Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1861-07-20
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strongest, and closely invested that
planting battery after battery in mar.
rowing circles around it and repellng
by force the only two attempts ever
made to replenish it's slender stock of
provisions. She arrested the =. S.
collector at Georgetown for high trea-
son in attempting to continue the collec-
ton of revenue for the Union. The
Federal Judge, collector, &c, at Char
lesion renounced the service of the I'm
ion and entered that of the State.
| Yet not precept was issued, not
musket leveled in behalf of repudiated
authority and violated laws of the Ma
ton and as might have been expected,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louis
ania, Florida, and Texas, rapidly fol-
lowed suit, stealing a million dollars
| from the mint at New Orleans--cap-
turing all the forts and ar senals within
their limits, save Fort Pickens and the
inaccessible Island strong holds with
in the Geographical limits of Florida
seizing several Federal vessels and the
navy yard Of Pensacola, while fully ono
third Of our little army, hitherto elm.
ployed in the defence of the inland
frontier of Texas, was first demoralized
then subjected to capitulation by
its traitorous commander, Twigg and
even the stipulation made with him in
its favor were ultimately repudiated by
his confederate villains who thus robbed
the troops of their arms and compelled
them to surrender as prisoners Of war.
This process went on uninterrupted,
unobstructed, in the face and eyes
of our executive. half of whose minis
ters were deep in the councils Of the
unequivocal traitors. Congress also
was in session throughout three winter
months and did nothing whatever to
arrest it. During these three months
did President Buchanan appoint loyal
collectors for Charleston, Savannah,
Mobile, New Orleans and Galveston?
Did he make any attempt Or even
promise to enforce the revenue laws
of the Union in the ports Of the disloy-
al States ana even Jhree months
after this when new administration
was installed, was Fort Sumter prompt
ly reinforced and provisioned? Was
matter how secretly, to achieve that
end. BY no means, but instead of this
compromises have been offered until
they are disdained. Forbearance has
been practiccd until it has ceased to be q
virtue; all peaceful expedients have fail
ed. Open rebellion has trampled upon
our Constitution and seeks with violence
to break up our Union. The Olive
branch has with sad heart been put
aside. The sword has with slow hand
at last been drawn. Not in hate, not
in haste, but in the solemn earnestness
of nation struggling for its very life,
we have risen, put by our partisan
strifes and have sworn that treason
shall be crushed. In his recent speech
Daniel S. Dickinson has given voice to
Northern sentiment. 'sLet u.s." said
that veteran National Democrat, "set-
tie this thing speedily and surely. It
may ruin this generation, but we oweit
to the next that they should have no
such troubles as we are having. Lot
us strike now in our might and if nec-
essary wipe the rebels from the face Of
the earth" The fires Of patriotic
devotion are intensely burning. The
echoes of the cannon fired at Sum
ter have barely rolled over the west
ern hills ere they are drowncds in
the shouts Of indignant freemen de-
manding to be led against the trait
ors who have plotted to divide and des-
troy the country. Party lines dasap-
pear--party cries are hushed or emp
tied Of meaning Men forget that they
were Democrats Or Republicans in the
newly aroused and intense conscious
ness that they are Americans. It is true
that we have occasionally beentold that
if we would allow the South to secede
uninterrupted, we should have peace
again. | admit at once that peace is in
accordance with al our more aEniable
feelings. That it is much more agreea-
BILE to have peace around our own
homes and fire sides. That it is much
better to have peace in the shop peace
in the ship peace in the field and
peace through all the land. But if We
take that which they think viii! bring
peace we shall find it instead Of being
an instrument Of peace to be an egg Of
war, and if we want to make war
chronic and eternal; if we want 70
make dividing lines blaze with perpet"
ual conflicts, if we want to walk into
the very hot beds of war, we are only
to strive for peace by endorsing access
ion.
| What has been the history Of the
past in regard to this matter; what
has been the effect of dividin g Europe
into different Governments Every
single nation is obliged to waaeh and
be watched. Every frontier of each
one is lined with fortified cities esd