Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-07-23

as we supposed, been illustrated, that man is
capable of selfgovernncnt-tha the rig ghtful
source of all political power are the people
themselves. To maintain these principles the
Union was formed-if they are right it should
be preserved; if they are wrong it shoul ]
fall. The Question is before u.s. and we can
not evade it if we would and cannot doubt
what the verdict of ihe people will be. War,
grim-vissaged and forlorn, with all its horrors,
desolates one half of the country, which we
have hitherto called our own. This country,
which little more than two short years ago,
was at peace with all nations of the earth,
whose people were prosperous, whose institu-
tions were permanently established, now pre-
sents an aspect too strange and too sad, to be
contemplated with composure. No foreign
prince has marched his armies into our coun-
try to conquer and subdue us. No allied Eu-
ropean despots have landed their armed hosts
upon our shores to emancipate Oppressed
notiOnalttes." No struggling Poland, Or Hun
gary, or Italy, is here appealing to the philan-
thropists of the world, to deliver her from the
bonds of her oppressors. But the war now
waging upon this continent is wicked I'M
necessary, reasonable and ungodly warfare,
waged without reason or pretense of reason,
by red handed traitors to our common human
ity. against the government to which they owe
their allegiance. 1t is cold, calculating,
mercinary and unnatural war, by deliberate
traitors upon the best government that the
wisdom of men ever established, On the one
hand, and by that government to re establish
its authority, recover its property, enforce its
laws, protect its citizens, and vindicate its
honor, on the other. 1t is war between de-
mocracy and aristocracy-a contest between
civilization and civil liberty on the one hand
and piracy against christianized mankind on
the other to determine which of the two
shall eventually absorb and shape the politi-
cal institutions of this continent. 1t is a war
on the part of the government to conquer and
subdue a most attrocious rebellion against its
lawful and constitutional authority-a rebel
lion of gigantic proportions, against govern
ment Of which it makes no complaint-against
which ne just voice Of censure could be raised.
What act of Congress was in force at the time
of the revolt that was so uni ust and oppress-
i've in its operations, as to justify an appeal to
force against the constituted authorities p
What feature Of the government, what line of
policy had it adopted, that could afford in the
opinion Of the world, or in the jud gment of
posterity, any justification for the dangerous
and suicidal course the insurgents have taken?
None whatever. But if there were, with whom
rests the responsibility The men who inau-
tive policy and patronage of the government
for the eight years Immediately preceding to
the revolt, and much as |, for one, would have
it, they could have now had the
reigns in the hands of those WAC were their
friends, so long as they remained loyal had
they not purpOsely accomplised the election
Of the present Chisf Magistrate for the ex-
press purpose of making his election pre-
text for destroying the government, and erect
ing upon its ruins an oligarchy, the chief
corner stone of which should be the princi-
pie that "cupitL should e,cn its labor" The
rebellion seeks to Justify itself in the eyes of
the world, upon no such plea as that the laws
were not impartially administered, Or that the
government had failed to execute them; but
with the braZen effrontery, that none but the
deliberate enemy of his country can assume
claimed that the spirit of the constitution was
because a President had been elect
ed, who received no votes in the slave holding
portion of the Union This too, when during
the election al which the present incumbent
was chosen, the man who, in the slave States
dared to express his preference for that mans
election, did so at the peril of his liberty or
his life IF the candidate elected was section
al-if he received no support from the peo
pie of the States now in rebellion it was not
because he did not ask and desire it-not
their rights or their libertics-not because he
was not, in fact, elected in accordance with
all the forms Of the constitution, and bv the
requisite number of votes; and the reason he
no votes in those States was not be-
cause he had no friends there, but for the We
ry satisfactory reason that no electoral tickets
were permitted to be voted for and the man
who expressed his desire for Mr. Lincoln's
election, was mobbed murdered imprisoned
or driven an outlaw from his home. The very
men who lead the rebellion now, and who
were so very tender of the spirit of the co,asts-
tuition, then, were maturing their treason dur
ing that campaign, and for reasons satisfacto.
ry to them, and perfectly consistent with their
purposes, it was unconstitutional to permit the
citizen of this country, residing in those States,
to vote for the candidate whose principles his
Judgment approved
do not wish to be understood as ASST gning,
or attempting to assign, any reasons why, in
the last presidential election the choice of Mr..
Lincoln was wise or unwise-that question
can be determined at the proper time. 1t is
sufficient that he scas elected, and is now the
rightful and lawful executive of the United
States. 1t is enough for me to know that it
is against the lawful government, as admins
tered at the hands of its lawful agents, that
tHC Is DSlilS NdScu. Allu II 10 iioI VII y
the government in the hands of its legitimate
rulers, against which the rebellion is aimed,
but it seeks to overthrow with the government,
the principles on which it rests 1t is a war
upon free labor and free schools, revolution
to overthrow free society and free institutions.
Such are the objects and purposes, openly an
nounced by its recognized leaders, for which
the rebellion is waged. 1t is prosecuted upon
the assumption that labor is dishonorable and
degrading that capital should rule. How
like you this, comtrymen? you who have
been permitted to believe, thus far in life,
that it is honorable to toll. What response
will this proposition receive frem the millions
Of sons of fee labor, who throng the great
west and northwest, and are marching on.
ward in the light of freedom, to glory and EN-.
pre WHAT'S to be the verdict of the hum.
bic children of poverty and obScurity, who in
the morning of life, have resolved to tread
steadily and firmly, the avenues of virtuous
toll, to positions Of honor and renown p
What say the sons and daughters Of those who
born in other lands, beneath the shadow Of
the despot's throne, and bereft of their man
hood by its exacting power, have at last sought
these shores, that their children might be
free? What is to be the reception of this
new theory of government-new at least tt
Americans-by those young men, who, poor
and friendless, have selected as the example
they will emulate, the life and history of
Fraklin, a jackson, Webster Or Clay, who
have risen by means of honest labor, from thu
humblest walks of life, to positions that mon
archs might envy9 Are they willing to aban
don all hopes of the future, and sink down II
the condition of the slave? Are they willing
] II