Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1862-01-01

warned them that any attempt to do SO
would be breach of the terms of the Union
to which their political convictions led them
to attach a paramount importance. In
| the eyes Of the world, as well as in their
own eyes, the whole of the States, from
Flonda to Oregon, formed one nation, and
were therefore, as such, under common
responsibility to God; but in the eye Of
the Constitution each State is sovereign,
and may therefore perpetrate what evil
it pleases without the pAticu having any
right to interfere
10 aim at abolition, therefore, was for
Nortberners at once a religious daty and q
violation Of the CONSTITUTIONAL rights Of 9TH
er States. 1t was to obey God, and at the
same time to run counter to the counsel of
their greatest patriots and statesmen, the
current Of popular opinion, and their own
cherished convictions. In word, it was
to do what they new find done to their
hand-break the Union. / am not dispos-
ed TO Judge them harshly; perhaps, had |
been placed as they were, | might have
acted as they have done, and stood by the
Union; but Judging of their conduct by the
Word OF God it IS impossible to deny that
they rave been guilty Of grave error.
They have sought power rather tLan puri-
ty, national greatness rather than national
goodness, and have forgotten that it is
| righteousness which exal'eth nation,
while sin IS a reproach tc any people.
They have seemed to imagine that na-
ton could enjoy unity without mourning
responsibility; and fronthe confident man-
ner in which they have spoken of God be-
ing on their side in this. protracted war,
they have apparently thought that lie
holds the same opinion.
The idolatrous veneTation with which the
| Union is regarded has been attended with
the most disastrous consequences. 1t has
done more to strengthen slavery in Amen-
ca than anything else. When the South
wanted to extort any advantage from the
North, all that was required was to threat
en- a dissolution Of the Union, aud the
North was sure TO yield. The mouth Of
/ Congress was gagged; the Missouri Com
promise, whereby slavery was confined
within certain limits, was repealed; the dis
graceful Fugitive Slave Law was passed ;
and other measures of cognato character
were agreed to under the influence Of the
threat An still the South, like the
daughter Of the horse leech, cried "Giye,
giye,' and still the cry was responded to;
and when at last the North mustered sufii-
Gent courage TO put a limit to its own sub
seFyicncy, the South scornfully tossed the
Union to the winds.
4 And another effect Of the Union las beer
to lo'va2staasnoRal s4na sc Il entire North.
No one who has resided in the United
States for upwards Of FIVE years, as | have
4 done, can fail to see that the state Of feeling
in relation to the slave is deplorably low.
His humanity, as we'll as his rights, is COM
pletely ignored, and he is reasoned about
as if he was a beast. Slavery as a system
i heartily hated because it is felt to be IN
furious, politically AM commercially; but
no one cares for the slave. feel persua-
ded that if the war can be brought to sue
eessful termination without emancipating
the negro it will be done. The only hope
| for him lies in the inability Of the North 70
subdue tie South without his help. And
the cause of this detestable Indifference to
the wrongs of four millions of human beings
IS to Il great extent to be found IN love fol
the Union; for there cannot be doubt OF
this, that, if tie South would return to It,
its right to retain its slaves would be cheer
| fully conceded This love for the Union
has proved destructive to moral principle.
And now where IS this idolised Union
| It IS where God by the mouth of Ills
prophet ftretold it would be thousands OF
wears aro, when He said, "The idols tic
will Utterly abolish" It is shivevod to
pieces, and, alas for human folly! its wor-
shippers are vainlv striving to cement its
broken fragments with human blood
Yours in Christian sincerity,
HEcToR MAIBEN.
Hazel Green, Wis, United States,
October 10th, 1861
4 This is tho letter-ertraordlnaryl
characterized it: SO | think all will who
read it. With the positions taken by Mr.
Maiben in regard t. acknowledged IN
the North West the constitution OF our gov
i efnnsent, the cause and progress OF the re-
beliorl now in our land, and, IN shot, with
All The questions Of civil polity, mooted y
the letter, shall have nothing to do. al
| can, and giH Judge Of them for themselves
4 Ii Is known BIZ all that, although Il. 81
Ahas resided in the United States for up
wards Of FIVE years" he is 50 completely
wrapped up IN Britian and British inst, u
4 lions, as to see no good in anything cis-At
Il, fic. All must "haye come across tbs
deem blue sen" to be fully appreciated by
] him. So little good has he seen in Amer
iea and in American institutions, that he
las not as yet taken tie oath of a'legianee
r. TIE Government Of the United States
and lie says he never will, as the govern.
Tns9t has stood, and now stands, 20,
presume, all will agree, that hs looks a
our government and our institutions ane
cur present troubles, through par .
spectlcles, too much warped, too muef
JOIN Baii5fed, to judge 81 them accurate
II; and that American statesmen ana u
rists are better expoanders Of the Amer
ean Constitution and American institutions