The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1862-02-05

Why, sir, what is it but revolution to at
tempt to legislate with reference to any
higher law than the Constitution of the
countrys What but rebellion against the
government of Heaven to attempt to reg.
lnlate religion and morality by higher
law than the Bible2 Where did this law
come from? Why, sir, it made it's ap-
psarance at the time the Mormon Bible
came up; it seemed to rise with It, as if
then resurrected; but not so, it has been
iu the world long time; and it is upon
this principle of higher law which SUBJ
ordinates government, and dominates
over civil relations" that fierce mobs
have armed themselves aud madly rushed
on to ibloodshed and riot, to the breaking
open of prisons, and to the destruction
of humanllife. This is higher lawl Why,
sir, it was the spirit of this same higher
law that put forth its sacrlegious hand,
and piucked age v.Isf yFa
ssThat forbidden fruit
Whose mortal taste brought death into the
$780,, world
And all our woes"
Sir. it was this higher-law spirit which
dominated" over France in that fearful
reign of terror. and made her streets run
with blood 1t is the rawlings of. that i'm,
pious spirit in the North which declares
the Constitution, framed by our patriotic
ancestors. to be 20 league with death and
covenant with hell.'' 1t is the spirit
which moved the Abolition Disuuionists
of the North to gather up aud furnish.
the fuel with which the 6ery Secessionists
of the South have lighted up that fear,
ful and burning condagratiou. which. is
now consuming aud desolating the whole
laud in It's wild aud spreading fame 1t
is the spirit determined "to rule or ruiD;"
it's motto is. 'better reign ih hell than
serve in heaven" II is this higher law
spirit that lately took possession of the,
once calm aud conservative John Czech
rane. changing his whole character, max
ing him as fierce and wild as the man who
dwelt among the tombs, and could not be
chain.d or con6ned, and causing him to
cry out in wild fury, "Piunge The whole
Southern people, black and white. into
sea of indiscriminate carnage aud bloodl'
Sir, it is the spirit which .'has hitherto
worked, and now works, in the children
of disobedience.
But, sir, q war upon the institution of
Slavery would not only be unconstitnlion-
al and revolutionary. not only criminal
violation of the plighted faith of Congress
and Of the Administration, but utterly at
war with every principle of sound policy
Whoever lives to see that fearful aud mad
policy inangurateG, will see the sun of
American liberty go down in clouds and
darkness to rise no more. The last hope
Of restoration of the Union. the last
hope of free government upon this cont
neut, willthen sink and utterly perish 1t
would seem to be question of no great
difficulty to decide what is sound policy
in the conduct of the present war.
Now, withsvery good man, every friend
of his country, and with every true pat
riot, the object and end of the war is no,
to destroy, conquer, and drive off, but
with the least possible destruction o.
property and life, TO maintain and estab.
lishs the authority of the Government
and subdoes reclaim and bring back t.
their allegiance the misguided rebels; and
thus bring, together and harmopize the
6 eat family. Of States in, the bonds o
union and common brotherhood, -unde
the glorious old national banner. II auy
man supposes this great and good resul
can be reached by the destruction ant
c5n6scation Of property, by making wa
/ upon slavery in the South, by melting th,
slaves to insurrection and rebellion, an,
BY u species Of warfare so cruel and saw
age as that Of armug and encouraging
the slaves to make war upon their mas
ters and upon innocent women aud chill
dren, be is sadly mistaken; be has 'ye
much to learn of human nature. Sucl
q war of aggression upon the coustitu
.tionni rights of 5tha seeding States
would extinguish the last feeling of loyal
lty, unite, them as one man. exasperat
and drive them to q state of desperation
and forever lock, bolt, and bar the doc
Of reconciliation. IA sSgk 5@
+ This mad policy would, at the sam
time, as certainly divide and destroy tn
Epower of the great Union forces who ar
now battling for the preservation of th
Governmens.s All over the Northern en-
Western non slavsholding States, vas
numbers Of loyal and true men woul
J abandon such q war, or make war upo
. it. Brave officers and thousands of the
troops, now in the Union army, would q
} louce disbaud aud lay down their arms; Q
/, band together and turn their arms agains
. those who were prosecuting such wa
s And the true and loyal men in the bol
! der States of Missouri, Kentucky an
. Maryland, after forsakiDg houses an
Q lands, and their secession neighbors, an
: brothers, and father and sons-af.e- "su
8 fering SO much for the Union,'' cou
O hardly be expected to join in q war upe
], their own domestic institutions and upe
r the Constitution of their county. VIII
d was it, in the Revolutionary struggle
IT our fathers with Eagland, that now CO