Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-03-01
a nc DinnoIution or tho Ella Union and
tho ne Ec-srGaninnsion o. q lew ONE

tno pcutmes 20 vigorously hufvrAteu ~ tnAANe''7
tlal Journals and members of the Republican
party, for the annihilatlon Of cHtain States and
converting them into Federal Territories. We
have denounced the project As tAntamount to .
conspiracy for the destruction Of the existing
Federal Constitution. Union and Government,
and for the establishment Of a central deaposisrn
on their ruins. We are pleased to see an able
and leading Republican journal, like the New
York Times, taking similar position and using
substantially the same arguments We Will
arrange such extracts as We may make from
the Times and such obserVatlonso OF our own 40
We may choose to Offer, under separate heads =
And
| |. This territorial rolicJ invites the United
States to commit suicide on this point the
Times says emphatlcally
We believe that policy to be utterly fatal 10
eyery great interest Of the United States,
tain 60 eud, II adopted at all, In rendering peace
| impossible, and in converting the entire SOUTH
ern portion Of the Republic into held Of pro-
longed aud bloody civil war
That this is not stating the case too auongly
is evident from this consideration that II the
policy in question be adopted, a contest will
arise 10 which States will combine, not for sep
aratiou from the UnioD, but for their very HE
and existence as separate States. TIE fearful
consequences Of such eonte cannot we'll be
oyerdrawn.
| II. The territorial scheme OF SUMNER, TRuH
BULL, GUaLEY and other Republican leaders ID
Congress, will destroy the presen. Federal Con-
etirutior, Union and Government, and necessi
tate the establishment Of new Government
or rather Of central despotism The Times
expresses this view in stronger language than
any We have used. II ssJr, speaking Of thia
territorial policy;
That il sweeps away the present Constitution,
and deeroys forever the Union which our fatbeIs
gave us, Is perfectly evident. Not vestlge
will be left Of either We are TO have new
Constitution sud q new Union-a Government
resting upon entirely different principles from
IhOse under which we have .prospered hitherto,
aud utterly Incompatible with the ends ard oo.
jecls which our national framework sough; to
attain. Instead Of having national Union
10 Which each State will be left to the control OF
being limited TO national objects In the sphere
of its authority, se shall have simply central
ized despotisn--in which everything like tree
dom wi,l be txsirguished, and all rights will be
permanently beld at the will oil the central
power. We do not believe tue people Of any
sec ioD, or any considerable portion OF them,
are ready for a1y such change In the character
Of our GoVefnmeLt.
II such trumpet notes as these fall to aTsken
our sumberlug countrymen to the enormity Of
tae deed proposed TO be ccnsuumated bJ biliA
nov soemnlg pending 10 both braGcbss OF Cou.
sress, We may we'll despair of the Republic
Bus we are satisfied that the people will no soOn-
er euler the UniOn to be destroyed BY trsiscr'
Gus frIsnds than BY opea enemies.
III. As mode OF crushing the rebellion
and saving the Union. this territorial Project 10
ike administering poison to asick man to kill
tue disease at the cost of the patients lifs "We
cau," says the Times, "crush the rebellion BY
force Of arms. We can do 1t and save the
Constitution" Bat the plan Of SUMNER and
others "Mould abolish the Constitution ia order
to put down the rebellion sgainstis" It"Would
destroy the Union in order to thwsrs an attempt
20 dissolve it. The whole scheme is preposter-
ous-qaiie as sIaienary and absurd as the theo-
ry'' on which 1t is based, that "every seeding
State has committed fslo de &C."
w. The policy in question AIMS deadly
blow at the doctrine Of State Sovereignty or State
Rights. Its advocates, as the New York 7Fib-
une and kindred Republican sheets, claim lie
adoption oa the ground that it would "fOrever
consolidate tho Union against lie only real dan
ger, thas which arises from the doctrine of
State SOrtreignty" To this argument the
Tim.s makes the follo5ing able and conclusive
reply:
There is ne dagger In this doctrine, ii II be
onls keps within It's proper limits. II IL goes|
beyond them--if II pushes State into rebell-
ion against the National sovereignty, then It
must be pushed back. But the doctrine that
State has control of its local affairs Is perfect
ly Just and true doctrine. lis the very basis Of
our form Of Government. It gives the only
tue security for popular freedom and for the
preaervaiSl Of our civil rights, and the day that
sees Il exEinguished will see toe sun of Ameri-
can liberty set fUreVer We do not want the
Union consolidated "sgainst the jast rights Of
the States that compose It," The South has
carried the doctrine of State Sovereignty TO an
absurd extreme. In asserting the right OF q
State 20 nullify National laws. or to release its
people from allegiance TO the National Consti- |
tulion, it transceEded ITS rights, and did Yio
lence at orce 10 the true doctrine of State au
thority, and to the rightful supremacy Of the
General Government. This erroris in process
Of being corrected and the discipline ls one that
will NOS encourage ito repetition.
v. The real object Of the territorial policy ad
vocated by SUMNER and other Republican mem
befs Of Congress, and the real motive which
governs the New York Tribune, the Washing
ton Republican and other Republican journals in 4
pressing its speedy adoption, is Ito get achance
to abolish slavery in the States.'' II the slave
States can, by an act Of Congress, be converted |
into National territory, then, Congress, having |
authority to "mike all nesdlul rules and rsgu- |
lations respecting the territory Of the UnIted
States, = t will be insisted, may abolish slavery
In ell such newly acquired territory. This is |
TIE end aimed at, for which the Constitution,
the Uaion and the Government are TO be secri-
feed, Bat, as the Timss says;
The end does not Justify the means. Nor
~ould the end iteelf be attained In any way
beneficial to the slaves, or acceptable 10 that |
great macs Of the American people who desire
TO see the curse Of slavery safely and advan-
tagcously removed. Senator Summers plan
makes every interest, every right. every guaraD
lee of the Constitution and the Union suhurdi- |
nate 70 tbe abolition Of slavery. Even if slav-
cry could be brought to an end IN no other way,
the people would not agree with him. GHevous
as are the evils Of slavery. the evils of abolish