Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-08-04
All Reading Matter on this page
is from Saturday Evening Edition.
Gov. PisrpOiut on Eps.lns Down RI. nv

Gov Faerpoiht on Fttins Down ths Hu'
Among the letters read at the late war
meeting at Detroit, was one from Governor
PierpOint, Of Virginia, which has the true
ring. The position Of Governor Pierpont
is in strong contrast with that Of the rec
reant Virginia Senator, John S. Carlile,
who seems to have no higher ambition than
to follow in the footsteps of his predeces-
sOr, the traitOrOus Mason. The following
is the concluding portion of Governor Pier
points noble letter:
awe should be as economical as possible
Of the lives Of the loyal soldiers, and pro-
vide bounifUlly for those going to the field
and for those they leave behind.
4" Say to them when they go, Use all the
means God, and nature, and circumstances
have put into your power to suppress the
rebellion and punish traitors. Rebels
property, in the rebel sense Of the word, of
whatever kind, sensible or insensible must
be made to contribute to the suppression
Of therebellion in any manner that it can
be made available
" This war has been inaugurated and
prosecuted by the rebels without reference
70 the rights Of Union men. Il is not for
them to claim constitutional guaranties-
They have no rights, under tho Constitu-
tion, save the infiction Of the penalty Of
their crimes. They have grown insolent
by their dominion over their own slaves,
until they have adopted as their political
axiom, that slavery is the normal coudi-
ion Of the working classes Upon that
principle they are attempting to build their
empire. This is in derogatiOn Of English
liberty and American liberty, and Of all
that has raised the Anglo Saxon race to its
present greatness in this country and in
Europe. 1t is an attempt to degrade every
free laboring man in the nation not only
the native born, but the German and Irish
man, who seek an asylum in this land Of
the free, are denounced as only ft for
slaves
"Mr. Jefferson has given US advice in
tended, doubtless, for occasions like the |
present. he says; A strict observance |
Of the written law is doubtless one of the |
highest duties Of the good citizen; but net |
the highest. The law Of necessity, of self |
preservation, Of saving our country when !
in danger, are Of higher obligation. To |
lose cur country by a scrupulOus adherence |
to written law, would be to lose the law it
self, with life, liberty, property, and all Of
those who are enjoying them with US; thus
sbsurdly sacrificing the end to the means
Here is chart made for the occasion by |
one who eomprehended our institutions |
and the enormities Of rebellion.
"Gentlemen, this is the last contest our
free institutions will have, if we put forth
the strength Of the nation, and punish re-
bellion as it deserves. But remember, but
one time is left to put down the usurpers-
that is, the present. We cannot fold our
arms this year, and fight the next. We
must fight aol0, or all is lost. The contest
is gigantic-the result, the freedom or en-
slavement of the nation. It is the removal
of the last fetter thrown around the thir-
teen old colonies. Redeemed and olsen
thralled, America will rise with new
strength, and in sublime proportions, the
beauty Of the whole earth.
"This is the most gigantic rebellion the
world ever saw. There is the most gigan-
tic stake being played for. The question
is Shall slavery OF freedom be uaiVsrsaEq p
There is no eoncealing it. This is the is
sue. The rebels have presented and forced
1t upon the nation. We have accepted and
it is to be tried at the point of the bayonet
and the muzzle Of the cannon; and were
it not for the traitors in our midst the YER
dict for freedom would be rendered in three
months. Every device that the devil can
invent and put into the heads of traitors
seems to be brought forward to keep men
out of the field, and to paralyze the arms
Of those already there. These traitors are
tolerated in high and low places. It is the
grasp Of their hand now upon the body
polido that partially p8ralyEes our
strength. They are endeavoringto to enlarge
their grasp. This is our danger"