Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-02-06

the rights and interests OF inc o'hef
States. The right or wrong OF it III the
o.timat, On of the world, like the right or
wrong of revolution, must depend in no
uncomfortable degree upon the suihcien
cy or insufficiency of the reasons that III
duce it, and the consequences resulting
,terefrom. think the reasons insuffi-
cent and the remedy not only futile, but
unjust to o,hers. deplore it. depre-
cate the movement with all my heart !;
and ! would be willing TO WELD any prop
or power in the Government, and peace
full means to arrest the movement, so that
men might be induced to look before they
lean. But it is said, on the other side,
that the authority OF the Government OF
the United States must be vindioated !;
that rebellion, sedition. and insurreciion
must be pu. down, the Union saved. and
the laws executed at all hazards. On
these points and rs to the duty and pow
e,s of the Government, concur mainly in
what wau said by the Senator from Hi
nois, Mr.. DouoLAs. No man denies
ltnat the laws should be executed; but II
the people of sovereign State, by COM
mon voice, and in authoritative form,
threw off their allegiance to the Federal
Government, and acknowledged arother,
how are you 10 execute the Jaws within
such State, or carry out any one OF tho
functions of the Federal Government!
To execute the laws, suppress insurrection
and put down rebellion is nice theory
and pleasant talk but will gentlemen
tell us how it can be done against the
united voice of a sovereign State3 When
the people have thrown of their allegiance
to the General Government and acknowl-
edged only that Of the State the Fedora
Government may command the citizen to
do one ,h 'ng, but his allegiance to the
State would require him to do another
and so he is bound hand and foot. You
cannot carry mails, mold courts, nor col
lect revenues with The Army, even if you
had a large one but with all the Army
this Government has at present, such a
work would be idle. What thenY Shall
, we recognize the States now claiming to
be out of the Union as dc tacto Govern
ments, and wage war against them, to re-
gain the Jurisdiction of the United States
within their respective limits?
Before we do this let us look at the fear
ful alternatives, Su3h war would not
involve a contest with five States only, but
with twelve or fifteen. He is a mad man
who closes his eyes to this fact. Howev-
er much the border States mag dcprccate
the action of the Cotton States, and how
: ever Utterly they may lament tina. action
and denounce it, if you please, they have,
with scarce M exception, declared seces-
sion to be the righ, Of any State, and iha.
, no war shall be made on a sister State for
the exercise Of that right, however unTiss
that exercise may seem. Then, sir, il
would be war with fifteen States on one
side and eighteen on the other. Let Sen
ators who talk Of war study the picture -
9 Nothing in all the sad consequences ol
dissolution can be so blasting and horri
BILE, as such war, even though it presen-
ted the hope of re-establshing the Union
But how fallacols and delusiye must he
the idea of unon through such means II
. involves the practice of disunion OF the
most fatal type. Let war once commence
and the Union is gone forever. What
would be the purpose Of the war! II
must either be TO chastise ihe offendin G
States. or crafty feelings Of hostility
, against them ; to vindicate the honor and
, dignity of the Government, or reconstruct
the Union; bat il would fail to accom-.
, plish the one or The other, What good
: end then will il sub.erve 10 shed the
! blood of our IA Ce and kindred, who sepa-
, rate from US politically, because they have
, believed they were not treated as equals
States cannot be brought back into the
=. Union, or kept in the Union by the sword
} 1t is impossible. Ours is Government
, of consent, and must be sustained by good
! will and fraternal affection. BY what
} earthly means can you compel sover-
, eign State to perform the functions of q
} member of this Confederacy against her
: will? Can you make her citizens hold
office? Can you make them regard your
laws. Can you compel them 10 elect
members Of Congress, and can members
of Congress be forced to serve' Can you
, collect revenues or taxes where no man
will perform the Office of tax.gatherer p
Il is idle. 1say, therefore, that coercion
is mere phrase, sheer delusion. The
idea of ,hir!y>three States, that failed 10
live in fra,ernal union. being reunited by
long and bloody war, is preposterous.- -
No, sir, this never can Re. And in say