North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1862-08-20
his negro upon his emancipation, viz: :

union OF all classes In the insurgent States !;
and while that union lasts, the war will never
end until they are utterly exhausted. We
know that at the inception of these troubles
Southern society was divided, and that
large portion, perhaps majority, were oppo-
sed to Secession. Now the great mass of
Southern people are united. To discover
why they are so we must glance at Southern
society and notice the classes into which it
has been divided, and which still distinguish
it. They are in arms, but not for the same
object they are moved to common end,
but by different and inconsistent reasons.
The leaders, which conprehcnds what was
previously known as th State Rights party,
and is much the lesser class, seek 10 break
down national Independence and set up
State domination. With them it is war
against nationality. The other class is fight
ing, as it supposes, to maintain and preserve
its rights of pr5lerty and domestic safety
which it has been made to believe are assaied
by this Government. This latter class are
not dlsunlonists per Sc they are SO only be-
cause they have been made to believe that
this administration is inimical TO their rights,
and is making war on their domestic institu-
| tions. As long as these two classes act
together, they will never assent to peace
The policy, then to be pursued is obvious
The former class will never be reconciled, but
the latter may be. Remove their apprehen-
sions. Satisf, them that no harm is intended
to- them as their institutions that this Gov
ernment is not making war on their rights of
property, but is simply defending its legiti-
mate authority, and they will gladly return
to their allegiance as soon as the pressure of
military dominion imposed by the Confederate
authority is removed from them. ...
| Twelve months ago both Houses of Con-
gress, adopting the spirit of your message,
then but recently sent in, declared with sim
gular unaninity the objects of the war, and
the country instantly bounded to your side to
assist you In carrying it on. If the spirit Of
that resolution had been adhered to weare con-
tident that should before now have seen the
end of this deplorable conflict. But what have
we seen In both Houses of Congr ess we
have heard doctrines subyersiye of the prin.
ciples of the Constitution, and seen measure
after measure founded in substance on those
doctrines proposed and carried through, which
can have no other effect than to distract and
divide loyal men, and exasperate and drive
still further from us and their duty the peo.
pie of the rebellious States. Military officers
following these bad examples, have stepped
beyond the just limits of their authority in
the same direction, until in several instances
you have felt the necessity Of interfering to
arrest them. And even the passage of the
resolution to which you refer has been osten-
tatlously proclaimed as the triumph of a
principle which the people of the Southern
States regard as ruinous to them-the effect
OF these measures was foretold, and may now
be seen in the indurated state of Southern
feeling.
TO these causes, Mr. President, and not to
our omission to vote for the resolution recon.
mended by you, we solemnly believe we are
to attribute the terrible earnestness of those
In arms against the Government and the con.
tinuance of the war. Nor do we (permit us
to say, Mr. President, with all respect for
you) agree that the institution of slavery is
" the lever of their power" but we are of the
opinion that the "lever of their power" is the
apprehension that the powers of comm on
government, created for common and equal
protection to the interest of all, will be
welded against the institutions of the South
ern States.
Signed by
G. A. WIcKLIFFE, Cham GARRETT DAVIS.
X. WILSON, j. j. CRITTENDEN,
JNo. S. CARLISLE, j. w. CRIsF1ELD,
J. S. JACKSON, II. GRIDER,
JOHN S. PHELPS, FRANCIS THOMAS,
CHARLES B. CALVERT, G. L. L. LEARy,
Edwin III. WEBSTER, III. MALLORY,
AARON HARDING, JAMES S. ROLLINS,
j. W. MENzIEs, IHos. L. Price,
G. w. DUNLAP, W.. A. HALL.
Ii fortherprC s,sc' { 1n Of the emancipation
project of the Abolitionists we have the pro-
position to arm and enlist the negroes as SOL
diers. Indeed, we are informed, from official
sources, that one General in the army has
already organized full regiment of negroes.
| We forbear to discuss the question, whether
such soldiers (?) are not a buresquu upon the
name and whether clothing and arning ne
groes as such beside the waste of clothes,
arms and other supplies, is not exposing us
to defeat in battle, from the clearly established
fact, that the negro is utterly disqualified by
nature to stand the musketry and artillery fire
mot to speak of the bayo1et charge of mod
ern warfare. This subject has infinitely great
er proportions when regarded in it's effect to
discourage enlistments by our own race re-
sulting from the commendable repagnance oi