The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-08-29
Number 80.

fight. Tho avowed traitors, who are not in
can handle, for tho laws furnish ample means
Of combating all such. But these pretended
friends of the Union, who have always some
hypocritical qualification to their loyalty.
who arc opposed with apprehensions lest tho
property in slaves should be disturbed, or
the Constitution bo not enforced % rigidly
as to let their southern brethren do as they
please or that, in fact, whilc nearly all
their friends arc either In arms, or desire to
bc, for the rebel cause, the war cannot, as
they desire, DO conducted in the mild, amia-
bic. forgiying and benevolent manner which
will let treason flourish and loyalty suffer
these Union" men VIC have no means OF
meeting.
It is past all denial that tho efforts Of these
persons do more real damage to our cause
than all the open disloyalty which is preached.
They have il in their power to cripple us IN
the prosecution of the war, and they do 30
most elToctually. They throw cold water
upon public enthusiasm, dissuade enlist
ments, breed discomfort, and In TACT inter-
pose obstacles at every step we take. They
expect us to make war on peace principles
to hamper ourselves with extreme technical
straitness of details in treating rebels who
repudiate our Constitution and laws. Be
foro the war began they talked loudly against
the +" coercion" Of the south, urging 1t as
some monstrous abolition outrage that men
in open armed rebellion against the national
authority should be "coerced' into obedi-
encc, and they treated us to long disgust.
tions on State rights, the limits OF the gov
ernmental power, the sovereignty OF States.
and in fact everything which could tell
against the authority of the national govern.
ment and in favor OF the rebels.
Since tho war broke out, their anti coer.
Give furo has been changed into an intense
admiration for the Constitution OF the
United States. AS oil legal documents are
susceptible of being tortured into VARIETY
of shapes, they are overjoyed at the discovery
that the Constitution can be made TO cover
all tho distractions they wish to throw in
the way of the government, by stretching its
words out OF their direct meaning. Hence
in all their resolutions, addresses and news
paper articles now, they place tho Constitu-
ton first and the Union next. Men who
arc really in favor OF sustaining the Union
at all hazards will plainly say SO, but these
gentry have an ingenious way Of asserting
that they are '.n favor of oil constitutional
means OF sustaining tho Unon."
According to their notions these constitu.
tional means do not include those adopted
by tho Administration and by Congress. and
therefore the natural inference would be that
they are opposed to the war. But oh bless
you, no. Not opposed to the war. If you
value your peace Of mind do not say that
They are tho most loud mouthcd, the most
indignant Of men on that point. They are
not opposed to the war-but! Hero come:
in long string Of qualifications and objec.
tions, tho amount OF which is that they arc
\ in favor of Pickwickian sort OF war against
the southern rebels. Blessed DO tho man
whose loyalty is unconditional. lie secs
straight ahead. No bugbears are in his
path. The Union is his cynosure. lilo con-
suits no technicalities, no lawyers quibblcs
as to the means of saving the Union. The
negro has not entered his soul. lie loves his
country, her interests, her government, her
glory, and her empire, above all things else
ON earth, and ho has no "buts" to quality
his zeal, or check his efforts in her defence.