The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-28

rance of my principles that fear cannot
reply as coucisely as should wish
am 10 admirer Of rebellion for rebellion
sake on the contrary, think it criminal il
the highest degree. A just cause is the first
thing needed. 1t cannot be just unless there
are great grievances nor even then can it be
right TO take up arms, until constituted meth
DDS OF redress have beer exhausted The South
ern leaders have bad cause they revolted in
order to strengthen and extend slavery. They
did not attempt constitutional redress, because
the great otfense resented by them was, that
they had been outvoted in the presidential
election. They pursued their bad cause by
bad means, namely, by the perjury Of the
men in office, both in the Presidents Cabinet
and in the States, which stripped the Union
of all It's detences, and emplied it's treasury.
While Mr.. Lincoln was seeking some means
OF compromise, they further reyoIutionized
Virginia, and were preparing to attack Wash
lngton Also, by trying to set up the right
of secession for separate States, they made it
lie or death struggle for the whole Union.
L would 60 great way in apologzng for
extralegal secession even without urgent
grievances, if circumstances make the desire
reasonable, and the object were pursued hon.
orably. Suppose our Australian colonies to
desire separation, for no actual wrong done
them, but for contingent inconvenience. They
might say, We do not like the liability to
be involved In English wars, we are TOO far
Tor Eogand to protect u.s. If on this ground
they peaceably implored, asked, demanded
separation If, In the course Of some years,
while no military terrorism could be imagined.
their unanimity should be manifest ; if, finally
when England stitiy refused, they were at last
to rebel then, even if could not Justify |.
their rebelion,i should at least dissuade pun I
lshOg 1T, and should practically take their
part For they are to US little else than an
certainly they are no strength
their secession could not be called blow at
our national life, nor would it cripple or
threaten US 10 the future. To try to keen
hem against their will would be grave mis-.
AXE. But if the queens Vieeroy, without
my previous peaceablo effort to win our con.
ent, were to conspire with the other Office
lolders, AID, seizing by virtue Of the Queens
all the queens ships, forts, treas /
Tres, and armies, and turned these against
lev had held public meetings after his own
pleasure. under control Of his forces, and sent
IS word that the colony was unanimous
While notoriousl y no one could with safety to
lis life oppose believe that even Messrs.
}right and Golden would inwardIy feel that
be English Government had 10 choice what.
yer but to accept the war thus begun by the
erjured officials.
AT the same time, cannot admit that men
ave any right to freedom or independence,
'hen they seek for it 10 order to intensity
lavery, which the Southern insurgents avow.
When they throw down law, and appeal to
bstract morality and higher right, we must :
ook on their slaves from our moral point of !
iew-as men, and not cattle. To talk of
lelr unanimity is absurd, for we know, and
1ey know, that the slaves are not consulted.
lot only so, but neither have we any proof I
lat IN the first instance it was anything but
conspiracy of small oigarchy which de-
ided the Ignorant poor whites of three or
ar States. The Washington Government
as bound IN honor to succor its own loyal
lbJects, who were oppressed by military
'rce. VIGOROUSLY East Tennessee has from
re first been with the North so have all the [
ermans of Texas. All Western Virginia, il
lie great majority of Kentucky and of Mis-.
'url, have all along been Unionsts. o
Later events have shown the same to be q q
rue even of Maryland nor is it yet known Il
ow many Unionists there have been in East. p
IN Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and a
Their Slave States, though it is certain that =
icy were large proportion Of the substan.