M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1862-12-18

iSuilo SCoto anu ulSCHdTRo IuHCLlOuo uIl
der the Oongtitution and laws of the
Union; that possession is given IN ia
tho United States Of oil the Federal
foEts and arscnals; in short, that the
whole OF this vast insurrection is at an
lend, aud not single individual can
he found in opposition to the laws oi
tho Union. The question | have then
to ask 10, has the President anything
more to do with the rebellion ? an,
sweF no; and persuade myself that
such is the reSponse which must arise
spontaneously in every mind, Ought
tho war to bc any further prosecuted in
such case9 None will pretend it
ought to be, unless they are bereft Of
reason or under dominion of turbulent
and unruly passions.
But now look again at the Presi,
dential edict standing in full force and
effect, the ominous first Of January
having passed. BY that edict Mr..
Lincoln, styling himself the President
of the United States and Commander
in-chiet OF the Army and Navy, has
proclaimed pUrpetually the emRncipa
ton Of all Tie slaves in the rebel
Statca, and consequently the abroga
ton Of all State laws and constitutions,
by which the institution of slavery is
maintained; and to carry out the pro.
clamation he pledges the fleets and
armies and the whole Executive pow.
er of the Union. Although the rebel.
lion shall have ceased and the Oonsti.
tuition and laws shall have resumed
their peaceful sway, the war, this ter.
rible and unnatural war, will have
just commenced, because to maintain
'he principles and pledge Of the pro.
cIamation, it must then be prosecuted
to overthrow State sovereignty and
State institutions; in short, to maintain
tho freedom OF 100000 of blacks
against the laws Of the States by which
slavery is ordained, The armies of
the Union must therefore take up their
desolating march through States re
turned to loyalty, for no other purpose
than to carry forward a crusade of
emancipatiasq. The invaded people
must agan rush to arms to defend
their institutions, their tresides and
homes. The slaves may possibly rise
$50 at least the sanguinary philanthro-
pists OF the day inform us,) to meet
thoir deliverurs, and history must re.
Snme the story Uf battles and seigos,
Uf fire and sword, OF desolation and
rapine, and lust. Such are the newt
able issues of this policy. Such is
he fearful chasm that ya@ns beneath
our feet, into which the nation must
plunge, unless this policy bo overrul.
ed; unless the people riseiD tho majes.
ty OF sober thought in the might Of
christian civilization, and by their all
.potent voice, arrest this fearful march
of events before it is too late.
Again, ask the defenders Of the
proclamation to show the constitution.
al warrant for 30 vast a stretch OF
power. To oil such let me say, do
you or do You not expect this rebellion
to come to an end by submission to
the just authority of the Constitution.
| may assume that you oexpect this,
Tor other wise, all your professions for
the last eighteen months have been
hypocriticai and false. Your theory
has been that the military power OF
this government can disperse tho in
sur"ectionary forces, conquer a peace
and bring back the States to constitu.
tlOnal relations. You do not expect
this result within the next sixty days
to eIapse before the proclamation takes
effect, but You do expect it at some
future period, because if you do not,
the war itself is the most stupendOua
folly and crime recorded in the histo.
! ry Of the world. But let mo tell you
that this is impossible after the edict
of the President shall become fixed
fact and conclusion in the policy Of
the government, because the wal
must go on for the purpose of over.
Throwing the institutions Of States,
and destroying their constitutional re.
lations 70 the Union.
| What, let me ask, do you mean bv
q restoration OF the Union 2 In your
meaning, as we'll as mine, the Union
is restoitd in all it's perfection the
moment when all the persons engag.
cd in acts of insurrection shall lay
down their arms. Their submission
leaves the Constitution in force, not
only theoretically but practically, in
every part Of this land. But the
great and vital feature of the Consti.
tuition is the partition of power, which
leaves tothe States supreme direction
and control over the domestic con.
cerns. This partition Of power is the
same Yesterday, to day and forever
1t lives as long as the Constitution
lives. When it disappears the Con
lotituf;on d;,o,o.oo- al. - nl,o