The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-07-11

son, they omit the words are created equal.
Why tThey have adopted tempcry national CON
sttution, in the preamble ofwhich, unlike our good
old one signed by washington, they omit we
the Sovereign and Independent States Why this
deliberate pressing out of view the rights of men
and the authority of the people This is essen
TALLY peoples contest on the side of the Union
1t is struggle tor maintaining in the world that
form and substance of Government, whose lead
ing object Is to elevate the tiQn of men to lift
artificial weights from all shoulders to clear the
paths OF laudable pursuits, and to afford all an
untettered start and a fair chance in the race of
life, yielding to partial and temporary departures
rom necessity. This is the leading object of that
form of Government for whose existence we con-
tend. l am most happy to believe that the plain
people understand and appreciate this 1t worthy
of note that large numbers of those in the army
and navy who have been fas ored with the offices
have resigned and proved false to the hand that
pampered them, not one common soldier or COM
mon sailor is known to have deserted his flag
Great honor is due to those officers who remained
true despite the example of their treacherous as
sociates. But the greatest honor and most en-
phatic of all is the unanimous urmness of the COM
mon soldiers and common sailors. To the last
man, 80 far as known, they successfully resisted
the traitorous efforts ofthose whose command with
in an hour before they obeyed as absylvte law
This is patriotic instinct ofplain men. They un.
derstand without an argument that the destroying
OF the Government which was made by Washing
eminent has often been called an experiment.
Two points in it however cur people have settled,
viz The successful estabshingsand the success
ful administering of it. One still remains; its sue
cessfu maintenance against the formidable inter-
nal attempt to overthrow it. 1t is now tor them
to demonstrate to the world that those who can
fairly carry election also suppress a rebel
lion that ballots are the rightful and peaceful
successors of bullets, and that when ballots are
fairly and constitutionally decided there can be
nj ha fn hol Otn
selves at succeeding election. Such will be a
great lesson of peace teaching mon that what they
cannot take by an election neither can they take
it by war-teaching all the folly ofbeing the be-
gnners of war.
Lest there be some uneasness in the minds of
candid men as to what is to be the course OF the
Government towards the Southern States after the
rebellion shall have been suppressed, the Execu
tive deems it proper to say it shall be his purpose
then, as ever, to be guided by the Constitution
and the laws, and that he probably will have no
different understanding OF the powers and duty of
the Federal Government relative to the rights
of the States and the people under the Constitu-
ton than that expressed in the Inaugural Address
He desired to preserve the Government that it
may be administered as it was by the men who made
1t, Loyal citizens everywhere have the right to claim
this OF their Government. The Government has
not the right to Withhold neglect it, and it is not
perceived in giving it that there is any coercion,
any conquest, or any subugation in any just
| sense OF these terms. The Constitution provided,
that the United States shall guarantee to every
State in the Union republican form of govern
ment but if state may lawfully go out of the
Union, having done it may also discard the re-
publican form of government so that to prevent
Its going out is an indispensable means to obtain
the guarantee mentioned. When an end is lawful
and obligatory, the indispensable means to attain
it are also lawful and obligatory 1t was with the
deepest regret that the Executive assumed the
duty of employing the war power in defence of
the Government. Forced upon him, he could but
perform this duty or surrender the existence ofthe
Government. No compromise by public servants
could In this be secure-not that compromises are
not often proper, but that no popular Government
can long survive a marked precedent that those
who carry an election can only save the Govern
| ment by giving up the main point upon which the
people gave the election The people themselves
and not their servants, can safely reverse their
own deliberate decision. AS a private citizen the
Executive could not have consented that these in.
situations shall perish much less could he in be.
traya of SO vast and sacred trust as these free
people had confided to him. He felt that he had
no moral right to shrink or even count the chan
ces of his own life in what may follow In full
view of this great responsibility he has so far done
what he has deemed his duty. Will you not ac
cordlng to your own judgment perform yours q
ii @ sincerely hopes thai your views and actions
may so accord with his TO assure all faithful
citizens who have been disturbed of their rights
a certain and speedy restoration to them under
the Constitution and laws. And having in this
chosen our course without guilt and with pure
purpose, let us renew our trust in G, and go for
ward without lear and with manly hearts
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
July 4th, 1861