The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1864-01-19

/ it IS because they suffered themselves to
be seduce1 from the Government that had
so long protected and blessed tbem-if
4 they are stepped in debt, impoverished
andruined, it is because they have pre-
feTred these to a condition of af8uence and
Plenty-ift their agriculture is smitten and
their commerce is destroyed, it is because
/ they have assailed the interest that has
fostered the one, and. attempted to strike
down the flag that has protected the other;
if their Institution of human slavery is
now dying in their midst, it is because
they have smitten it with their own hands
because they made it an element Of re-
/ belliOn-because they sought to change
its character from a domestic institution,
under the protection of the Constitution
and laws, to the gigantic form Of polit-
ical power that should rule and desolate
the land. The fruits are of the tree they
have planted and the hand that reared it
can alone be censured for their bitterne
Time, repentance and loyalty will,
most instances, relieve them from the ON
sequences of their folly and crime.
Peace, prosperity and plenty may come
again; but they can not expect the alton
/ to restore all they have destroyed They
can not reasonably ask that We should re-
store to life and vitality again the active
agent Of this rebellion. They cannot claim
for the institution of Slavery any further
privilege or immunity than the people Of
the Northern States may see proper to ex-
tend to it.
AS we approach the end of this contest
it is natural that portion Of our people
should display some anxiety to anticipate
it, with plans and propositions that upon
superficial examination, may promise to
hasten its adjustment.
We want pelc--the North as well as
| the South-but We have not passed the
terrible ordeal of the last three years, to
make or accept peace upon any other than
honorable terms, or without the promise
Of permanent adjustment and endurance.
| We can not negotiate with rebels in arms,
OF admit of anything from them but IN
conditional surrender and submission.
Much we can pardon to the masses Of the
people, but the leaders must reap Of the
harvest they have sown. hepast has its
punishments tnat may be mitigated or for
given but the future must have full and
ample security.
It is simply folly to talk of suPpre9sing
this rebellion and restoring the unity Of
the country without first subjugating the
military power of the Conf. deracy, or re-
lieving the people Of the seeding States
from its controlling influence, and, in many
cases, oppression 1t does not follow that
the destruction of the military power Of
South is the subjugation of the people.
Iu many cases it will prove their enfran-
chisement. There isa loyal sentiment and
population in nearly, if not quite all the
Southern States. Where too strong, or
too open in its manifestations, the military
power has essayed, by every possible
means, to keep it in subsection. Men
holding and expressing loyal sentiments,
have been foed, imprisoned, hunted into
the forests and mountains, and many Of
them suffered death, while their families
have been impoverished and ruined. PO-
litical leaders-designing men, who had
secretly plotted the overthrow Of our gov
ernment-led few-but actually forced
a majority of the Southern States into
secession and rebellion-and the military
power now holds them there.
| Future history viii record that, per-
haps with two exceptions, the ordinance
of secession would not have been carried
in any of the seeding States, if the peo-
pie could have been permitted fair, un-
controlled election, by ballot, upon it.
But they we're overwhelmed by fraud and
force--and then they were told. accordingtO
the improved theory of the State Rights
that whenever a majority of a State had
resolved to commit treason, the minority
were bound not only to submit, but to
share the sin and shame Those whom
argument failed to convince, the military
despotism has silenced, for the time being
There has beeu a great deal said about
the North seeking to suhjugate the South.
| We have sought nothing Of the kind.
The political and military leaders Of this
rebellion it is who have subjugated the
people Of the Southern States; tramp,ed
upon their political rights, and involved
them in the crime of treason, with its ac-
compartment Of civil war. The triumph
of the Northern armies, and the restOra-
ton of the Old Government, is in truth,
the delivorance Of the South and they
will so hail it hereafter
There are but two ways in which the
rest ration Of peace and The Union is to
be ACCOMPLISHED; first, the unconditional
surrender Of the leaders, and the abandon
ment of the rebellion; or, second, the
continued prcgse,s and conquests of our
arms, until the miiitary power of the G nf. d.
| eracyis broken and the heart ftherebellion
crushed All intermediate plans or schemes
are mere plliatiyes, that, like our COM
promises Of the past fifteen years, will
only serve to procrasfiuate existing evils
restore peace that will require constant
watchfulness and concessions; and pros
perity that will be dependent upon almost
annual sacrifices to avoid future d, mands
and insure. tions. In view Of tie per-
manenee of our Government aud the in
tegrity of our Union, there is no such
thing as compromise wi h rebels in arms
against both. Turn from it as we may, the
great truth is apparent to every reas ming
mind, that submission or su jugatiou, for
the leader of this rebellion, are the only
effective means of restoring peace aud
good government again.
The first of these is not likely to
occur in the present posture of affairs,
nor as long as hope, however blind OF
unreasonable, will serve to shield from
despair the fortunes of the civil and
! - H. L Il =