Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-01-23
N4TIoNAL AFFAIRS.


we owe allegiance TO the General Govern
ment, and have duties to perform in eonneo-
ton Herewith.
Notwithstanding peace and plenty reign
within the borders of our State, We cannot
lose sight, of the fact that the nation is en-
gagged in war-a war of great magnitude and
importance of immense Importance TO US as.
State; of immense Importance to the
world. .ggHsfE suDYuB8k eg<sE
The interests, the hopes and fears of mil
lions now hang trembling in the balance and
the position of our State may turn the scale.
How important that we examine carefully
the ground on which we stand, and that we
are found arrayed upon the side OF justice
and humanity. e
Wisconsin is now standing side by side
with all the free States in support of the
General Government; in support of law and
order; in support of freedom. The import
ant question which presents itself to our
mind is, are we right in our position? If we
are, it is our duty to go forward, press on the
war with renewed energy until victory and
peace shall crown our efforts. If wrong,
our first duty should be to place ourselves
in a true and correct position In Judging
of this matter, we may very properly ask
ourselves the question, are our minds free
from prejudice and passion? 1t is natural
that the monarehs of the old world, as well
as the aristocrats upon our own soil, i'm
pressed with the dangers that threaten their
tenure of place and power from the spread of
our free principles, should desire the down
fall of this Government, and to accomplish
this end should counsel the withdrawal OF our
armies, and the final separation of these States.
There may be those also in our midst whose
narrow prejudices, whose love of gain or
fear of personal harm, will induce them to
withhold support from the Administration,
favor the withdrawal of our troops and the
consequent destruction of the government
Our faith, however, in the integrity and 10y
atty Of our people is too strong to permit US
to believe there are many of this class of
persons in our State. 1t is true some within
our borders may have arrayed themselves
against the Government but we have the
charity to believe that most of them were
but temporarily misled, and that they will,
when their eyes are opened to their true po-
sition, place themselves on the side of law
and order. The large numbers who have
gone forth to battle, the voice of the people
of this State heard in the late election, at
ford incontestible proof that with the great
majority of our people, patriotism rises above
prejudice and passion that the hearts of the
people are rightly attuned to the music of the
Union. s; F-s .GD..H -et
Our people in taking their position, calmly
reviewed the ground and candidly asked, have
the South any real grievances? ~
Eternal separation from the working
classes, the mud-sills of the North; destruc-
ton to the government" was the answer
they received from those in rebellion. The
only answer to their request for calm discus
sion and consideration was the booming of
the rebel cannon, the fall of Sumter's walls,
and the trampling of the Stars and Stripes in
the dust. Yet, with all this provocation, our
Government has prosecuted the war with
great mOderatiOn,-more in sorrow than in
anger. ..,-....-r lo:. .t.-r
At this late day, we would again calmly
ask, what are the grievances of the South, or
upon what do those now in rebellion base
their action? Can they find an excuse for
their course in the claim they first set up, of
the right of secession ? This poisonous doc
trine needs no refutation at this day. 1t is
working its own cure. Even in the South, in
the boosted Confederacy, among those who
first started and urged this doctrine, it isl now
repudiated. States that pretended to unite
their fortunes with the so-called COnfederacy
have already denied its authority over Them
and claimed this same right of secession,
which is denied and coercion threatened by
the rebel Congress. Do they base their
cause upon the righteousness of slavery? 1t
has long since written its own shame and dis
grace. The world mas written infamous over
against it, and thus pronounced its DOOM
Did they complain of high tariff? The
tariff was reduced to a revenue basis.
Did they ask representation for their slaves
in Congress 1t was conceded.
Did they require the Missouri Compromise |?
1t was granted.
Did they, after enjoying its benefits, ask its
repeal that they might not be bound by those
provisions that initiated against them? The
North yielded to their request. ~
Did they require southern men as diplo-
matte agents of the Government abroad, in
order that their peculiar institution and their
particular interests might be guarded? They
had them, even at the expense of the COM
merce of the Union and the interests of the
North.
Did they desire southern men--men in their
interest, upon the Supreme bench? They
had them. ~
Did they require that majority of the
officers of the army and navy and majority
of all the civil officers of the Government
should be southern men, and men in their in
terest? They had them.
Did they demand that their runaway slaves
should be caught and returned to them p
United States officers were upon their track,
and the poor sun-dyed African too dearly paid
the penalty which southern chivalry affixes
to a love of freedom.
Do they rest their cause upon the injustice
or oppression of the North History, as well
as their own best statesmen, deny the base
SANDER. The only fault of the North, if it be
a fault, is that they have but too faithfully
Kept the bond and given the pound of
ffesh.n .'A r'iA
Why then, let me again ask, do we find the
South in hostility against the best Govern
ment the world ever saw? Let their own
men, the men who are now foremost in the
rebellion, answer. awe desire (say they) to
found new Government whose corner stone
shall rest on slavery. For liberty, equality,
fraternity, to establish slavery and subordina-
ton" Here, then, we have an anwer in their
own words: They are arrayed against this
Government because it is based upon liberty
and equality, upon the freedom and intelli-
gence instead of the slavery and ignorance of
its people. We find them undertaking to de-
stroy Union they had sworn to protect and
preserve undertaking to break up Gov
ernment they had no legal or equitable pow
er to dissolve ; to roll back the tide of eivili-
cation, and establish on the ruins of this Re-
public, despotism of the most despicable
character, for no other reason than that this
Goyernmentsseeks to protect the rights of its
citizens. Are we not right, then, in sustain
ing the Administration /; in sustaining
the Government in standing beside the |
free1States of the North in support of law
and order in support of freedom? hrs
r. III . . ~