The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-02-15
Is he a Secessionist.

Under the above significant caption,
the Cassapolis Democrat of the 4th
inst, has long article sustaining Sem
ator Jones and the other two Republic
cans who voted with the Democrats
against the resolutions passed at the
late session of the Legislature of this
State, in which it denounces the Reso-
lutions and all their supporters, and
"calls upon the people to give those
"men elected as Republicans, credit,
for not allowing themselves to be alb
olitionized."
Now let us see precisely what it is
that Senator Jones and the Democrat
are opposed to, and wherein the res
olutions are tinctured with abolition
ism. The first resolution is as follows: :
Resolued, Ghe House concurring,) That Michi-
gan, loyal to herself and to the Federal Govern
ment re-atirms her undying hostily to traitors,
her abiding love of freedom and her confidence in
the wisdom and patriotism of the national admin
istration.
This resolution we of course do not
expect the Democrat to approve of, as
it is clearly evident to the most ordi-
comprehension that it is part of the
democratic programme to create ficti-
| tious issues on the war question, with
which to divide the loyal people, with
the sole intent of building up party
organization for themselves. The next
resolution commences:
| Rssolced (the House concurringl That the peo-
pie of Michigan deem it the imperative duty of the
government to speedily put down the instruction
against its authority and sovereignty by the of
every constitutional means, and by the employment
of every energy it possesses. -tlt-.5
Is the Democrat opposed to that
Aye or no? The resolution proceeds /:
| That Michigan stands firm in her determination
| to sustain, by men and treasure the constitution
and the Union, and claims that the burthens of
loyal men should be fghtened, as far possible,
by confscating to the largest extent the property
of all insurrectionists, and that between the in-
| stitution of slavery and the maintenance of the
Federal government, Michigan does not hesitate to
say that in such exigency slavery should be swept
from the land, and our country be maintained
Here, then, are the resolutions
adopted. We have not omitted word.
Now will the Democrat tell US what
there is in them that would have abo-
| litionized" Senator Jones and what
does the Democrat object to? What
portion isthere that any loyal man, be
he Democrat or Republican, who loves
his country and is willing to have it
sustained could not cheerfully vote for ?
Is it the firm stand of Michigan " in
her determination to sustain, by men
and treasure, the Constitution and the
Union," that the USsnaocrat objects
to? Or is it the claim that the bur-
thens of loyal men should be lighteneI,
as far as possible" that is obnoxious.
Or is it the plain proposition, that if
the exigency should arise when either
slavery or the Federal Government
must go down, as between the two,
Michigan will maintain the Govern
ment. And in such event, are we to
understand that Mr.. Jones and the
editor are not in favor of maintaining
the country, if slavery cannot also be
sustained. That is the question now
Senator Jones in bis vote has con
demned the resolutions, andif this con.
domination mean anything, it means
that it is wrong to express loyalty to the
Government, hostility to traitors, love
! of freedom, and confidence in the AID
miaistration wrong to say that it is
the dusy of government to speedily and
energeticaly put down the insurrection
by the use of every constitutional
means; wrong to affirm that Michigan
stands firm to the Constitution and
Union; wrong to assert that the bur-
dens of loyal men should be llghtened
by confscating the property OF rebels
in arms; and wrong to hint thai the
integrity of the country is more sacred
than the institution of slavery.