The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-02-26
LOYALTY AND LIBERTY.
pr HORACE GREELEY.

- j,
What is the measure, what are the limi.
tations, Of free citizens duty of fidelity to
the rightful government Of his country, es-
pecially in republic?
There is no question as to the fact that a
rulcr--whether called President, Governor,
or something else-may violate the laws
which he is chosen to execute, and
thus render loyalty to the State perfectly
compatible with resistance to bis arbitrary
decree But hoover assumes that the SER
vice required of him by his admitted ruler is
unauthorized, and thereupon resists and de-
mes the requisition, does SO at his own peril.
The presumption that the magistrate re-
quires only what the law authorises and JUS
lifies, is inherently strong, and only to be re-
butted by conclusive proof That the law is
above the magistrate is clear. !. that your or
my conception of the law is trucr and sound
or than his, fortified as the latter has or
should have been by the best legal advice, is
prima facie improbable. And resistance to
constituted authority Is not justified by mere
belief, however confident, that the obedience
required Is unauthorized by the Constitu-
ton.
But the cause against the resister ofright-
full authority becomes Infinitely stronger
when the difference concerns matter Of
opinion, or an act which must be deemed
right OF wrong as its consequences shall de.
| termine. For example:
The President Of the United States was
urged, from an early stage Of our present
struggle, to regard Slavery as the final cause
Of the Rebellion, and to strike at the evil r
its source. He was urged, on the othe,
hand, to maintain throughout what is term.
cd a " conservative I" attitude ON that sub
ject-to so prosecute the War for the Unior
as to preserve and protect Slavery. His re-
sponse in substance was, that he should pro
tect or assail that institution precisely a.
should seem to him most conducive to th,
re-establishment Of the Union. In point o
fact, he did prosecute the War with the ut
most forbearancc toward the abhorent Hsys
tem," overruling the Iiberating Orders O.
Fremont, Lane, Hunter, etc, and sustaining
the Pro-Slavery fulminations of Paterson
Mcclellan. and Halleck, until, after eight
cen months Of indecisive effort, he became
convinced that Slavery was at once the ami
mating soul and the assailable point Of the
rebellion, and therefore placed it under the
ban Of the Republic. And now" say many
"he has, by that decision and action, per
verted the War for the Union into Wal
against Slavery, and we shall support it nc
| longer" j.
This logic assumes that the President is .
hypocrite and cheat, inyenting q P. etex
for assailing Slavery which he knows to b
untrue;
Or that he has no right SO to act upon hi.
conviction that the Union may be saved
through the destruction Of Slavery.
But all the facts prove that the President
was originally sincere adherent to the Bor
der-State policy that he only gave II up af
ter experience had demonstrated its futility
and then with manifest hesitation and reluc
tance.
The alternative proposition thvt the Pres
ident has no right to proclaim Emancipation
even though convinced that the Union could
90 otherwise be saved, will not bear scruti
ney. General BlacK's demonstration, as lega
advisor Of President Buchanan, that while
the Federal Government had perfect righi
of ingress into every State. and to vindicate
and enforce its rightful authority there, ye'
this right was practical nullity, because
there existed no constitutional means Of en-
forcing i'll Government is not to be bro
to dead lock by such hair splitting subtle
ties. If the Government Of tho United
Ststes has clear right to maintain and en-
force its authority in South Carolina through
the instrumentalities Of District Judge
District Attorney. Marshal. ETC., then it hal
10 right to create or improvisc those func
tionares expressly for the purpose. And !
| the Union has . paramount right to exist
and Slavery creates insupersble obstacles 4
such existence, then the Union has righ
to save itself BY destroying its deadly ntas
onist. II is not possible that unprovoked Is
sault on the ono side should not involv
d the right Of unfettered resistance on tn
other
i Now, then, -lhs testimony p the Union