Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-08-28

The American government aud people. =
The PrO.BlaVery democrats Of the frs
llAtsI are moving heaven aud earth TO saw
, from deserved punishment, and to re.es
labliIh 10 power In the South, their oil
allies who are now leaders Of the rebel
lion. This 10 condition necessary, a
they feel, TO the future political success O
the pro slavery wing Of the democratic
party, aud on Il all their hopes rest.
Butt IL ought 10 be remembered that, u
far % political considerations 20, there h
no such thing 10 the "SOuthsra Conleder
acy," This our government has mos
strongly insisted on from the ArSt: and
ws hAvs been ready 10 60 to war With auy
foreign government which should VentuF,
to differ With uS. When Mr.. Mason obtain,
an interVisrVisW with the British Seerpta.
" for Foreign Affairs, tits as a private
person, and not aS the BmbaSSador Of a
foreign power when Mr. Slidell spends an
hour with Napoleon, II iS.Simply as pOli.
ticiAn from New Orleans, familiar with
I American affairs, about which the Emperor
10 curious. All the formalities abserved
10 receiving Ambassadors are In tbe,e
cases carefully omitted. What then? Can
we decently DO the firSt 10 break a rule, on
the stringent ObSerVanCeof which we have
80 vehemenily insisted?
That which calls itself the "Southern
COntederacy" Is simply and ouly military
creature. It is an organization which has
armies Ia the field, and which usurps polIt-
teal powerwhVFeVer It's armies are supreme:
but which has no recognized political ex.
iStence anywhere else. As military or.
ganiIation hostile to the United States, we
exchange prisoners with Il; but when Mr.
Stephens, one Of the leaders 10 this organ.
tEAtton, asked TO be received In Washing.
ton, he is ut once informed that be can
transact bis business with the Commis.
siOner Of Exchange, on the James river
which means that Mr.. Stephens, or apy
other agent Of the rebels, eau have, In the
view Of the United States government, no
other but military business with 10, which
is properly to be attended TO by the mill.
tary authorities, and forwarded from the
regularly appointed commissioner 10 bis
superiors. No doubt the rebels were saw.
age with disappointment when their IN.
fortunate ambassador returned, The trick
was both bold and clever.
1t Is amisuse Of words TO speak Of Sta,es
IN rebellion, or Of States returning 10 the
Union. The rebel power Is not power Of
States; II Is true that they usurped power
In certain States, and that they pretend
now to act in the name Of some Of those
States. But no court in the land Wouid |
hold their acts valid; the very foundation
OF them is invalid. The acts Of secession |
were In direct couuaventiOu of the .,su. |
preme law Of the land" and therefore null |
aud void, the act Of confederation was a
violation Of the supreme law Of the land:
the enactment Of revenue laws was simi. |
lar violation; and so was every act Of the
usurperS up TO the moment when they fred
on Fort Sumter, and up to the present time
no less. We might be surprised that those
who have made the greatest outcry about
the observance of the Constitution should
now suggest and advocate an act which in
dozen ways sets at naught the Constiiu.
ton, did we not see their motive.
But some will perhaps say, Why NOT
treat with the rebel leaders! why lei what
appears to be punctilly stand Ia the way
Of peace2 10 the FIRST place, they have
not yet asked US to treat with them but
II they had, we ought to refuse, because
to recognise their combination as n con.
federation Of states. and to treat with them
as that, is to establish a precedent that
will encourage and shelter factious dema.
gogues for all time hereafter. Whenever
a ruling party in two or three or half
dozen states might be opposed to meas.
lre desired by the majority of the nation,
ls represented In Cpngress, ordinations
would Re formed, which would at once
demand TO be treated with and to be held
harmless, while they threw the Union into
turmoil. In brief, il, as sOmeFof the Cd.
position journals are beginning to urge,
we treat with the rebels as o Southern
Confederacy," we establish In this country
The perniclOus heresy miscalled estate
rights" but more properly named "slate
independence" whi:h has already led US
Into so much trouble; and we give the re.
bellious planters another half dozen or
more chances to rebel, after they fail in
this.