Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-06-09
Has Treason any Justification I

lWo years hbo tntre were DuL rev persons dt
the North, of those who pretend to be hostile to
the rebellion, who did not characterize it as cause
less and ioicked-and we believe these adiectives
expressed mildly enough the exact Ilth. But
since the peace party and the Democratic semi
war party bave been marshaling forces to make
political and partisan capital out of the rniseries
Of the Republic, they have not hesitated TO say
that the rebels had great provocation for their
treason, that being men Of high-toned, chivalrous
sense Of honor, they we're almost driven into their
hostile attitude to the Government by eneroach-
ments on their rights, and by the refusal Of the
people to listen to their grievances and to their
demands for redress, and as a consequence their
treason had many mitigating circumstances, il it
were not entirely excusable.
In times Of excited discussion, and more es-
pecally in times of great and stirring events like
those which have sigualized our history for two
years, we are aptto drift away imperceptiby from
the original points of dispute, and get into ANNA
ted, sometimes angry, debate over irrelevant is
sues,-and in the discussions ofthe last six months
the cause Of the Republic has suffered much, as
its cunning enemies, North and South, have with
drawn attention from the horrid features Of trea-
son to the accidents Of the contest. Let US go
back little and see what justification, if any,
treason had.
The interest, type Of labor, political party, sec
ton OF the Republic, or whatever other territor-
al or political name we may choose to call it by,
which is now fighting the Government, practically
has had control Of that Government for the last
twenty years. Every decision Of its courts, when
the issue has been made, has been favorable TO
Slavery, which is, as the Richmond Examiner
claims, the civilization for which treason is fight
ing. Every President during all that time has
done the bidding Of Slavery. The Constitution
has, by the Administration, by its law officers,
and by all its lunciionaries, from the Secretary of
State to the postmasters who stole abolition pa.
pers from the mails, been con7trued in the inter-
ests Of Slavery, and has been declared, by the
help Of slave couit, the strongest bulwark OF
the " sum Of all villaines" Territory has been
acquired for the express and ayowed purpose of
making it into slave states, and wars Of conquest
have been waged with the same ultimate object.
Solemn compacts, like the Missouri Compromise
have been abrogated after Slavery had made all II
could out Of them and lest the people should st-
tempt by legislation 10 retain some portion Of the
territories free from the faint Of seryitude or res
tore again that Compromise, the Court was made
to decide that henceforth Slavery could not be
excluded from any portion Of the public domain.
And II Slavery had not thro. Oh all this time its
full share Of immunity and influence in the Gov
eminent, ii was not the fault Of the South in mod
estly forbearng to demand its rights and priv.
legss, nor Of its allies North in not sccondiug its
demands, but Of the Constitution which had given
liberty some rights in the Government as well as
Slavery.
But after having had oil this influence in and
control Of the Government for so many years, the
traitors seized upon Mr.. Lncoln's election as the
occasion for their taking up arms. lie had no,
been inauguated the party which elected him
had no control Of the departments Of the Govern.
msnt the court, with fancy for Chief Justice,
remained unchanged such men as Floyd, and
Cobb, and Toucey still disgraoed the Cabinet o
Buchanan, imbecile and traitor as he was, still oc.
.uc;ad ,ba WIKI. uou.a ,,han ,ho x.k.i. -.
menced their preparations for war. No tyranny
had deprived them Of liberty, no man had been
thrust into dungeons, no right Of property or lib
srty had been invaded, no freedom Of speech or o
the press had been assaed, no State Right, even
as they construed il, had been assaulted, not tn,
lightes touch Of despotsm had been felt in al
their borders, when they began their career o.
armed treason, and violently refused obedience Il
federal laws which they had themselves helped
make and to which they had rendered for year
unquestoning obedience, and through executive
officers Of their own choice, the Folks, and Pierces
and Buchanans, offormer administrations, had eu
forced throughout all the seaports Of the Republic
And yet, with the most shameless efron,ery
with the most unblushug impotence, they an
nounced to the world that the Government hav
ing oppressed them and defauded them of thei
rights, having injured them and refused TO re
dress their grievances, they arose in their nigh
to throw of the yoke Of their oppressor, and t,
assert 10 their own behalf the great truths Of III,
Declaration of Independence, They rebelleC
against what they called I" the despo,sm Of Lin
coln," before Mr. Lincoln had started from Spring
field, and while he was as powerless in the natiol
a. any one Of the two millions Of men whose vote
elected him. They levied war on the Republi
while the administration was in the hands Of ihol
servile tools and their conspiring accomplices, an
called themselves an oppressed people endeavol
ing TO separate themselves from the tyranny {
their oppressors, while they controlled the Go,
eminent
Aud yet while these are the facts Of history. No
q few men at the North who know better are col
tinually charging that the rebellion is the work
aoolilionists and republicans, end orc worl
ing by every method known to partisan warhr
10 more peaceful times, to build uph party on hi
wicked and malicious lie. Working upon til
fears Of the timid, who are ready TO escape from
war in any other way than by fighting it out, upo
the covetousness Of the misers who have no prir
ciplss except what saves money to their poke,
and upon the miserable eosardies Of those VII
bad niher see the country 30 to wreck, than
risk a bair Of their heads in its defence, they no,