Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1863-09-02

repudiation of the laws, as it denied their
The Abolitionists and the Republican
party are, therefore, first in fault, IN break
ing away from good faith, duty and law,
and their example, and the apprehension
of further acts of aggression upon South
ern rights by 'them provoked (although
they could not JUSTIFY the existing great
rebellion.
That rebellion was against the laws OF |
the United States, and put the whole body |
of them at defiance Although it assert |
ed for itself legal ground of justification,
it is more manifest that it was lawless
and unauthorized. The compact OF Union
being without limitation of time, must be
held, as intended by its authors, to be
perpetual and the provision contained In
it for its own amendment provides the
only lawful mode by which its obligation
can be limited or changed. Considering
secession as a breach of the public law,
and i'm view of the immense interests put
| in peril by it, this State concurred In mea-
sures of hostility against the South. But
| this was done to Ui,adicate the broken ddtC,
and to secure the objects for which the
government of the United States was
originally founded, and for no purpose OF
conquest, of oppression, or OF tanatlcal ex-
pertinent Upon this ground we may
Justify our conduct, and submit 1t with
out apprehension of censure, to the Judg-
ment of future times.
But the war has lasted more than two
wears, and its management, and the same
measures of legislation and OF executive
policy which have accompanied it, have
eiven occasion for frequent and just
complaints 1t has been so managed that
, our armies have been outnumbered where
decisive battles were to be fought, or have
! been rashly thrown upon impregnabl'
S positions of the enemy. Our forces
greatly outnumbering those of the Con
e federates, have been SO dispersed and 81
: handled that their superiority has not de
= termined the issue of campaigns or con
# cluded the contest. After contributin
/. one-ffth of a million of men to the wal
: our State is insulted by raids and is mad
dependent upon the friendship of neigl
e boring States for immediate defence.
h But it is not the mismanagement {
l. particular military operation, nor oth'
Sc mere errors of policy of our rulers, tn;
A. has sunk into the hearts of treemen
he matter of most deep and enduring con
al plaint. Mere mismanagement may
On imputed to inexperiencc III war, to acc
n dent. to exceptional or temporary cause
of or. at the worst, to incompetency. B
nd what shall be said of acts of Congre
zee and acts of the Executive IN contempt
II
lor war. have protracted it, united the enem
tut divided our own people, and placed us
vs. a false position before the nations OF
ed earth2 The Confscation Act and
zen emancipation Proclamation are, In
the opinion of a large part of our people,
ONLY unwise and injurious to our eau
We. but also wholly unauthorized by any pr
the ciple of beligerent or constitutional la
nst We need go but little way beyond
the doctrine of these measures before we C
and clude that the torch may be applied
entire towns, and a servile, savage +
on Inc let loose to works of rapine and
per- barrie war.
in But not merely in the policy of the
uph -in-our relations with the enemy
the illegallity, with consequent evil, appear
ab- Tn these Northern States, wholly
heir touched by revolt, the public sense
and been outraged by repeated and fag
ma acts of arbitrary power. 1he enum
agi- tion OF these would constitute i" No'u
con- and they furnish a premonltlon OF evi
raid the future which every patriotic T
and should view with deep apprene'''
ions. How long can the law be habitually
n bv Extensively broken by the public aut
rated ties, in peaceful and free commun
isla- before resistance will be provoked al
,nede reion of social disorder established?
,nder Thus upon reviewing our affairs,
living perceive how the splrlt oi ie'oiu,'
pirit. that OF disregard ana oPposi'ioii ~ ''
was has worked to our injury; how 1t pl
>boli upon us with a heavy hand at the pr
with moment, and threatens our future we
their And we discover also the parties
,f the terests who are, in this connection eli
than able with guilt. The picture is dari
latter gloomy enough to create both abhol
may and fear.
mt re- unfortunately there is no certain
. that the amendment of our affairs by
of the or administrations now IN possessl
in and mower. The Abolitionist stands i'm
, terr;- ble and insolent as old, and gives
once IN verted direction to the war. The
,d the lican party, incapable and prone to
,Ioverv has control of the federal governme
,ted at of most of the State governments
md by and West and the Confederate
;,.e,f a ment. iuimical to reunion, holds T