The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1862-04-22

gagged 10 tho work Of treason. In all that
extensive region local laws Lavo been abroga
ted, and Federal jurisprudence la. been sus-
! pended. Justice has been stricken down, and
domestic tranquility has been disturbed. In
their place, we find injustice, disorder, theft,
robbery, rapino, murder, and every species OF
wickedness, everywhere prevalent. After
many months Of doubts and delays, the ar
mics Of the Rcpub ic have begun to move,
and already glorious and important victories
have been inscribed upon our banner. The
avenue to the heart OF treason is now appar-
emily direct and open. Illegal, selfconstitu-
ted authority must soon begin to crumble. -
Speedily the Davises, the Beniamins, and
Cobbs will be stripped of their III gotten pow
or, and the people will be deprived OF even
the poor, wrctched local government hitherto
maintained by rebels and traitors.
Then, indeed, will the laws Of tho United
States attempt to resume their sway; but put
ting aside the Obstacles in the way Of their
execution, they are not adequate to the emer.
/ gency. Local laws and local officers will be
found absolutely indispensable to the rcstora.
/ ton and maintenance Of order and the vel
! fare of the people, Local laws and munici
/ pal officers are found essential to the good
government Of the small District Of Coum.
bia. The usual Federal officers, the mnrshals
with their deputies, the United States Judges,
the postmasters, revenue officers, DC, all these
will avail little in the attempt to control soy-
en- millions OF people, cor taminatcd with trca
son, taintel with the vices Of anarchy, embit.
tered with Jealousy, aud smarting aud with.
! ing under the pain of recent humiliation and
defeat. llo, it seems me, knows little Of the
human heart, aud studies but carclessy the
philosophy of the human action, who believes
that millions of traitors can lie prudently left
without government, or that they can Uc con
troled with deceucy and order by the usra
Federal officers. Local government, with ex
ecutive, legislative, and judicial powers, will
he positively indispensable, not only for the
welfare OF the inhabitants, but for the preser
uation Of Tho authority of tho Uutei States.
Futile will be your effort 10 collect taxes
vain will be your hopc To distribute justice
between individuals, aud fuitless will prove
/ your labors to insure domestic tranquility,
without the establishment OF local govern
ments.
know that tho Army as it moves along,
may leave in It's track military governors and
martial regulations, and that such n course
under special circumstances, may become a
necessity; but I cannot believe that any man
born under the American fig, VIII, has Civ.
en- the subject the slightest thought, can for
single moment entertain the design OF IS.
'ah.hlng military governments, for any con
siderable duration, over seven millions Of ma.
tive.born Americans. Such scheme is in
compatible with the spirit of our institutions.
II is anti republican, anti American. Better
far to dishand your rmies, stop the waste Of
treasure, and stay the fow Of blood; better
far to let hostilities cease, and acknowledge
the independence of Davis aud bis myrmi.
dons and cohorts Of banditti, than to attempt
an experiment like thIs. Military power must
be subject to- directed aud controlled by, the
civil authorities. This principle was deeply
impressed upon the minds Of our fathers, ard
when it shall have been forgotten by thoir de.
scendcnts tho days of constitutional liberty
Will have been numbered.
Tho fall Of Sumter startled tho Govern
ment and arazad and aStounded the peop'c
The tocsin sont forth its notes of alarm from
the Executive Mansion, notes that were spec
di'y borne upon the southern gales over every
hill and valley in the North. They fell upon
quick, watchlul, aud patriotic ears, The
country respon led beyond the rcqusitiors
OF the Government. Men with whito locks
aud boys with bcardre>s faces, and even wo
men with gentle forms, but stout and patr.
otto hearts, ruhed to the defense Of tho Con.
stitution and the flag of their fathers. No
one then doubted, no one now questions the
ability of our loyal forces to crush out this re.
belliou against lawful Government and hu.
manity itself But often has the question
arissn-aud now ih, inquiry is more urgent
than belore-"when armed rebellion is beaten
down, what disposition shall be made Of the
traitors" The answer to this embarrassing
question has thus far been delayed; but it
cannot with safety he much longer poStpon
cd. That brave Old flag, that has been borne
in triumph ia Eoreign lands, and that never
was soiled but by the hands of traitors, will
soon float again over cry part of the Re-
public. And we are admonished of our duty
to see that proper legislative provisions are
made to secure and preserve the fruts OF mil.
i,ary triumphs.
Sir, ! do not d4ny, MS n legal proposition,
that the people Of the seeded districts may
erect provisional governments, elect members
VI Cbu2 Us, dII lll b'tdk IllOu', Nv lile CON
sent OF this Government, acquire Il standing
in tho Union. So did California, so did Vir-
ginia. But in my judgment such n course
cInnot bc tolerated without imminent peril
| regard the proposition rs one Of monstrous
folly and madness; aud should this Govern.
Incnt sufr1r II 10 bc carried out, believe IT
would be faithlcss to the great trust that the
people have given / in charge.
Ii y regard this rebellion with reference
to the age in which we live, the cause Of de.
foctlon, the magnitude of the scheme Of trca.
son, the uamber ami character Of the conspi
rators, the secrecy, yet boIdncss, with which
1t was planned, aud tho ruin that il has
wrought has no PARALLEL in history. AS have
said seven millions Of mon besides their coadju
and fellow couspirators in the loyal States arc
plotting treason. Resistance to. these afro.
clous Vaccinations has already saddled from
seven 10 ten hundred millions Of indebted
nesss upon the people, which must impose
heavy burdens, in the form Of taxes upon the
country, for generations TO come. Tho loss
Of aggregate national wealth in consequence
of the withdrawal Of million Of men from
industrial pursuits, the destruction Of property
i H.,f g = =,