New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-01-28
THE AUpACuTY OF TREASON.

on trial for its life The issue is not between
rival policies, nor candidates, nor pretenders to
have been fairly invested with power. The
Shareholders Rebellion is not aimed at the
Administration but the Government-is not On
attempt TO diSpace by force the President,
but to dissolve the Union. Its fundamental
assumption affirms that the United States were
never one nation, but thirteen, fifteen, twenty,
thirty, thirty-four nations as the case may
have been, and that each Of these had at all
times the constitutional right to sever, by
simple vote lis connection with the rest, aud
assume an attitude not only of indepen-
dence but of antagonism. II the Seces.
sion movement DO well grounded, New.
York might at any moment have cut
the United States irreyOcably in twain by an
act Of Secession-might have done this in the
midst of our Last War with Great Britain,
diyesting the Union of its best harbor with
double outlet for eyading the cruisers of her
ocean.wise all.pOwerful enemy. If this assump-
ton be sound, our country wac never entitled
TO any credit or influence abroad, being only
slightly papered over aud thinly vanished al.
archy.
The Rebellion does not cell in question the
fact nor the validity Of Mr.. LincOlns election
as President of the United States. 1t simply
denies the right of the Government Of the
United States to exercise authority or claim
jurisdiction in any State south Of the Potomac,
the Ohio, and the Missouri. 1t defes not an
election, but the Federal Constitution and
Union, maintaining that they have no authority
nor validity in any Of the Slave States but Ma
ryland and Delaware.
The Union, summoned to the field Of bloody
combat By the capture through treachery of
our army in Texas and by the bombardment of
Fort Sumter, has girded itself for the conflict,
and has fought the Rebellion with checkered
fortunes for the last twenty months. The gen.
era result of that struggle, however, stands
thus: The Rebellion does not tbs day hold one
foot Of territory rhich ii comedies to belong 10
tho Union. Dchiie the Union h0lds firmly The cap
itals Of four or fire Of tie Thirteen States that
are claimed by JEFF. Daris as adhering TO his
COatcder0ey, beside the cities of New-Orleans,
Louisville, Memphis, and Norfolk, which are
among the chief marts Of commerce therein.
OF the Twelve Millions Of People over whom
JEFF. claims to be rightful President, at least
Three Millions repose this day under the flag
Of the Union. For fifteen or sixteen months
Of this tremendous conflict, our Government
adhered strictly TO the "BOrder- State" policy
Of conserving Slavery as well as the Union |
This policy required the suppression success
lively of the ProclamatioDs or Orders Of Ere
mont, jim Lane, Hunter, aud Phelps, prOfer
ing freedom to the slaves Of Rebels, and they |
we're accordingly suppressed President Lin
coin grieved and dsafected q large majority of
those who had voted to make him President, in |
order to 30 conduct the War as to conclliatc
bis political opponents.
He went far aud stad long on this tack,
but did not succeed. Tom Seymour of Con.
necticut vehemently denounced the War months
before the President showed any favor to the
Emancipation policy Senator Wall, the Able
McMaster, +. b. Schnabel, The bridgeport
Farmer editor who is now in the Rebel army,
The Philadelphia sympathizers, and clouds more
such, were as rampautly disloyal before the
I'D Of September as they have been since.
Horatio Seymour's anti.LincOln speeches were
no less bitter before than since the premonitory
Proclamation of Freedom. The great mass of
the Democratic party refused to support Union
tickets in 1861 as emphatcalIy Us in 1862.
The great body of their politicians aud wire.
workers were as bitterly II not as openly
hostile to the War in its first as iu its second
year. Treason has been no moro openly talked
u our streets nor blaz9ned 10 our apti-Admin.