M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1863-08-20

Will aud OPINION OF Abraham Lincoln,
instead of written fundamental statute
and common law. And if we our.
selves scorn to yield up our constitu.
tiOhal rights and liberties to this
mOnstrous demon, does any honorable
man, any sane MAJ, ask or expect the
States and the people OF the South to
surrender, SO long as man survives
to strike blow, or woman to stren-
lgthen his heart or nerve his arm
Upon such policy this must and will
be interminable. So many square
miles may be overrun, 80 much sail
may be conquered, but the hearts Of
the people never.
How, then, stand the chances OF the
Union, measured by the two different
politics OF the Abolition aud Demo.
cratic party2
The party of the Administration
declares that the States anG people OF
the South shall be forced to lay down
their arms and submit. What then
COnhscation Of all property; emanci
patton If all slaves, and execution OF
all who, directly or indirectly, haye
taken part in the rebellion: namely,
nine-tenths Of the whole population ;
for no general amnesty has ever as yet
been so much as suggested by either
Congress or the Executive, and IN.
conditional submission is now the
least which is demanded. More than
this: as to any State which may first
submit or be conquered, conscription
Of every male person, white or black
between twenty and forty-fve, for
the conquest Of the State still in arms
Nor is this tho worst: for inasmuch
as all slaves and free negroes South
are considered "loyal," and nearly all
white men and women "disloyal,"
and, therefore, as having forfeited all
rights, the negroes, then all free, are
to be treated as almost the only per.
sous entitled to the several rights and
| privileges of citizenship, and especi,
tally the very soldiers TO garrison the
South. And now add to all this {:
suppression OF the freedom Of speech
and of the press, suspension Of habeas
corpus, martial law, arbitrary arrests,
imprisonments, Punishment, intsrier.
ence with elections, test Oaths, appro.
priation of private houses, seizure Of
private property and every other act
Of oppression, outrage and despotism,
which for two years have been lnerci
lessly practiced even in States never
in insurrection, but always loyal to
the Union.
This is the entertainment to which
under the present policy OF the Ad
ministration, dictated by the radicals
who control it, the States and the
people Vi the South are invited. And
repeatedly the question was put to me
while among them, "lf the citizens OF
the States still adhering to the Union
are continually arrested, imprisoned,
banished, or otherwise outraged,
merely because OF their political opin.
ions, vr for censure and criticism of
the men and party in power, what
would not be done with us if we were
to be conquered or were to submit 2"
ln fact, it is this very policy which,
instead Of crushing out the REBEL.
ion," crushed out all Union sentiment
among them, and made, as it still
keeps them, a unit in numbers and
spirit, against the force and arms OF
the Federal Government. 1t was the
repeated confession to me, personally
OF several OF the most distinguished
public men Of the Southwest, that if
General Buell. had been retained in
command, and permitted to continue
his policy OF peace and conciliation-.
acting the officer and gentleman, OBJ,
serving private rights, respecting
private property, returning fugitive
slaves, and tolerating all political
opinions, whether in sympathy with
Secession or not, 80 long as not car
rled out into overt acts the people
OF Tennessee would have voluntarily
returned to the Ulion, six months
ago. And they rejoiced in tie change
OF policy and his removal. But the
mischief has been cousummated, and
no success Of arms, no number Of
victories can repair it. Not only
another policy, but other instrulnen,
talities alone can now restore toe
Union.
What, upon the other hand, does
the Democratic party propose to the
States and the people OF the South ?
Not Confscation, nor Emancipation,
nor Oonscription, nor Execution, and
certainly not the equality Or rather
superiority OF the negro race ; but the
Constitution with all its guarantees,
the rights of the States and the liber.
ties OF the people. We would restore
the Union, and with it give them
quiet and security in the enjoyment