Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-07-25
THE YANKEE SUBMISSION OF THE GOVERN
hENr OF THE UNITED sTArES-RRV0LUf ZION
AIRY AND DESTRUCTIVE MEASURES OF con-
GRESs-A FRENCHMANS VIEWS

| American
the l7!h day of July, 1852 Between that which the
Of the United States had before them at
the time Of their assembling in December last and that
which they leave behind them at the moment Of their
separation there Is distance frighnul to MEASURE
This distance the MEMBERS the government and the
ton have traversed step by STEP day BY day, without
calculating how much each stage removed them from
the point Of departure or separated them from the d.
rect road IL is only at the present moment when
deiaite halt has been made, that We can take 10 ct
| Glance what has been actually accomplished.
The chief acts Of the session may be divided into three
| classes
Measures relative to slavery;
Political measures other than those relating to ala
very;
Economical aud financial measures.
THESE three kinds Of legislative facts distinct in their
essential character, and which would have been indie
psndent Of each other in ordinary times give 10 the ait
uaion OF the, country an indssoiuoie unity In the
midst of events which unfold themselves around u.s. al
linked and chained together measures the most opposite
in appearance have common bearing and ding as
they are good bad benefit or inare each other recp
rocaly They no longer constitute simple decisions OF
he moment des med to exercise temporary influence
and in a position TO be reconsidsred or modified some
| month"; hence From the day they have been signed,
thew take full C sct and influence the future This is
pocal precept which Congress should have lost
sght of for single moment but which, on the contra
nv has been spurned by il in the most contemptuous
manner From the first TO the las. hour OF the session
il has legisAted at hsEIrd, without appearing TO
suspect that the laws which passed formed in fact the
/ basis of q new situation.
LIS mission was to strengthen If 1t possible TIE
rudey shaken foundations Of the Union; this il has in
cesSsnly insisted upon itself and yet 20 judge TO day
by the result Of is Abors would be rather tempted
10 believe that its set task had been TO give blow after
blow TO the lettering remains of the Republic which il
vas pretending 10 reconstruct We do not accuse t OF
h1yilg done this designedy far from tive per.
suaded that than one representative returned 10
his home and become himself again, will look back with
surprise mingled with horror upon the work TO which he
las lent his operston-carr,ed away as 1t we're me
chemically by the influence OF party. But however 30
we're NAV be these r grets they late aud poWess
The EVIL s DONE it will remain immense and rrepGrsbIe
All the measures which relate to slavery 90 many
errors and what Is MORE useless errors. II il was be-
eved really that in the point the prime cause oil
seces really 10 be found; there was any oesire
or sincere hope, TO put END 70 the revolution, oy
return 10 the Uaion il there any wish to prove 10
toe world and TO the Souh itself that the Constitute
remained intact ready 10 become the corner stone oil
united OonfederScy, the first necessity was TO avoid
thing which could even have the Appearance oil al
lsCtng the Federal compact Congress seems, On the
contrary TO have had heart precisely the opposite
t decreed emancipation in the District OF Columbia and
the formal exclusion Of slavery from all the Territories
nov hej or TO be held by the Confederation Neither OF
either necessary or oppor une neither
OF them had auy practical bearing Their only effect Was
| {, give the South Of complain. the more
Tais too was aggravated BY almost childish trhng
ia voting the dipomatcal recognition Of the black re
pubHcs Of Hayt and Liberia recognition which Was
Known 10 be impossbls by the slave States.
II WAS iut,n led sppeal TO ATS rtcs principles OF
bumADity and human lay these acts are insufficient
| and accomplish nothing, l. We regard them from po
hucA point Of view the only one, Il strikes u.s. which
oGGht 10 be taken when revolution Is TO ba qlieie6
"a impossible TO see ia them anything Cs than gritu
tons ssl!t 20 those who are TO be won back l.
