Litchfield enquirer., 1863-04-02

QoI OGaGeS auO upOu OuI uuty so Gduciil9t0 Anu care for their interests. The Crittenden Com
 promise and host of others, all in the interest of Slavery, have been held up as panacea for all our ills, but here is measure, intended to
 conciliate the good will and protect the inter
 ests of all those Border States, who refused to initiate tho vile example of Virginia and have remained loyal to the Union, but is in the interest of Freedom, and it is assailed with all the malignity that there is in party spirit, and branded as unconstitutional, unwarranted, and demanding resistance from the people even to the full extent of actual treason. Can not these men read the signs of the timesf Do they not yet realize that the booming of the first gun against Sumptsr inaugurated the final contest between Freedom and Slavery in this country, in which Slavery will surely go down utterly? Wise men see these things. and, in that noble spirit, which tempsrs justice with mercy. seek to save some of the States, " hich have remained loyal, amidst dsloyalty, from the destruction and the sacrifices that await those who have precipitated the conflict upon tho nation. This compensated Emancipation scheme ia intended both to peacefully remove Slavery, where it is not already legally con. demned by the action of the State in rebelling against the Consultation, and to secure the Border States against the inevitable total loss ot their slave property. which the remorselsss logic of events will enforce, if they do not ac ceRt the proffered boon. It is in effect a com. promise in favor of Freedom, and hence the opposition of the Democracy to it. We show ed the absurdity of the plea of qnconstitution- ality in our last article. What does this oppo
 sition indicate ! Simply that the Democratic leaders sympathize not only with the authors but with the objects of this accarsed rebellion. They are in full sympathy with the armed ef- forts to uphold the system of Slavery, and pre-. fer that the Union should perish rather than it.. Of what avail are hollow protsstatians of loyalty. in the set phrazes of stump speech, when measured by the undsniable animus of this resolution of their State Convention!
 These men, forsooth, oppose the Emancipa- ton Proclamation because it interfer es with the authority of ths States of the peculiar in- stitution, and is therefore unconstitutional. It matters not that this position is not tenable- it is the one they choossto take. They like wise oppese as unconstitutional. this schems of compensated Emancipation, in which the au- thority of the States to accept or reject the measure is expressly recognizad. Now what does this willingness to assert palpable contrs- dictions imply. but that they are opposed to the existence of free labor at the South upon any terms an in full sympathy with the real object af tlis rsheiion, so hs' eful to the whole civilized world, that its leadera have soqght in vain for some other excuse to justify it.
 But let us not forget, even in onr de:estatian of the spirit that prompts this opposition. the essential and deliberate treason involved in the mseans of opposition proposed. It is to resist the payment of legally laid taxes for this pur. pose i; deliberate and pFedets rmined opposi
 tion to The supreme authority of the President and Congress. It is nothing more nor less than open and unjustifable TREASON. South Carolina, in passing the ordinance of secession and calling upon other States to initiate her example, committed no more fragrant act of opposition to law and rebellion against the constituted authorities, and if there were not anything else but the tyrannical usurpers that these resolutions represent them to be, every member of the Committee who reported those resolutions, would now be in close con6nement awaiting his trial for treason. Not only do they avow an intention of treason, but they reveal a eenspi, acy to make this treason suc- cessful. This may seem strong charge, bus what else gan those significant words, :" In con
 uection ith our felloy-citizens of other States" mean? What warrant have they for suppos- ing that they will have the cooperation of their fellow citizens in other States? No public acts, even of the Copperheads in other States, disreputable as they have been, have contem- plated such bold and open action as the delib- crate refusal to pay the taxes imposed by the constitutional authorities of the realm. Why then, do they proclaim that, in connection with men from othsr States, they will consummate
 this act of treason, unless they have secret understanding. a conspiracy to overthrow and set at nought the national authority? But more than this, it is conspiracy of treason, founded upon possible action of the authori. ties upon trumped ap ground of justi6ca. ton, and evinces an anriety te find an op- portunity to act out tbe nalignity and sin that lies in their hearts. Congress did not pas. the laws cousummating Compensated Eman cipation,' in any State, and these men have
 made themselyes fools by exhibiting theil
 treasopab!e designs, even when the ground on which they sought to base defense of thei' action, does not exist. Their treason is un
 provoked, apd has not even this faint shadow il of justification. It is mean, malignant, hate full; and rises like 3 sulphurous smoke from ths seetbing caldron of hatred, partisan envy, ant unprincipled lust for power that boils fariousl, ! t.. .h baarte Their souls are fs,Il If the v;