Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-07-12

consistent, they must secede from one another
whenever they shall iud that to be the eases, way
ofsctling their debts elfectng any other selfish
or unjust olirct
The principle itselfis one Of disintegnton, and
upon which 10 government can possibly endure,
Ii all the States save one should assert the power
to drive that one out Of the Union, it is presumed
the whole class Of seeded politicians would at once
deny the power, and dcnOunce the act as the
greatest outrage on State rights. But suppose
that precisely the same act instead OF eing call
cd driving the one out should be called the seced-
ing Of the others from that one, IL would be eN-
! actly what the scceders claim to do; unless, in
deed they make the point that the one, because
il is 4 minority may rightfully do what the 9TH
ers, because they are majority, may not right
1 fully do.
| These politicians are subtle and profound on
\ the rights Of n,norties. They are not partial to
the power which made the constitution, and speaks
from the preamble, calling itself 1--WE the people
| Itmay well be questioned whether there is to-day
a majority of HE legally qualified voters Of any
state, expecting perhaps South Carolina in favor Of
/ disunon. There is much reason TO believe the
/ Union men are the majority in many, it not every
other of the so called seeded states. The contrary
has not been demonstrated in any one Of them
venture TO affirm this even of Virginia and Tennes
see for the result oil election, held in military
camp where the boyoncts arc all on one side of the
question voted upon, can scarcely be considered as
demonstrating popular sentiment. Al such an cleo
ton all that large class who ut once for the
Union and against coercion would be under coer-
cion and vote against the Union.
II NAV be affirmed without extravaganza, that
the free institutions we enjoy have developed the
powers and improved the condition Of our people
\ beyond any example in the world. OF this we now
/ have a striking and impressive Illustration so
| large an army rs the government has now on foot
was never before known, with not soldier IN i but
/ has taken his place Of his own free choice. More
than this there are many single regiments, whose
members, enc and auoiherpossess afull knowledge
Of all tie arts, sciences, profession and whatever
else whether useful or clegants known in the world;
and there is scarcely one from which there could
! not be selected a President, Cabinet, Congress,
and perhaps a Court, abundantly competent TO adj
minister the government itself,
Nor do | say this is not true also, in the army OF
our late friends, now adyersareS in this contest
But if it is so much better the why the gov
ernment which has conferred such benefits on both
them and US, should not be broken up. Whoever,
/ in any section, propose to abandon such govern
mcnt would do well to consider in difference TO What
principle it IS that he does twhat better is he like
v TO ret in its stead-whclher the substitute will give
OF be intended to give much good to the people
! There are some foreshadowugs on this subject
| Our adversarits have adopted some declarations OF
| independence in which, unlike the good old one
penned by Jefferson, they omit the words, 'all men
are created equal" Why! They have adopted a
temporary national constitution, in the preamble Of
/ which unlike our good old one, signed by Wash
ineton. they omit, We the people,, and substitute
We the deputies Of the sovereign and independent
states" Why this deliberate passing out OF view
the rights of men and the authority of the people
This is essentially peoples contest On the
side of the Unionit is a struggle for maintaining in
the world that form and substance of government
whose leading object is to elevate the condition of
To arftpiol WEIGHTS fyOm all sbOuldPTS
to clear the paths of all laudable pursuits Tor all
to afford all an unfettered start and air chance
in the race Of life Yielding TO partial and tempo
rary departures, from necessity this is the leading
object of the government for whose existence We
contend.
am most happy TO believe that the plain people
understand and appreciate this. 1t is worthy of
note that while in this the governments hour of
trial large numbers of those in the army and navy,
who have been favored with the offices have resigned
and proved false to the hand which had hampercd
them, not one common soldier or common sailor is
known to have dCsci ted his Tag. Much honor is
due to those officers who remained true despite the
example of their treacherous associates but the
honor and the most important fact of all, is the
unanimous lirmncss of the common soldiers to the
last Now so far as known they have successfully
resisted the traitorous example of those whose com
mands. but an hour before they obeyed as absolute
law. This is the patriotic instinct of plain people,
They understand without an argument, that the de-
structOn of the government, which was made by
Washington, means no good TO them.
Our popular government has been often called an
experiment. Two points in it our people have al
ready settled-the establishment and the successful
administration of it, One point still remans--its
successful maintenance against formidable internal
attempt to overthrow it. IL is for them to dem.
onstrate 10 the world that those who fairly carry
election can also suppress rebellion; that bal
lots are the rghfu and peaceful successors of bull
lets and that when ballots have fairly and Consti
tutionally decided question, there can be no sue
cessful appeal back to bullets They must appeal
to ballots themselves at succeeding elections This
will be a great lesson Of peace, teaching men that
what they cannot take by an election, neither can
they take by war teaching all the folly of being
the beginners of war.
Least there be some uncasincss in the minds of
candid men as to what is to be the course of the
government towards the southern states after the
rebellion has been suppressed, the executive deems
it proper TO say will be his purpose then ever,
to be guided by the constitution and the laws, and
thath probably have no different understanding
of the powers and the duties of the federal govern
ment, relative to the rights OF the states and the
people under the constitution, than that expressed
ia the inaugural address He desires to preserve
the government, that il may be administered by the
men who have made it. Loyal citizens everywhere
/ have the right to claim this of their governments
and the government has no right to with hold or
neglect u. IL i not perceived that IN giving tins
projections there is any coercion, any conquest any
5ubjugation, in any just sense of these terms.
The constitution provides, and all the states have
accepted the provision, that the United States shall
guarantee TO every state in the Union republican
/ form Of government but if state may lawfully
/ 60 out of the Union having done so, it may also
discard the republican form of government so that
to prevent its going out is an Indispensable means
to the end Of maintaining the guarantee mentioned,
and when an end is lawfully obligatory, the inds.
4 peusable means to ii are law al and obligatory.
1t was with the deepest regret that the executive
found the duty Of employing tho power in defen c
Of the government forced upon him. He could but
perform this duty surrender the existence of the
government No compromise by public servants
could IN this ease be cure. Not that compromise
is not often proper, but that no popular government
can long survive marked precedent, that those
who carry election only save the government
from immediate destruction by giving up the main
point which the people decided in the election.
The people themselves aud not their servants can
reverse their own deliberate decision.
As a private citizen the executive could never
consent that these institutions should perish Much
less could he, in betrayal Of so vast aud sacred a
trust these free people had eonhded to him He
felt that he had no moral right TO shrink nor com,
the moral chances Of his own life, in what might
follow In full view Of his great responsibility he
has SO far done what he has deemed his duty.
fon will now, according TO your own Judgment,
perform your duty. lie sincerely hopes that your
views and your action may accord with his as TO
assure all faithful citizens who have been disturbed
in their rights Of certain and speedy restoration to
Them under the constitution and the laws And
having thus chosen oar course, without guile and
ss-aHh -. TO-