Executive Of the United
States in case Of an insurection or rebellion 10
worthy of attentive aud grave confederation at
this time, as In all probability strenuous exer-
| tions will be made at the present session OF
Congress to push the war-making power OF the
Government TO the utmost verge Of the Consti-
tuition, II MOTTO the point Of swapping Its cords
asunder. ~ s5-.. .... 4 !,
The difference between the power which the
Government possesses in carrying on war
lagainst a foreign country and its power in sup
prssaiDg rebellion. is very plain and obvious,
Though the Government in its apparent dread
Of doing am act that the most hAir-splitting
Ingenuity might torture into 'arecognition OF
the rebel Coniederacy, seems to have been ex-
cssdiogly cautious, refusing to regard the Con
federais organization as q belligTent and re.
luesanlly in any case agreeipg to an exchange
of prisoners Of war; yet the signs indicate that
other acts may be done through an unconstitu
tlonal or unwise war policy that may have a
| more direct tendency toward a formal recogni-
tion of the Southern Confederacy, not only as
belligerent; but as lawfully constituted war;
making power. g e :. /. = ....,. - y, =.
As our Judicial and executive officers are
bound to try and punish criminals according TO
the Constitution and laws; 50 Is the Federal
Government under the same obligation toward
the rebels. 1t may ccn6scate their property, or
do any other act which the Consultation and
laws authorize for quelling an insurrectien.
But still ii must never lose sight Of the fact, 90
forcibly stated by President. LINCOLN in his in-
auVuraI address, that South Carolina and Geor-
4 Ris are to be regarded and dealt with as States
in the Union as much as Massachusetts, and
Ohio. The Constitution and laws Of those
stutss, as they existed as the time the rebellion
broke out, are to be respected the same as
though none Of their citizens we're in state Of
revolt. The rights of all loyal citizens under
them are to be regarded aud protected. In no
case can they be suspended or set aside, unless
where the Constitution and laws of the United
States made in pursuance thereof, make them
void or imperative.
/, is plain that war carried on, as the Abo-.
Iitioaists desire to have it, against the rebel
COnfederacy upon the same principles as against
a foreign power, win be treating that Confeder-
acy, not merely as belligerent, but as sepa-
rate independents power, capable of making
var, contracting alliances, and treating for
terms Of peace That il WILDE 60 regarded BY
Earupea1 Cabinets, who are eagerly watching
for eume prets1k upon which to base an &C.
acknowledgement Of the Independence Of the
Southern ConfedeFacy, there can be scarcely the
shadow OF a donbs. 1t ia TO this point that
certain disunion demagogues in and out of Con-
greas will, during the present winter, labor to
force the Government, in order TO play into the
hands Of the secessionists and render the disso-
luton Ct the Union final and complete. They
dare not openly advocate dissolutioni but their
course will be, by gradually and inuidiOusly I'M
dermining the Consultation, while protesting a
high regard for all its obligations, to render the
establishment of a new Government under
new Constitution, with new States, and old
States with new boundaries, matter, as they
will then claim, Of absolute necessity. \
We do not believe that ID is in the power Of
the rebels to mar permanently the integrity Of
the Onion; but that II II is ever oyershrovn, III
will be by disuniOn demAgogues 6lled them
selves and filing their dupes with the idea that
these States cannot remain united "hslf slave
and half Free" and that we must have homo
gsneOus Republic. These are the men whom
the people should watch with the utmost vigi-
lance; for under the mask Of loyalty and nm
der the pretense of putting down the rebellion
''by every means that God and nature have put
into our hands," they are seeking to accom-
plish their uefaFious designs for the final disso
luton Of the Union. ltssT ltfF