The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-04-18
Tha Crisis.

bhO NNO' IL Nv Vi S'iV = SNSa"A
and disruption Of the Federal Uuicn.
They tore down, insulted. and spate
upon our national ensign. They turned
their backs and heaped their curses upon
the nation 10 which they had sworn 6dsl
ity. and to which they owed tIeir pros
perity and security at home. and their
honor ard protection abroad.
UnOppOsed by she Government, the re-
belliOu spread rapidly From the few
disaffeced and mad!eneG politicians, the
people caught the mania. until the wind
became the whirwind, prostraing in its
madness, reason, judgment and loyalty.
and drawing into its terrible vortex good
and bad alike, who came within its reach.
In thr madness of the hour. State
Convention was called, an ordinance Of
secession passed, the stars and stripes
torn down and nsulted aud the misel able
banner Of treason and insnrrc"tion run up
in lis place; the State was armed the
laws of the government nuIlitiel and set
at defiance.
The imbeciiry of the Administration.
combin,d with its desire to prevent the
flowing Of fra erna blood, prompted per.
haps. iL belief that time and reflection
would restore reason and sense, made no
effort 70 crush the insurrection anI ten
dercd to tIsiols the olive branch rather
than the sword.
Thus unopposed the insurrection spread, ,
until Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana
Alabama, Florida and Texas had adopted
the policy Of South Carolina by resolving
themselves ind pendent Of the United
States. The poicy Of tie government
was still io' peace. A Southern Con(ed-
eracy was formed, President and CaJi-
usnl appoint. d, Constitution adopted,
troops organized and aimed. tie property
OF the government seized and app oprat'
cd; Treasures ro bed, laws dclcd, Forts
and Arc mails seized by violence and the
arms ul the government turned upon the
government for the avOwed purpose Of its
destruction and overthrow. Still tbs
Government in its great desire to prevent
tho elTusion OF blood brooked tho insult
crying only "pcace." ....-.
Encouraged by the delay. mads hope
full by the inactivity Of the Governmru
and prompted by an iDsolcnce of treason
unparalleled in the history Of the world
these perjured monsters in the sight 0
God, these Infamous and damnable plot
ters Of disunou. infested the Fedora
Capital itself aud with tho boldness auC
insol4ncs Of the father Of lies" demand
ed recognition Of their treason, sur
reader Of the publ property and an ae
kncwledgmsnt OF the overthrow oi th
Union, at the hands Of those sworn I,
maintain. protect and defend 1t, in war o.
In peace. against internal M well rs exlcr
nal foes. Aud strange to say that love o.
''peace" again triumphcd over sworn du
ty and that these monsters Of IniqulIy bs.
fore whose treason that of Arnold'S pale,
away into utter inSiguiIicance we've no
only tolerated but entertained by the pow
ers that ought 10 have Sluck n lhom iron
the face OF the earth. The go,ernmt II
still cried "peace." The olive braucl
WAS still extended. The arm Of the gov
ernment was slill unbared, Concession
and compromise were offered, new guar
antecs were given and scorn. derision an,
contempt returned.
In the face o all these manifestations O
peace-of tho o'lsn repeated and well uu
derstood determination of tie Government
10 make no war. t0 commit no act u
aggression upon the South. These acts q
treason were continued aud the rebelo
swept on Ia its madness Armies wer
called into the field; Government YES
stIs wore fired into and batteries wer
erected with the avoEed purpoas OF TO
seiging and capturing government forts
built upon government suil. with govern
meNt money. aud armed by goveromcr
soldiers The government earnest in it
des res to prevent boolshtd ard firm i
the brliof that II peace policy would sav
the country. sufierc these traitors to Z
unpuni-hed, and these acts of war an
insults to the nations flag aud ration
honor to 90 nnavenged aud unrcsentet
and SO honest WAS this desire aud 50 carl
est the hope that the administration prC
posed, with u hone 30 alay the exci'Omel
and prevent lloodshed, TO evaru,te Fu
Sumter upon conditions tina, tho secess OF
lists should not occupy it. and turn Ill
arms nf tie government thus vo unlaril
ab ndoned upon ,he government t,elr.-
The proposition was rejected aud an vi
conditional surrender demanded vii
the unqualifi- d right 10 possess it, az
turn Its guns upon the Government it Wi
bailt to protect These unreasonab
and humilatlDg conditions the Admin
iration could not and thank Godl did n