New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-08-18
THE SOLEMN DUTY OFTHE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT.


| The present unhappy war was begun by the Soutb,
begun for the sake Of disunion and and
il carried on by the United States for the cake Of the
Union-and not, we hope, In vain. We know from
the testimony of numerous Southern men, who dare
not speak aloud in their own homes, that there are
muitudes Of men in the South who at heart for
the Union. who their secret souls, are praying to
the United States for delyerance almost they pray
10 Heaven for salvation and who, II the power
of the United States shall relieve them from the 'hra-
dom that now crashes their political lives ont Of them
will be able TO assert aud maintain a supremacy in
their respective States We have not earthly doubt
that there are a majority OF States YhOse people,
though now apparently unanimous for Southern inde
pendence would If the deadly weight OF rcleni ess
despOtism were lifted from their minds, ha the
toraon Of the Union rs the ironed pr.oner Of dun
geOR halls tie return Of Coos blessed sunshile and
would greet with exultaton even the little privilege
Of giving free expression to their opinions.
The present positions Of several Of the Southern
States never chosen and have been ndorsed
by tho citizens OF those States. SecergOr ordinances
were passed by Legislatures never elected author
lied to act upon the subject such Legislatures placed
all the military aud pecunary resources OF their States
al the dis aOa Of the Southern Government AID iuyi-
ed the Confederate armies to an immediate occupation
of their their ternOry and, after doing all this, they
granted ~ thci. ensiayed and manace1 people the
empty and miserable mockery Of the priyaege of de-
Gliding whether their States should or should not 60
into the Southern COnfederacy. OF course, where tho
people would gladly have shouted "NO' by tens of
thousands, scarcely a solitary NO. was heard. The
States transferred by suCh InOnstIOus ana HetNcn-dc-
Tying fraud and violence TO the Southern Conlederacy,
are now jet to its tyrannca laws and acquisitions,
and their people, who have never been allowed TO have
free voice in the fixing Of their own destinies,
looking for freedom to power outside Of the dominion
Of the deadly tyranny under which they draw their
breaths. II would be fearful thing that the loyal
millions in the Confederate States should lie perum-
nenly abandoned by The Ulited sta TO the misera-
Die doom, to which, through no fault OF TIER own,
they have been subjected. Our trust, our conviction
i that if the mighty armies Of the Republic deGed
they have been to STRIFE, shall plant tic standards
Of the United States at enough points TO guarantee
perfect freedom Of thought and word and deed 70 the
whole South, large majority of the people OF many
II not all, OF the Seeding States VIII declare their
loyalty in thmder.burs Of Joyous enthusiasm.
Tie policy OF accepting peace the condition Of re-
eoglzpg the independence of the Southern COnfeder
ecy would be terrible one. Nay it would be policy
that we but teeoly charaeterizs by the word terrible
IL would be tic death, the everlasting DEATH of the
great and gorous hope that lives in the lcarts Of
tens OF millions upon this continent and hundreds of
millions throughout the civilized word. II would be
tho destruction Ct the mghes work that the spirit Of
free om has done upon the earth What las been
the admiration and the wonder OF the nations would be
their pity and their Let one delude himself
with the thought or fancy that Government a nation
has NOT night TO defend ITSELF by all The powers and
energies at III command against disruption and disso.
lntion To do this IL, general TRUTH among q ma
tons mot sacred rights and It's highest and most
solemn daties The nation that should not recognize
and assert tie right and the duty would be the object
OF ali manLinds contempt. Surely no human being
supposes that England or France or Spaln or Austria
or RUSSIA il portion, majority, OF a secAion
OF either Of those kingdoms empires should Afsert
the light OF erecting their section INTO au ndeendtnt
raala would permit the right thus claimed TO he prae-
italy asserted, Il is absurd 10 suppose that eher o.