Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-08-13
"Abolitionists and secessionists."


enemies of the government. There Is
class of politicians who have been engaged
for wears in abusing Abolitionists as the
enemies of the Union. All at once, they
find their old associates turned traitors,
and learned that they have been made
the tools of the only men in the country
who had any designs against the govern
ment. What TO do? How TO get out OF
their most uncomfortable and mortltynS
predicament They cannot give up their
pet notion, that the Abolitionists are very
black traitors, for they learned that ofthe
Southern traitors, who are the only truly
national men," only a year or two ago
If Is not safe for them any longer to up
hold the Southern traitors. 1t might put
them behind grated windows, or bring
them 10 a consciousness of living in a very
dangerous neighborhood. So they insist
that if they are obliged to abuse their
good friends, the rebels, the Abolitionists
Shall be voked with them. and 60 TO inta-
my in their company.
There are others, however, who take up
the cry less intelligi bly, and less malig-
nantlv. They are men who are very hon
estlv and very reasonably afraid of eXtre
mists of every class \ SecessiOnist is an
extremist. An Abolitionist Is an extrem-
ist. They therefore see no special inlus-
tice in bringing both into the same clas-
sifcation. and Join in the CRY of the SYM
pathizers with treason against Secession
lists and Abolitionists together. Are they
either wise or fair? We think not.
What is a SecesSionist? He is man
who believes that the United States gov
eminent has no rights which a single
State is bound TO respect-one who be
! lieves that State rights override United
States Pights-who believes that at any
moment when she chooses, any State can
secede from and break up the United
States government. He not only believes
it, but he practices according TO his belief.
He is, moreover, an advocate of human
slavery, and holder of slaves, and he Sc
cedes from the Union for the simple pur-
pose of benefitting his pet institution.
| He is a man who not only hates the Union,
but he hates all who love it; and not only
hates them, but approves of, or engages
| in, schemes for robbing and numbering
them. The genuine Secessionist is an
enemy to his country, an oppressor of the
poor and the helpless, and foe TO every
thing which we hold most sacred in our
! free American civilization. He it is who
has taken the responsibility of this war.
He knew his interests were in no danger.
He knew the government never had OPP
pressed him. He knew that the present
Administration had no intention to injure
him or his f;lvOrite institution. He struck
wantonly for power, and the murder of
hundred thousand men, the bereavement
of a million others, the impoverishment
of half nation, and the utter ruin of the
other half, lie at his door.
Now, what is an Abolitionist! Literal
tly and briefly, he is man who advocates,
and labors for, the abolition of human sla-
very in this country. In one sense, every
decent man is an Abolitionist, provided
he has been bred in region where his
| Judgment and conscience have not been
corrupted by direct interest in, or asso-
citation with, the institution of slavery.
| All humane persons-al who believe in
the Declaration of Independence-all
who believe in pure Christianity-are,
in their hearts, Abolitionists. That Is,
they wish there were some safe and prop
u er way for freedom to come to every hui
man being, We all 60 as far as this, but
those who are technically known as AtO-
litionists go further. They believe it to
be their duty to agitate for the immediate
abolition of slavery. They have, in Gmi-
ted numbers, cursed the Constitution.
Some of them have been willing to see
the country divided, rather than see the
I free States saddled with any responsibility
for slavery But these men have been
few and powerless. Their zeal has outrun
their discretion, and their indiscretion has
destroyed their influence; but their orig
inal impulses were good, and they have
only loved the nigger mot wisely but toe
we'll" But where are the Abolitionists
to-day? Almost all of them are support
; ing the government, while Secession, born
of slavery, is demonstrating the devilish
spirit of that institution to be precisely
, what they have always represented it tC
| be.
, The Abolitionists will bear us witness
r that we have been far enough from sym
5 pathizing in their peculiar schemes, o.
9 their mode of speech and operation; bu
t we beg leave to say, that we can hear NJ
: coupling of names of Secessionists and
: Abolitionists, as men who are equally Re
4 sponsible for the evils of the present war
4 without anger. Such an association o
: names, which are intended to be disgrace
: full epithets, is a mean snd cowardly act
!. no matter who performs it. The attemp
l 10 shlft the responsibility OF this war
If with all its burden of blood and crim
e and misery upon Abolilionists, is an out
rage upon the plainest historical truth
f established by the voluntary boasts an'
o confessions of the Secessionists them
Y selves. The army which is engaged il
$ fighting the battles of the country, an,
= pouring out its blood like water, is NOR
d than half abolitionized to-day, by what
n has learned of slavery during the wal
T. Are these brave and self-sacrifeing so
3 diers to be classed with Secessionists
h President Lincoln and his entire Cabine
o would rejoice in the emancipation of tn
o slaves, and propose it. Are they TO b
g classed with Secessionists? Out upo
t. such nonsense! The only enemies of tn
If government are Secessionists, and ther
:, are none, North or South, who deserv
d classification with them, except those VIII
e try 10 lift the responsibility of the wa
1t from their shoulders, or those who, fine
1t ing it unsafe to be indecent, take thei
Is revenge by abusing decent people,
l. iSprin 0feld Republican.