Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-02-25
rLe Nor,hsrn conrederntes.


TLe Nortbsra oOufederates.
Mr.. Pugh, in his speech on Friday even
ing, uttered what he doubtless intended to
be either solemn protest or a solemn warn
ing against all attempts to administer the
laws Of the Union. We may call it coercion
or the enforcementof the law, whatever We
please but it must not be done. To attempt
il would be to bring upon the country a
complication of direct calamitiee. This was
the idea. ..r
Mr.. Pugh's notion of government evil
IDENTIFY is that il is something which the
people are 10 amuse themselves by pulling
down. What is the use Of laws unless to
bresk--of Constitutions unless to ovcrrun
and subvert2 The danger to the country is
not in the breaking of the laws, but in
svepging the breaches; not in disobeying
their commands but in seeing that their
commands are made rules Of action.
1t is a melancholy conclusion if true one,
that the danger to the Union consists in liv-
ing up to the Constitution; and its safety in
permitting the provisions of that instrument
to be set aside at pleasure. But for the
solemn assurance Of a gentleman who has
had six years Congressional experience, we
should hardly be willing to believe it. But
coming as Mr.. Pugh does, directly from
Washington, where he has so long been
learning to 10 ornamental to his country,
and with doubtless Tho latest patterns in po-
litieal millinery in his head or his pocket,
TO permit doubt of his knowledge or his
veracity would be an act of presumption of
which we would not W ngly be guilty. We
are therefore forced to believe that, accord
ing 10 the spring fashions at the metropolis,
the true way 10 save the Union is to secede;
the best conservatism of the Constitution is
to break it, and the only way properly to
observe the laws is to do as you please-pro-
vided always that you please TO do contrary
to their provisions. The idea of public prop
erty is that it is ever open to stealing, and
the most exemplary patriot is he who goes
the boldest about it, and secures the largest
amount Of avails. The true way to dissolve
the Union in blood, is to execute it laws; !;
and the highest civil crime in an officer of
the law, is to attempt their administration.
We know, when we hear such arrant and
intense demagoguery SIS fell from the lips Of
Mr.. Pugh on Friday evening, that the Union
is not dissolved, and is not likely to be. Mr..
Pugh is in the secrets Of the Southern lead
ers of the rebellion; and what they desire to
have said here, he says The Democratic
Party is playing desperate game for re-
instatement in power. For that purpose it
is coDvulsing the country, and going through
the performance of begetting a sham South
ern Confederacy. The whole thing is pre-
arranged party trick. The business now
next in order is to intimidate Mr.. Lincoln, so
that he will not proceed to recover the prop
erty and put in execution the laws of the
United States. If they can do this If they
cen bring the President. elect to the Bu-
chanan standard of cowardce and demoral-
ization, their work will be accomplished.
The Southern States can then buffand stand
out and threaten until the Border States
have pulled down the Constitution to their
standard; when they will wheel and march
back into the Union as conquerors. The
speech of Mr.. Pueh was to help on
the process Of intimidation. The en-
tire Democratic press and party leaders
are engaged in the same business. The
EwingS and Corwius, and the horde
of the weakened and -backed-the
decayed and mouldy, the disinterred con-
seTpative branch of the Republican party, are
at work in the same line. Every man who
talks of compromising with rebels with arms
10 their hands is adding his mite to carry
forward the came Infamous enterprise. Will
it succeed? There is reason to hope that
Mr.. Lincoln is made of the right material
and toward him the hopes of the people oi
this great free North ara going out like q
mighty river. While they watch his move.
ments, their hearts stand still. If he know:
it, he has the strength Of millions in his arm
God grant he does
Every thing depends upon tho success oi
the efforts TO intimidate Mr.. Lincoln. These
successful, the party is reconstructed, the
| compromises effected, and, like the Pheuix,
pseudo Democracy will rise upon the ruins of
the Constitution. Failing, however, in this,
and the party is disbanded-its leaders sink
ing rapidly into hopeless and infamous re-
TRACY. The South will stink back into its
old condition Of pensioner of the North
through the generous medium of the Ma
tional Government turning loose the cap
tains of the rebellion as scape, goats, charged
with crimes and loaded with curses, into the
| wilderness.