Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-08-01
Address
OF the Republican Members of Congress

The undersigned Senators and Representa-
tyes in Congress, impelled by sense of duty,
send these words TO you from your Capitol
The armed Rebellion against the Constitution
and laws Of your country, organized and begun
during the late Administration of Mr.. Buchanan,
and by the assent and cooperation of several Of
his Constitutional advisers is unhappily not yet
suppressed. These Rebel eonspirators continue
to wage war with intensified cruelties upon
your country and its free institutions. 1t would
be unjust alike TO you and to ourselves to seek
to hide the fact that this Rebellion, by Of
the numbers and resources which it commands,
the end at which it aims, and the interests which
it iuperils is without parallel in the history
ofthe world.
A large majority of the people of eleven
States, embracing an area Of 100000 square
miles OF fertile land aud population Of 9000-
O00 are this day in the support of the Rebellion.
This cruel and unnatural war is waged by these
conspirators against the People neither for the
redress of wrong nor the yindication of right
The people whom they assail and seek to des-
troy have done them wrong; the Govern
ment of the country which they seek to over
turn has neither denied or violated any right Of
theirs. The chiefs in this reasonable conspir-
acy openly declare their purpose TO be to over
turn by force the fabric of American Empire
and build upon its ruins despotism which
would withhold from honest toilits Just reward
which would proclaim to the laboring masses of
our cOuntrymen the maxim oftyrants-that the
great law of liberty and human progress is not
for them, and which would open and perpetu-
ate new markets in which "men are to be bought
and sold as merchandise" 1t cannot be mat
ter of surprise that reasonable war levied for
such purposes should beprosccutedb by those who
wage it with "cruelty and per6dy scarcely par
alleed in the most barbarous ages" These
armed conspirators, in prosecuting their work
of treason, have robbed, imprisoned banished,
and murdered peaceablc citizens solely because
r of their fidelity to their country and its laws
They have deliberately assassinated your mang-
led and defeneeess soldiers on the field of bat
tie, and have violated the sacred graves of your
buried dead. And that their acts of cruelty
might be marked by every atrocity, they have
even compelled four millions of slaves TO sup
= port taem by their unpaid labor, and thus to
contribute to the perpetuaton of the tyranny
; which forges feters for themselves and their
children.
b Men moved by such purposes, and capable of
employing such means for their accomplish
. ment, must be deaf alike to the demands Of JUS
tice and humanity and can only be restrand by
the strong arm of power. As neither the ties of
a common kindred, nor the obligations of COM
mon humanity, the claims of a common
country, are regarded by these assalants of your
free institutions it only remains for the loyal
people to "hold them as they hold the rest of
mankind-enemies in war, in peace friends"
We cannot if we would, shut out from our
f minds the conviction that upon the issue of this
> conflict of arms thus forced upon you, depends
not merely the success, but the existence of your
great experiment of representative government.
, In the light of our past history, Judged by the
I rapid growth and development of the Republic
under our free Constitution, it is not an open
Z question whether that Constitution is worth pre-
serving Every loyal American citizen shrinks
y from the suggestion that the unity of govern
: ment which constitutes us one people be
destroyed. The words of Washington, always
q significant, seem to be invested to-day with a
% new force: "This Government the offspring o
our own choice uninfluenced and unawed adop.
20 ted upon full investigation and mutual delibera-
), ton, AND COMPLETELY FREE IN ITS PRINCIPLES
has Just claim to your confidence
,s and your support Respect for its authority,
If compliance with its laws, acquiescence in its
# measures, are duties enoned by the fundament-
n al maxims of true liberty" We cannot doubt
/, that you duly appreciate these great uttcrances
,t of the Father of your COuntry-that il is with
- you conviction that your Government, "frce in
. its principles, has Just claim to your support,
! and must at every hazard be maintained Ac-
4 ting upon this belief aud in perfect accord as
4 we believe, with your will and with the Consti-
: tuition, Congress, as your agent, have, in order
4 to provide for the common defense for the sup
preston of the rebellion, and for the payment of
4 the public debts enacted law for the assess
4 ment and collection of Federal tax, and also
, for the imposition of additional duties ON i'm
/ ports. That these necessary burdens may fall
= as lightly as possible upon the loyal people of
: you may be weakened and stripped of support,
n and made, as far as may be, TO indemnify the
q Government against the expenses of suppressing
. this unjust rebellion, the Congress have further
4 provided by law for the seizure and condemna-
ton to the public use of all property of these
h rebels in arms, and of their aiders and abetors;
i and also for the liberation and employment by
~ the government of their slaves. As further
q means of defense Congress has provided by law
e that the President may summon to the support
I of the Government such additional forces as he
4 may deem necessary to insure the prompt sup
~ preston of the rebellion, aud restoration of peace
lo and the national authority.
No. The President, faithful to the high trust COM
s. mitted to him by your unpurchased and un-
4 purchasable suffrages, in obedience to his Off
IL cial oath to taSe that the laws be faithfully
executed, and in accordance with the authority
of duly conferred upon him, has called upon you
r through the Governors of the several States, Il
=, furnish 100000 additional soldiers, for the de
- Tense of the Constitution and Union
W. Permit us to say to you that any citizen VIII
n withholds his confidence and support" from
II your government-who refuses compliance
10 with these laws, and an "aequiesence" in thes
~ measures so essential for its defense-in GU
Judgment not oply dsTegards the wise counse
Of Washington, but violates his diay-that high
= est word revealed by God TO man.
ly Whatever designing and unprincipled parti
he sans may attempt we have an abiding faith tina
n the great majority of the people viii give thei
confidence and support, in the future as in tn
pe past, to their Government and their faithful
rk Chief Magistrate. The answer to all that ha
t. been said or which may hereafter be said b.
90 those who prefer place and power TO principle
! and party to country, of the alleged uneonstitu
ne tionality of the several laws enacted for tn
IL common Defense and of the force employee
NJ by the President in the execution of them
i found in the plain, strong words of the Consti
~ tuition itself. The Constitution provides that tn
DIS President shall, before entering upon the dutie
he of his office solemnly swear that "to the best
nv his ability he viii presere, protect, and defen
se the Constitution of the United States" 1t fur
ther provides that by virtue of his Office he "shal
y be Commander in Chief Of the Army and Nav,
lr- of the United States and Of the militia Of tn
IL, several States when called into actual servic
II Of the United States" aud that the Presden
u @shall take care that the laws be faithfully exc
lte cuted."
v That these powers conferred and duties en-
IN Joined upon the President might not fail for
of the Just authority of law, and that the peopl
= might be secure in their rights, all the power
essential TO the enactment Of laws for these end
are, by the Constitution, expressly conferred mp
he ON Congress. These grants of power TO Con
he gress are in these words
&C. "The Congress shall have power to lay an
IT. collect taxes duties imports and eXcises, TO pa
the debts and provide for the common deiens
aud welfare Of tho United States.
I 4 4. E.1a =