New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1862-04-18
WHY rs THE REBELLION


Why rs THE REBELLION?
Seventy four years ago the thirteen
American States met in convention and
organized the Federal Government I'M
der our present Constitution, chiefly as
an instrument through which they ex
pccted to protect their own interests:
and under which to perform their duties
to all other political communities or
states Of Christendom. The Govern.
ment which they formed had none but
delegated powers conferred by the Con-
stitution, and without which it can no
more exist than can any corporation
after the expiration of its charter-and
y without which it has no m re vitality
than the inanimate remains of nan
after the soul has taken it's flight.
While the Government based upon the
Constitution was the representative of
certain great principles, then, for the
first fully incorporated into a system
Of human laws, there can he no doubt
but that some Of the mere details were
imperfect, rs in the case of the States,
and should have been reformed years
ago yet the benefits conferred by the
Government, have been 50 great that
we can scarcely command language ade
puatc to measure them. During the
period Of our existence as nation the
States and the people have secured un-
der the Constitution a degree of free
dom, happiness and prosperity uncxam
pied, and unattained under any other
Government of which history has left
US record. Each State, under this
wise and bcniicent plan of Government
was left to work out it's own welfare,
while the Felcral Government, carry
ing US successfully through the numer
Gus wars with the Aborigines of the
country and with its foreign foes upon a
foreign soil, more than doubling its ter
ritory, had never, in all that time, con-
rictel single citizen of treason against
itself! During the brief period of our
national existence, European Govern
meats founded upon principles exactly
the reverse of ours, have sacrificed at
. least one sixth as many as our entire
population, (5,OO0,OOO,) inAicting an
extent of suffering beyond human com
putation, to keep the people in subjec-
ton and preserve the form Of their
Government. But, as. if by magic,
this fair fabric Of freedom with all its
beautiful proportions and lofty grand
eur, having secured such boundless
good to several generations of frcemen,
! b shattered at it's base, ana its millions
4 Of people stand ashast with mighty fear
that, sooner or later, it will crumble
into hopeless and irreparable ruin.
b What an overwhelming fear, to be
sure what calamity, unparalleled
y q the history Of nations ! what ter
Fbly mysterious destruction is thus
eddenly threatening to overwhelm
gfeat people hitherto so happy, pros
Serous and free ! And the most mys-
fious Of all is, that there are now
ilions of people in the Government
Do arc as totally Ignorant Of the causes
this great threatening calamity as
10y are of the internal affairs Of the
Iopie Of Turkey. And without in the
st designing to reflect upon the
elligence of those who Mr.. Lincoln
fit to call about him in the various
nartments of the Government, upon
pming It's duties and its vast respon-
Rtics, we are constrained to say
OF the causes Of the rebellion, they
pw as little as any equal number Of
Gems comprising the twenty-five
lions Of frecmen in the Government.
true, they say, and SO the great
bfthe people say, that secession
cause Of the rebellion; but that
freply, for we are thrust still deep
smystery to learn the cause Of
tle over a year ago a party came
81 advocating certain "princi
"a to carry out certain ''poli
secession followed, that is,