The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1862-03-26

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law of nations, and deny that the rebell-
ion has destroyed all constitutional gov
ernment and left us at the unrestrained
will of Congress. Mr.. Carlisle here quot
ed from authorities on the law of nations
to sustain his argument. He contended
that this was not war, constitutionally
speaking, and he denied that it was civ
il war. IL was only IN insurrectiou, and
the people engaged against the govern
ment were rebels Before the insurrec-
tion, the advocates of this bill admitted
that Congress had no power to interfere
with slavery in the States. 1t was not
for the purpose of taking away all the
rights of the southern people that our
brave soldiers went 10 the war. They
went to preserve the constitution with all
its rights. Such he (Carlisle) knew was
the case with the brave and heroic Lander
who sacrificed his life upon the altar of
his country. He claimed tha. the Sena-
tor from Maine (Morriln argued that the
rebels were belligerents, and dignified the
rebellion into war. This was the very
thing which the rebels wanted. But the
bill cannot be executed until the rebellion
is suppressed, and il could only serve to
make the rebels desperate. 1t was not
expedient to deprive widows and children
of their inheritance by such an act as this.
The incendiary press of the country were
trying to revive again sectional feeling,
and TO set the temple of Liberty on fire,
and the anti-slavery element is anxious
to have the southern wing Of the temple
destroyed. Those people who say that
slavery was the canse of the rebellion,
and who are trying to make this war a
cause for an unjust attack upon slavery,
will bring down upon their heads the judg-
ment of a righteous God, and the denun-
ciation of civilized world. The resto-
ration of the Union will destroy both Sc
cessionism and abolitionism. In their
life their labors tended toward the same
unhallowed end, and it is fitting that
they both should be consigned to the
same grave. May Heaven speed their de-
mise. Mr.. Carlisle here quoted from the
Presidents inaugural address and from his
messages, from the proclamations of
Gems. Sherman, Halleck, Buell. and Burn
side, and from resolutions passed by Con-
gress, to show that it was never intended
to make this war war against slavery.
The leaders of the rebellion should be
hung, but the great masses should be
granted a pardon. He thought that, if
n proclamation of amnesty was made, we
could have a peace in ninety days. Mr..
: Carlisle continued as follows:
Intimations have been made against
my own loyalty by those who think in
order to be loyal man one must be an
abolitionist. He had periled all in de-
: fense of the constitution of his country.
He had stood iE the Capitol of his own
State amid the jeers and threats of mob,
| and assassins who sought his life. On
the 18th of April, 1861, mob Of not
less than hundred men, or devils, came
to his lodgings with rope to hang him.
!. He stood here to-day in the Capitol ot
|, the nation to defend the constitution from
S all attacks from any quarter that they
: may come, and he was prepared to sacri'
g fee life itself in its defense. He stood OF
Q the platform of the President in his inau
}, gural address, and, in the language of {
4 former Senator, would say: "Let Us
+ cling to the constitution us the marine
a clings to the last plank at night, wher
the tempest closes around him."