Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-09-04
To better assure the frIepds Of coustI,utiopal

= 10 better assure the friends of constitutions
government, of our security against such dan
ger, few suggestive thoughts, BY way o
strengthening their confidence and assuring
their faith and hopes. may not be amiss. I
f should be borne 10 mind that zoe haze n0to, 6at
cill havs at the close Of the sebsoR, tho identica
Contribution which the extremists seek TO destroy
the one by innovation, the other by force. L
cannot be altered except In the manner therein
prescribed. The same facts exist In reference
to each State, loyal and disloyal. Rebellion
has not altered, or changed, or modified either
the Federal or State Constitutions. Nor hal
the rtbe al destroyed the existence Of kt
States, ds States, Of the Union. Their revolt
only auspends the action Of the civil authority
OF the Federal Government within the revolted
districts, pending the revolt and substitutes the
military authority until their rebellion csases,
and they consent TO accept the civil instead Of
the military rule.
No seeonstruetion 10 necessary. The Gov.
ernment is complete--not breken--not destroy.
ed; but by the blessing of God, shall endure
forever. A revolted State has nothing, there
4 tore, to DO but to cease resistance to duty and
Law, and return to Ito fealty, organise under its
Constitution, as IL was before and would be now
but for the revolt, and thus place Itself In hsF-
mony with the Federal Government! Thus, all
that was suspended by revolt, will be restored
to action,
Bnt will not the dominant powers require
terms other than theae7 Will they not require
the revolted States, 40 condition precedent to o
restoration of theif relations, to adopt either
immediate or gradual emancipation? These
are grave questions, and suggestive Of O dan
gerous and wicked experiment.. We trust to
plighted word and constitutional faith 40 guar
anty against such an issue. Nothing but dsre-
gard Of honor and the principles OF humanity
can force such an issue, and We will not invite
an evil by battling II into being. The Affections
pressing upon us claim our immediate Efforts
When others come we shall meet them. "Suf-
| ficient unto the day is the evil thereof"
The States, by rebellion, did not lose their
status "a States Of the Union. Their harmopi.
ous and peaceful relations only we're disturbed. /.
| BY rebellion they invoked the military to super
eede the civil rule during the time of rebellion.
Revolt did not disorganize and remit them to
territorial statue; for repolnion, attempted, but
falling, Ia no yspOlution--nothing is changed,
everything remains. tits the sueeessful attempt
which Teuolutioaizss --cbanges-destT0ys. It fol-
lows, therefore, that no terms can be demanded
except to submit to the Constitution and laws
! as they are To demand anything more would
be to change sides with the rebellion--to make
war upon the Constitution, at the moment the
rebels became willing to submit to IL.
| But may not the rebel States be required to
assemble conventions and 80 modify their Con.
stitutions as to meet these demands7' No such
convention can be called, to have any legal
power, until after the State is organized under
the Constitution and makes the call pursuant
to the mode fixed In the Constitution. When
organized so as TO- be In position to call con-
vention, 1t will be In harmony with its Federal
relations, being all the time 10 and of the Union,
and sovereign State of the Union; and no
power or party would dare to attempt to lay
terms in violation of Federal and State rights,
To require such convention would be an ad-
mission of the right; TO admit the right Of such
convention would be to concede the right of
secession, and thus vindicate the right claimed
| BY rebellion. H ,5 7N "
| Il Is becauee We deny the power of such CON.
ventions, either to bind or loose, and regard
their acts as utilities, that we claim the revolt
ed States se still of us-bound to us by consti-
tutional obligstion-and, therefore,, we are en-
forcing the observance of duty. We cannot,
without ourselves becoming rebels to the Con.
stitution deny the return Of State to lite peace
ful relations in the Government, precisely upon
the. terms 1t stood when those relations we're
broken, I'D edo -s .-.H.. -ir4s "a
Itis the duty of our Government, when the
armed rebels are driven from or subdued In q
revolted State, to protect and encourage the
Loyalty disposed citizens remaining, in at once
4 organizing their State, and by the election oi
ell Its ofacers-State and Federal-as provided
for In their Constitution and laws, place the
State in organized harmony with the Govern.
msnt. Humanity and the course of constitu'
tional liberty demand this course. Who shall
be punished, will be question for the civil tri.
Il hu Ia IN dala ant RiSna IL l,n
object of human punishment, not to revenge
wrong. Revenge finds no sanction In the laws,
and swakes no responsive throb In the bosom Of
humanity. II the prodigal returns, let nation
rejoice The nearest and dearest relations OF
life have been rudely severed by the rebellion
II return to duty by submission to the lass
with penitenoe for the past, and amnesty ju-
dlciously proclaimed, has balm for our many
wounds, let IL be applied, let us be healed OF
this great woe ..r,... -.lr
| The recent vote Of Kentucky, proelaims that
she will not ffaterniEe with rebellion, either
open or eopert; and with equal emphasis, that
she will not fraternize with those who would
pervert our just defense into fanaticAl war up.
on constitutional Fights and liberties of the peo
pie of the Southern States. But firmly and i'm.
movably poised upon her own Just, loyal, and
proud constitutional center, Kentucky will main.
tain the right, and support the Constitution and
the Union, by all the powers and modes sane
toned by the wisdom Of humane experience,
and just and legal warfare. "Men and money
TO crush the rebellion; votes and argument TO
correct legislative, or executive policy when er-
roneous." This is the proclaimed and dellbe-
rate will Of Kentucky. This is her right and
herduty. She will remember her right, and
i will do her duty, On Z T-rsU lfE4EHF fI'aei.
| We affiliate with the loyal men North and
South whose object and policy is, TO pREsRRvE
the UNION and the CONSTITUTION, unchanged and
unbroken, and to restore the people 10 harmony
and peace with the Government as they we're
before the rebellion M .s1esss. , te.t
| II is not o restored Union--not q reconstructed
Union that Kentucky desires; but prsssrusd
UnisR, and restored psacs upon constitutional
| basis Hse y-s. 81. r
i Kentucky halls with satisfaction the demon.
stratlon OF conservative sentiment manifested
by the recent elections Of many of her sister
States, and looks 10 the CO. operation of conser
vatiye men aa the hope Of vigorous and wise
prosecution of our defensive war, and an honor
able and just settlement Of peace. 3it 60
4 In this connection, 1t maynot be amiss to say
that We have decided objection to organizlne
and armIng negro. regiments. Our objection
10 not to the power, for 1t Ia admitted, thu
whatever may be taken for use, In war, allit
! Available uses NAV be eppYouriated Nor Il