North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1862-08-20
TtJNKHANNOCK PA, WEDNESDAY, AUG. co. 1862

sive action of the Abolitionists to stimulate
these counter movements. These efforts
were too successful and materials, too, for
such efforts were being continually supplied
by the successes of the Aboltionists. Abuse
and obloquy against the Shareholder stream
ed out from some pull tits in the North
where the virus of Abolitonism hid been in
fused. Retaliatory epthets were INDUCED
in by pulpits in the South against the Aboli-
tionists. Church organizations in the Union
were split up into organizations North and
South. Nominations for the Presidency
were made upon issues, in fainter or bolder
terms, involving the question of the exist.
ence or limitation Of the area of domestic
slavery. The decisions of the Supreme
Court of the United States were resisted. its
integrity assaled, and its rem0deLting avow-
ed. These were followed by outbreaks, as
illustrated by the raid Of John Brown into
Virginia. Meantime the retaliatory and dis
union movements in the South crystalized
and proclaimed the monstrous heresy that
the Union was but an allence Of sovereign
States, and that any one of it's members
might, in the exercise of an unlimited sover-
ei5nty, which was claimed for it, withdraw
from such union. This heresy was designat-
ed, aud as we all know, is familiarity called
Seccssionism, and, under its banner, great
and formidable party in the slave States was
rallied.
Thus were confronted two great sectional
parties-the Abolitionists North, and the Sc.
cessionists South-the very antipodes of
each other in their sentiments they met or
the common platform Of Disunion. Each
alike tended o overthrow the Constitution
and the Union. Each alike are the enemies
Of the Republic. The Secessionists, claim
ing to act from the apprehension that the
threat for " the ultimate extinction of slave
ry" would be put IN execution, succeeded by
bare majori..e1 in some cases, and by the
more efficient organization of probable mi
norities in others, in procuring the adoption
Of ordinances of Secession, or for the with
drawal Of. such States from the American
Union as are now banded under the desgua :
ton Of the, Confederate States. Obtaining
thus, the formal organization Of a goverL-
ment, they set at defiance the Constitution
aid laws Of the United States, and under.
took to resist their execution within the pre-
tended jurisdiction of this revolutionary gov
ernment. The Government of the United
States, in strict accordance with its powers,
undertook to enforce these laws and to de-
mand obedience to them; armed resistance
was at once inaugurated on the part of the
Secessonists, and thus began a rebellion and
civil war that has become one of gigantic
proportions, and for many of its characteris-
tics one OF the most formidable that ever ex-
listed among civilized people. At its out
set, the appeal was made to the loyal men of
the North to fly to arms, in order to uphold
the Constitution and laws, and to maintain
the Union. With the rapidity of magic this
appeal was responded to with unbounded en-
thusiasm, and an armed force of over 700, 600
men stood ready to obey the summons to
meet the foes of the Union. President Lin
con in his inaugural address, has said:
81 have no purpose, directly or indirectly,
to interfere with the institution Of slavery i'll
the States where it exists. | believe | have
no lawful right to do so, and have no in
clination to do So"
The Congress of the United States, imme-
diately after the battle of Bull Run. IN July,
1861,
Resolred, That the present deporable civ
il war has been forced upon the country by
the disunionists of the Southern States, now
in arms against the Constitutional Govern
ment, ard in arms around the Capital; that
in this national emergency, Congress, banish-
ing all feelings of mere passion or resent.
ment will recollect only its duty to the
whole country; that this war is not waged
on their part in any spirit of oppression, or
for any purpose of conquest or subjugation,
or purpose of overth rowing or interfering
with the rights or established institutions of
those States, but to defend and maintain the
supremacy of the Constitution, and to pre-
serve the Union, with all the dignity, equal-
ty, and rights of the several States unim-
paired; and that as soon as these objects
are accomplished, the war ought 20 cease"
Thus the faith of the President and Con-
gress was pledged to every loyal man in the
North that the war was to be carried on for
the Constitution as it is and the Union as it
was. Under the inspiration of this high, pa
triotic, and holy purpose, our gallant coun
trymen have marched to the battlefield,
keeping step to the music of the Union, en-
during privations and sufferings that would
have uttcrlyaappalled less patriotic and de-
voted soldiers. The enemy, although mass
ed in formidable bodies, and supported by
an energy, skill, and munitions of war that
eyinced an increased concentration of senti-
ment in behalf of the rebellion, yet, before
the mighty shock of our arms, inflicted by
the soldiers of the Union, they for time
were vanquished their fcrts, towns, and
other strongholds were rapidly taken, and