The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-09-02
Important Letter from Mr.. whiting, SOlic-
ItOr TO the War Department

a Important Letter from Mr.. W hitting, SOlts
itOr TO the War Department
, The Boston 7farsler publishes an able an
highly important letter. addressed by Mr.. Wu
: Whiting. Solicitor Of the War Department, l
the Union League of Philadelphia The sut
: ject is. the Dangers of our National Future.
After remarking that " the deadly struggle
between civilization and barbarism-freedon
and slavery-republicanism aud ari>tocracy-
Loyalty and treason Mr.. Whiting leads Us &
consider the difficulties of our position. II
says:
As the success Of the Union cause shal
become more certain and apparent to the en-
envy in various localities they will Law dow,
arms and cease fighting. Their bitter an,
deep-rooted hatred of the Government aud O.
all Northern men who are not traitors. and o
all Southern men who are loyal. will still re
main interviewer in every fibre of their hearts
and will be made. If possible. more intense by
the humiliation Of conquest and sabecton
The foot OF the c0uquerOr planted upon their
proud necks. will not sweeteu their tempers
and their defiant and treacherous nature will
seek 20 revenge itself in murders assassina-
! tlons and all underhand methods OF venting a
/ spite which they dare not manifest by open
/ " Al anu III NIlNllE out OF lltlr borders all
/ loyal men. To suppose that Union sentiment
will remain in any considerable number OF
men. among people who have strained every
nerve and made every sacrifice to destroy the
Union, indicates dishonesty. insanity or feeble
ness of intellect
The inhabitants OF the conquered districts
will begin by claiming the right 10 exercise the
powers Of government and under their con-
struction OF state rights. 10 get control of the
lands personal property, slaves free blacks
and poor whites. and a legalized power through
the instrumentaliiy OF State laws. made TO an
swer their own purposes, 10 oppose and pre-
vent the execution of the Constitution aud
laws of the United States within districts of
the country inhabited bv them
&c Thus for instance: When South Carolina
shall have ceased fighting, she will say TO The
President, We have now laid down our arms.
We submit to the authority of the United States
Government. You may restore your custom
houses. your courts OF Justice; aud il We hold
any public property. We give IL up. We now
have chosen Senators and Representatives %
Congress, and demand their admission and
the full establishment of all our State rights
and our restoration TO all our former priv
leges and immunity as citizens Of the United
States
.. This demand is made by men who are
traitors in heart; men who hate and desp.se
TIE Union; men who never had patriotic sen
timent; men who, if they could, would hang
every friend of the Government But. for The
sake of getting power into their own hands hy
our concession. which they could not obtain by
fighting and for the sake of avoiding Their
national crimes. they viii demand restoration
under the guise of claiming State rights
What will be the consequences of yielding
to this demandg
They will gain the right OF managing their
affairs according to their viii and pleasure. and
not according TO the will and pleasure Of the
people Of the United States.
They will be enabled bv fhe Intervention
OF their State laws and state courts to put
and maintain themselves in eaectual and per-
petual opposition to the laws and Constitution
of the United States. a they have done fOr 25
years past. They Will have the power to pass
such local laws As Will ehectually exclude all
Northern men. all soldiers all free blacks and
all persons and things which shall be inconsi-t-
ent with the theory of making slavery the cor
ner stone OF their local government; and tney
may make slavery perpetual, in violation of
the laws of the United States and prOclaina-
tiOns Of the President. They may continue
the enforcement Of those classes of laws against
free speech and freedom of the press which
will forever exclude popular education and all
other means of moral. social. and political ad
vancement. They may send back 20 Congress
the same traitors and cOnspirators who have
once betrayed their country into civil war. and
who Will thwart and emharrass all measures
tending TO restore the Union by harmOnizlng
the interests aud the institutions OF the people;
and so, being introduced into camp. as the
wooden horse into Troy, gain by fraud aud
treason. that which they could not achieve by
feats of arms. The insanity Of State rights
-. I al.
by admitting back conquered people as our
equals. and its baleful influence cannot be es-
timated.
LEGAL DEFINITION or THE REBELLION.
Two questions must be considered:
lst. When did the rebellion become terri
torial civil war?
ID. What are the rights Of the enemy under
the laws Of war;
The first question has been settled by the
Supreme Court of the United States. in the
case Of the Hiawatha, decided on the 9Th Of
March. 1858 Ia that case which should BE-
read and studied by every citizen of the Union
the members Of the Court differed in opinion
as to the time when the war became territorial.
The majority decided that when the fact of
general hostilties existed, the war was terrific
rial, and the Supreme Court was bound to take
judicial cOgnizance thereof The minority ar
gued that as Congress alone has power 10 de-
clare war. 50 Congress alone has power 10 rec
Ognize the existence Of war; and they contend
ed that il was not until the act Of Congress Of
July 18th, ls6l. commonly called the non-in-
tereOurse act that a state Of civil, territorial
war was legitimately recognized. All the
! Judges agree in the position that since July
18th. 1861, there has existed between the Uni.
ted States an the Confederate States. a evil,
territorial par.
That since that time the United States have
full belligerent rights against all persons resi-
ding In the districts declared by the President
Proclamation in a state Of rebellion"
STATE RIGHTS
Suppose that all the inhabitants living in
South Carolina should BE- swept of % thai
solitude should reign throughout It's border.
unbroken by any living thing, would the State
rights Of South Carolina still exist as attached
10 the land itself?
Can there be a sovereignty without a people
or a State without inhabitants State right
50 far a. they concern the Union. are the gbt
\ Of persons. a. members of q State. in relation
20 the general government; and when the per
son has become a public enemy, then be lose
all rights except the rights OF war AHC
when all the inhabitants have Coy enga
ging in civil, territorial war become public
enemies. IL l. the same IN legal effect a. thou-l
the inhabitants had been a1nihilated. So "a
as this government is concerned, civil war o.
literates all lines Of State or countries. To
only lines recognized by war are the Lin
which separate u from public enemy.
do not place reliance upon the commo'