Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-04-09
The Duty OF Conservative men.

of the Administration, and of the leaders
Of the Republican party, on the great
question which now agitate tho people OF
the United States; and pointed out, as
well as we were able, somo of the dangers
which threaten to overthrow our liberties,
or plunge us into disasters from which the
mind recois with alarm. In this article
we offer few suggestions respecting the
duty of Consei men in this trying
ordeal.
The position Of those who do not ap.
prove the policy of the Administration,
and who therefore have fallen under the
ban of the radicals who control it, is a
most trying one. They are asked to
"support the Government" in default of
which they are pronounced "disloyal'-
"copperheads" ds"-"traitors." But what
is meant by supporting the Govern
ment?" Is it to sustain the lawful au.
thorties in upholding the Constitution
and the laws? There are very lew men
certainly not thousand men-in all the
so called loyal States, who are not ready
to do this, with their influence, their
means, and f need be, their lives. Let
the unselfsh devotion Of the people in the
earliest stages Of the war, attest this,
and prove their readiness to make sac
riice in behalf of Constitutional Govern
ment.
No, it is not such a support Of tie gou.
ernmem that is demanded of us, but quite
another thing and different allegiance
no less than blind adherence to an Adj
:ninistration whose policy leads directly
to the subversion Of the Constitution and
the destruction Of our dearest rights. -
Shall the people render such allegiancc?--
Are they bound to accord such support to
the party which happens to be in power?
! Their practical answer to these questions
Is to lie found in the total absence OF all
offers Of volunteers or recruits for the war,
whereas in its earliest stages the offers of
men were in excess of t re wants of the
Government the entire withdrawal of
confidence in the Admin stratiou by Dem,
ocrats and Conservatives throu. .hout the
county. They are ready and willing to
"support the Government, even in car.
rying on war which they believe could
have been avoilel, 50 long as it is conduc-
ted for the objects and in the manner pre-.
scribel by the Constitution; bit they are
neHher reody nor wjHiag 10 support an Id
miniStration whih hompies tie Constitution
under is feet and seeks to eStoJESh in It's
piace. Tie wW # irresponsible anil incom.
peieHt uSurperS.
The theory and leading principles OF
our system teach Obedience to the consti
tuted authorities. and the reformation ol
abuses by constitutional methods. The
masses of Northern Democrats held that
the election of Mr. Lincoln, by consttu-
tional means, furnished no valid reason
for the violent action Of the Southern
States. 1t was only the usurpation of
powers not conferred by the Constitution
the attempt to overthrow the Coustitu.
tional Government, and to inaugulate an
other not organized hy the people-that It
could Justify resistance to the legally cho-
sen officers of the Government. For this
the States in rebellion did not wait, and
thus they they violated a sacred principle
in Republican Government.
The people of the loyal States have
to-day, infinitely greater provocation to
inaugurate revolution than had the
+ Southern States on the election of Presi
dent Lincoln. But their wisdom, and
devotion to the forms as well as the prin
ciplcs of Constitutional Government,
prompt them to extraordinary forbear.
ancc, and they appropriately cling to the
peaceful modes o! redreS, provided by the
Constitution itself. The Adm ministration
by its arbitrary arrests, its suspension OF
the writ OF liberty. its invasion OF private
rights, and its harsh and unnecessary con.
scrption, apparently used every means a,
its command to aggravate existing evils
and to render intolcrablc its scheme OF
subverting the war to the abolition OF
slavery instead of the re establishment oil
Constitutional authority throughout the
whole u ZION.
If there are any whose minds revert tc
other than peaceful modes of redressing
the wrongs inflicted upon the country a,
this time, let them be abiured to take
counsel of wisdom, and to exercise thai
patient iorbearance and true patronisn
which looks alone to the ballot box a tn,
arbiter OF oar destincs. IL this mode Of
Of relief is slow, it is. nevertheless, sure
and it has the virtue of requiring no sacri
flee of life or Of principle for the accom-
plishment of most momentous reforms
To those who are impatient of time ant
who would sec the abuses which now
alarm all conservative men speedily cor
rected, it is only necessary to point to the
grand political revolution now going on
and which is sweeping with resistles
lorcc over the entire loyal portion OF th'
Union. 1t has already revoluliouized hal
dozen States and needs but the oppor
iunity to complete the regeneration of tn
whole Union. Were the Presidential elec
tion to take place this year. the presen
corrupt Administration would be swep
from power, with relentless Indignation
hy the people. Oppressive as are its act'
Of usurI alton. the Democratic and Con
servative masses who ontnumber by al
immense majority the radicals) will pa
tiently and patriotlcally wait the oppor.
tunity, by Constitutional and legal means,
TO restore the Government to its legiti'
mate functions, and, it possible, to recon
struct the Union upon Constitutional
basis. But little more than year will
elapse before (if our civil rights ars MOI
previously all subveIted) we shall be en-
gagged in Presidential campaign, whcl
will absorb the attention of the country