| th. and a IL haYa Il
era act Of abolition would have been ms nsate Thanks
20 the PIT siden and clear sighted and moderate
minds th 8 was not done. Tlose who urged this step
mad, hoW,Vlr at least philosophical idea to invoke
and false l. Was 10 lie spphcation-tAta as Il would
nave proved in lis consequsnces-his idea nae IT'S logic
What was done bad none. Congress has shoEn itself a
pad politician without showing itself good philanthro
pst. Since the msjoitI comprehended that II was i'm
possible strike az the root OF slavery they seonld nave
un9srstcod that the 10 follow was 10 esVe II
a Il was aud 70 prove by complete forbeaIance, that
he Nottl sincere when II the South 10 return 10
the UaiUn with the assurance OF finding there intact all
| the rights which it claims
BE- contrast, which would srike ore as strange, II
ythng could be strange in the parliamentary conduct
Of the United ses while the most irritating side OF
ths constitutional problem of slave labor was treated
ghty wilbou; either necessity profit the solu ion Of
| lie two practical points OF the question: which have
really arisen Of the events OF the day, his bsen left
Untouched The fate OF slaves who have fallen, or who
al fall hereaG err uto the bands oil FsieIab troops, re-
mans vague and unsettled. This General nay return
tuem their masters thgs one DECLARES them Eee and
even arms them. Nor have the wise and excellent views
o. gradual emancpa ion, Of coopzlon in foreign coun
tries by which Mr. Lincoln wished TO seek commerce.
mslt OF practical solution this question, been in any
provided Tor. The credit which be demanded for this
purpose has been refused hmdeerred al least till the
/ leIt s,s.on. Everything has been done TO irrtate-
/ No hin. 70 settle dispose Of the question.
/ Ill.
Besides those relating directly 70 aavery, the most I'm
porant poiuc,l acts OF Congress the Law intended
- punish rebellion and thAs which places In the HANDS
o. the President almost unlimited power 10 regard to
| an appeal 20 arms,
Ths fret Of these laws innugurates at the outset
Arericsu SOIL the modes OF Punishment which European
cTlz on ia gradually doing away With 1t ereos the
ps,iti,t s,afylt and ogrroWs from the Austrian Oode
she principle o. sCquestraton Of property. What is
more We oEeK entirely 20 Mr.. Lin ON that pure and
4 q Ole act Of couhcatOn no. adopted. The most
ll'ura and least odous pcnslty In such cases, exile
Ulch combines tbs cbaslsenenG OF tie guilty With the
rights Of humAity aud the saiSty Of the Slate, should
r.sny have had pTcsdsuce over those drlcOnian PEN
allies TO- which America has go long IeProAehed the Od
World Il had, however, Is excuse, the yranEieal pow
or of tradition, which makes tho work OF repudstng
TIE plst both diff ,u and dow. Il Is bad lesson aud
al unfortunate Augment which the young American Re
Du5lc now fcr1iene5 to the European hoaarchies. At
tle jcmp aud the Arat ocssson she goes as far Gs
acy one else In the path Of rgOr This inst ation
% those sho have prec-d,dlnd more unfortunate sti
! a Jus idcation TO those Who 20 follow.
UonStCss hes equally Lost sight Of ell the EntecedeDts
OF the country c1d shut lie eyes to TIE dangers it
creating for the iutuo bg rendering the head OF the
Executive power absolute o. all the forces OF the
nation. H,1oefosih the Pses.den: no longer commands
the F.dersi aEy alone the militia 10 SUI scE to him
sa1 he can Unnecessary, have recourse TO conscrPdon
The res,ricIoa Of hsuree which accompany momentsry
these extraordinary powers do nos in the least GtCt
htr bearing lesson tae eventual Danger Such pi-
oipeF, Inscribed upon the l'g,lIien OF country,
are never tficed they remain there in indehbe cha
rao.es and though they may appear 10 fall into
Gsuss for time they resppear fatally at the hour when
energetic and ambitious man hnds |. TO his adVAn.
| tAge 10 appeal to them.
Not LEES grave is the tAct ratification by which the
representatives have covered up b, boHs gwen by the
Government to the constitutional guarantees Of It's Gill;
Toe summary arrests the suspet SION Of the hG6toI
enpa the Restrictions upon the liberty Of the Press