Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-03-06

ening the supremacy Of the laws Of the land
which are the bulwarks Of civil liberty.
Solemn acts Of Congress and proclamations
Of our former Presidents have been traduc-
ed ridiculed, and in some instances resisted.
The fugitive slave law, because it contain
ed some things not in accordance to North
ern sentiment was harangued against by po-
litical demaRogues who often excited the peo-
pie 20 an open rebellion 10 the constituted
authorities Of the government men forgot
their duty to the laws in their ephemeral
right and thus slowly, but none the less
surely, have they lost their respect, and rev
erence for the government Of the land. To-
day we are suffering from the evil effect Of
such teachings, and men now stand up bold
ly and denounce the government; contnminate
the minds Of loyal peAplo resist the arrest
Of deserters and excite men to open treason
They are not imbued with that hgh-minded
patriotism that a deep reverence for the
laws and government should inspire in them.
They do not feel that the Constitution and
union must he preserved. Instead Of dis
playing a noble scf-sacrifcing devotion to
the oountry's welfare, and bending every en-
ergy to sustain the government, they set up
bypocrtical cant about arbitrary arrests,
the enormous expenses Of the war, the hard
ships Of the draft, and various other pretend
ed grievances They ignore the fact that the
H.. ,f
and claim the everse,-of the well establish
ed principle that individual choice must sue
cumb to the public choice. They magnify
their personal rights and liberties in opposi-
tion to the rights and prerogatives Of the
government.
With such state Of things at the North,
the need Of the present hour, and the proper
remedy is to let the power and majesty Of the
national government be indicated. Let the
laws Of the land both civil and military have
their full force, and let every sanction and
every penalty be executed. Let treason receive
the punishment prescribed by law, not ubatcd
one jot or title.
Let rebel sympathler. in whatever name,
form or manner, feel the strong arm OF the
government, crushing with its massive
strength every traitorous combination. Let
military officers who neglect to perform or
disobey the orders Of their supsriors in COM
mand, receive the full measure Of punishment
that strict military law demands In fact let
overy law Of the land be rigidly enforced
without fear or favor, and furthermore, let
every loyal citizen come to the rescue and
sustain the government in their execution.
Let each patriot use every effort in, bis power
to reviviiy public sentiment and assist the
free North to repudiate the false and perni
cous theories of a motley crowd Of secession
abettors, Let the test question be; Am
IN faror of sustaining The government -
II so What can do to maintain it in all
its power anl majesty; Let the doctrine be
spread far and wide over the land-that the
government has right to use every means
to protect itself, and that "self-preseryation
is the first law of nature lmbue each
hamlet, and village with holy reverence
for the government, and teach each citizen
the difference between civil liberty, guarded
by wholesome laws. and an uncontrolled per-
sona liberty whose code is the law Of
the outlaw and the rabble. Then will sue
cess crown our arms and the rebellion be
crushed. Then shall we again become pros
porous nation, respected and honored
throughout the world.