The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-01-14
events indicate very strongly that tho a

emu OF the reOeillon is rapidly ap-
preaching, The contesthas been fierce
and sanguinary, and has been pro-
tractcd beyond the expectations of our
people But on the other hand it is to
be remembered that it appropriated
upon us under every possible disad-
vantage On the part of the rebel lead
ers it was not only coolly and dcliber-
ately planned, but years wero spent
while they were in the councils and
even control ofour Government in pre-
pairing for it. They even exercised
this control to disarm us, in Il great
measure, Of men and materials for con-
A,ct. They trained and educated their
people forit by fireing them with false
hoods, and inspiring them with hatred
Of the people Of the Northern States,
and our republican form Of govern
ment they anticipated much, no
doubt, from the supposed weakness Of
that government to protect itself from
such IN assFEt, on the one hand and
from political cooperation inthcnorth-
ern States, on the other They brought
about, by thor management, the ne
cessity Of what they termed h. "sec-
tionaI election" Of President, and then
seized upon that as preteXt to put in
practice what they assumed to be the
right Of "peaccable secession" They
undertook the rcvgifti6nofthc govern
mont; but prepared for andcvcntual~
ly adopted the alternative ofarmcd re-
belIion. We were not prepared for the
first onset We had armies to gather,
and arms and munitions to provide for
them ia navy to collect, whence rebel
headers. while in power had scattered
it. aud equip it for the strife and it
was only with the lapse Of time that
wcreaIized thcmagHitudc and strength
of the rebellion, and the elaborate and
lcffoctual means that the leaders had
taken for its prosecution and success.
| When all hcsc things are carefully
considered, our people should not be
surprised at the duration of the con
/ fict, or the est OF blood and TREASURE
it has involved
Bvn act Of wrong or oppgcssion
| did the pcoBlc Of the Northern States
provoke ibis rebellion. 1t has no war.
rant Of justification whatever. We
! iulrinecd upon no RIGHT Guaranteed I'd
| tacm bv the Constitution Of the land.
( We had asseg.cl 70 MI the comurdni.
scs tAcv prvsentcd TO us. and l;Cpt oul
faith: Whifa thpy eI.rbpcaleI. .oi
|la2frayod them nj plsasure, NhilC
tie rg,at mass Of our p2oplc. of botl
polilical parties rcffainol rom inter.
| rriro withtheir specu!itr institution
we fr, lnintIy protested. and then more
ra,olutcly declared AGAINST its being
made an engine Of political power. and
for this purDose. extended oycrtcrrito-
p, that Should be free. We urged the
! Southern people to coniiue that "insti-
tuition within its cXiatng limits, anJ'
fake with it all the guarantees the M
ton could give for its quiet and peace
able cniovmcnt; but we could not con
sent that the bIigAting Influence Of sla
very Should he spread over free terri
tory, merely to create Slave States, il
order to pceseryc the balance o. poll
| teal power" For this check TO thci
political ambition, the leaders manga
rated this gigantic rebellion; and
large portion Of their people took upol
themselves It's consequences, in an arm