The Portland daily press., 1862-06-25

hce Ut paper promptly tfhhsacteu ON appncaton as
above.
lFor the Prcssl
ssThe Constitution as it is, and the Union
as il was.''
There is a party nowadays actually insist
Ing upon "the Constitution as it is, and the
Union as 1t was" In Maine this party is rep
resented by the Argus. We shall show that
since the commencement Of the present war
this representative Of that party has been OPP
posed to the Constitution as it is: that, 1t has
rebuked Republicans because they are in ia
vor of the Constitution as it is; and that fail
ing to change the Constitution, and insert in it
provisions for the extension and perpetuation
of the slaveholding aristocracy, it has urged a
dissolution of the Union. What can we think
Of the honesty or sincerity Of such party, or
Its organ?
The traitors commenced the work of seces-
sion In South Carolina, the next day after the
election Of President in November, 1S60.-
The ordinance Of secession was adopted in that
State, on the 10Th of December, 1860. The
shareholders Of that State Immediately COM
menced preparation for the war by raising
men and money, and actually began the war;
and under the direction of the Governor seized
public property. On the 9th of January, 1861,
the traitors at Charleston fired upon the AStar
Of the West" an unarmed vessel sent out with
supplies for Major Anderson. The war was
then fully inaugurated Seven States had Sc
ceded and the Southern Confederacy had been
formed before the LIST of March. A plan was
concocted among the traitors to waylay Mr..
Lincoln on his way to Washington, and assas-
sinate him in Baltimore. War had then been
commenced in the seven seeding States,
and public property seized, and also in North
Carolina, which had not then seeded. Here
were the facts.
Now let us see how the Argus stood. Let us
see how 1t stood as to the Constitution and the
Union. John Sherman, Of Ohio, had said in
Congress: If we cannot agree let us fight"
John J. Perry had said $50 long as the seces-
sionists resist the laws of the country, my
voice is for war;" On the 18th of January,
1861, four weeks after the traitors commenced
the war in South Carolina, the Argus quoted
nAACoS WV cChtCiiCCc uffu cdfu. 1OW DUllsH
that sounds: how weak and contemplate" 1t
then suggests dissolution of the Union, and
quotes the language of Abram to Lott
"And there was strife between the hcrdmen of
Abrams cattle, and the herdmen of Lots cattle
And Abram said unto Lot, Let there BE- no srrire.
pray thee befsreen me and thee, and between my
herdmen and thy herdmen, for zoe be brethren, Is
pray thee, from II thou wilt take the left hand
viii 60 the right; or, If thou depart to the right
hand, then will go to the left"
The Argus proceeds to COMMENT
Perhaps this way of settling quarrel in rude
age may not be considered Of much account bv the
refined and Christian statesmen of the Republican
party and their foowers yet, at the risk Of incur
ring their dsapprcbs.ion and unfavorablc criticism,
we modestiy submit that the mode of adjusting dis
putes proposed by Abram Is more worthy of states.
man, Christian and patriot, than that proposed by
Mcssrs Sherman and Perry
South Carolina had undertaken to secede.
was then resisting the laws, had fired upon
the "Star Of the West" and was waging dead
ly war upon the nation. Mr.. Perry declared
that so long as the secessionists resisted the
laws by the red hand Of war, he would oppose
them by force; by a war in defence of the laws.
Hereupon the Argus objects, suggests sepa-
ration, and quotes the language of Abram to
Lot. Vas the Argus then for the Constitu-
ton as 1t is? In what article does the Argus
find any authority in the national government
to allow insurrectionists to triumph, to over
throw the power of the United States, or to
consent to a division of the Union? How
could the Argus be in favor of the old Union,
seeing it proposed TO surrender to traitors,
give up that Union, and consent to division !?
In the Advertiser appeared the following:- -
'The Republicans are ready TO declare their posi-
ton and make IT distinctly understood by every man
English We believe in the CONSTITUTION under n,d
amendment"
In commenting on this, on the 9th of April.
1861, the Argus said -
This has been the position Of the Abolition lead
Wade, of Wilson, Of Hale. all the way along Tney
are opposed TO all amendments of the Constitu-
ton" There is no mistaking the meaning
of this proposition; there is mistakng its political
significance. II Is opposed to all concessions, to all
compromise to all guarantees that will satisfy the
ask What to be the inevitable consequence of this
policyy Six weeks would not elapse before every
slave State would be out of the Union and President
Lincoln would either be fugitive from Washington
or would have his headquarters in the midst of n
foreign country II has been only the hope that the
free States would accord those reasonable
demanded by those border States that has thus long
kept them In the Union"
The Argus is no prophet More than year
has elapsed; no change has been made in the
Constitution; yet four of the Slave States
have not seeded.
In April, 1861, the Advertiser declared in
favor of the Constitution as it is. The Argus
called Wade, Wilson and Hale, distinguished
Republicans, abolition leaders" and admitted
that they were in favor of the Constitution as
it stood, that such had been their position all
the way along, that they were opposed to all