Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-08-01


ecute the laws Of the Union, suppress insurrec-
\ tions and repel invasions.
"To provide for organizing, arming and dis
ciplinng the militia, and for governing such
part of them as may be employed in the service
! Of the United States. H
"To make all laws which shall be necessary
and proper for carrying into execution the fore
this Constitution in the Government of the Uni
ted States, or in any department or officers
| thereof"
We need not stop 10 say that these powers,
save in the manner oftheir exercise, are unlin-
ted. Under all well-regulated Governments
the powers for the common defense" only
! limited by the common danger--the public ne
cessity and the requirments Of natural justice.
| When the people by their representatives, en-
act the laws necessary and proper" as express
! ly authorized by their Constitution for the sup
preston of instructions, they simply exercise
right inherent alike in men and nations--the
| right of self-preservation. The Republic has
the right to live-the Republic has the right,
therefore, TO enact all laws necdful and couson-
ant with Justice to suppress an insurTection
which strikes at and imperils its life. Upon
this great question of the right of the people to
provide by law, and to do by force under the
sanction of their laws, whatever may be Just and
necessary for the maintenance of their national
ity and the assertion of their rightful authority
U
trainers the Constitution when they ordained
/ it:
Hamilton, speaking to the people, and of the
/ people, said:
"The circumstances which endanger the safety
of nations are infinte and for this reason no
constitutional shackles can wisely be imposed
on the powerto which the care of it is commit
ted" (Fed. No 23,)
i And Madison speaking in the same spirit and
by the approval Of the whole people, declared:
at is in vain to oppose constitutional barriers to
the impulse of MISREPRESENTATION" (Fed. Az
> 1t may be improper to notice that the sym
: pathizers with rebellion, who seek to dscredit
the Chief Magistrate, and to prevent the due ex-
ecutiOn of the laws, have here aud elsewhere
appealed to the prejudice rather than the reason
of our iellew citizens touching the law which
gives freedom to the slaves of rebels, and offer;
them the privilege of contributing TO the defense
: of their native land. An imperiled country i.
entitled to the services of all her children. The
slave who comes in the hour of her trial TO the
rescue of his country that forgot him in his bonds
is surely entitled to higher consideration than
the traitor who, while he enslaves him, strikes
also at the liberty and life of his country.
Under the control of these rebels in arms are
four millions Of Slaves-natives ofthe landry
whose unpaid toll the rebellion is sustained
The question ON what principle can the people
break up this relation of servitude established
! by State laws and command the services ofthese
Slaves for the common defense" may be an
swered, as was the question in 1888: On what
principle could the people of nine State, by rat
| flying the Constitution, break up the compact
under the articles Of confederation solemnly en-
tered into by thirteen States? Said Madison
"the question is answered at once by recurring
to the absolute necessity of the case; to the great
principle of self preservation to the transendent
| law of Nature and of Natures God-which de-
clares that the safety and happiness of society
nf anl, .1l
tions aim, and to which all such institutions
must be sacrificed"
Forseeing the great crime now attempted up
5 on the Government in these rebel States, with
the prescience Of the seer this patriotic states.
i man spoke of slaves as "an unhappy species OF
= population abounding in SOME OF THE STATES
who, during the calm of regular government, ar,
: sunk below the level of men, but who, in tn,
tempestuous scenes of civil violence, may emerg,
into the human character and give superiority
OF strength to any party with which they mal
associate themselves" This "unhappy Species
even in their chains, are the strength of this re
bellion. Shiver the fetters that bind them anC
they will rise from the degradation of slaves t.
the dignity of freemen and render faithful ser
, vice to your country Washington deemed
these enslaved men fit to fight the battles of the
Revolution. jackson deemed them fit to fight
in the second war for independence Neither
would consent that they should do battle fol
their country in chains. Can we not, in this
deadly conflict with this gigantic revolt initiate
the example of these tired patriots2 Can you
} not shall you not obey the voice of duty, and by
your imperial mandate declare that even the
slave may defend his native land, and to that
end shall be free?
Men of AmericaI we but utter what We do
know when we say, that under Providence the
fate of the country 10 in your hands; that the
hour has struck when you must decide by ad-
ditonal sacrifices of treasure and of blood the
dread issue forced upon us-shall the Republic
J live or perish? The eyes of the civilized world
are upon us. Let us quit ourselves like men
who know their rights and dare maintain them.
Let there be an uprising of the people in sup
port of the National authority that will not only
blast forever this unmatched treason and its
2 guilty authors, but give significant notice as
well to all foreign States disposed to intervene
g in our domestic affairs, that the American peo.
pie have the power and the will, not only tC
suppress this rebellion, but to resent and effect
ually resist all foreign intervention. You can
: not consent that foreign usurpation and despot
y ism shall supplant the Republic. You canno
y consent that your country shall cease to main
4, tain the right and avenge the wrong You can
o not consent that tke Just and benefcent fabric
J. civil Government, founded and reared by ou
fathers. whom God taught @to build for glor
o and for beauty" shall be shattered and destroy
y cd by the hands of traitors that your good
heritage shall be partitoned, and that Americi
" the youngest Dofn ana tne nope OF lne WOflt
" shall be blotted from the map of nations, an
al cease to be power in the earth.
l. Let it be the fixed purpose ofevery good cit
zen, that, relying upon the Divine protection
/ whatever may be the sacrifice the Constutio
At shall be maintained and the Republic shall live
IT We adopt the words Of the Congress of l7s'
le in their Address to the People:
u "Let it be remembered that it has ever bee
= the pride and boast Of America that the right
, for which she eontended were the rights of hu
= man nature. By the blessings Of the Author c
= these rights on the means exerted for their dc
y tense, they have prevailed against all opposition
y The People of the United States are responsible
= for the greatest trust ever committed TO a poll
: teal society. 1.-THE great cause whic
le we have engaged TO yindicate SHALL be dishon
= ored and destroyed, the last and faireet expert
u u ment in favor of the rights of human nature wi
= be turned against them, aud their patrons an
II friends exposed to be insulted and silenced b
- the yotaries oftyranny aud oppression
y WAsHISeros, July Is, 1862
y b, F, WADE, JAMEs HARLAN,
= HENRY WILSON, JOHN y. HALE,
It NJ s. WILKINSON, S. C. POMEROY,
3 J. II. LANE, u. CHANDLER,
II JAS. W. GRIMES, of the Senate.
. j A. BINGHAM s, W, SHERMAN,
i THAD. STEVENS, w.P. CUTLER,
n J. y. POTTER faif n. II. DUVAL,
le Z. b. SEDGWICK, f.s r. II. DUELL.
re A. SARGENT. CYRUS ALDRICH,
NJ rAr n NHrr - 80