The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1864-02-13
" Sod and Humanity"

diatri6es against abolitionism and kindred
isms with comparative equanimity is SC
shocked at our use of the expression "God
| and humanity" that he can stand it nc
longer. Those words, he says he supposed
simply meant love to God and your neigh
| bor;" but We, he says, have used them de-
rislvely and Extensively as applicable to the
! "friends Of human freedom" We were not
aware of it. The expression was introduced
into the political vocabulary OF the day oy
such high priests Of abolitionism as 0oV'
! Andrew and Gov. Yates, and as we used
it in exactly the sense they gave it, If it
has become an expression of derision we
beg to say the fault is theirs, not ours.
Let u. remind our friend of u bit of his
tory. He will admit that tho present war
commenced in this way: The south, on
account of the growing anti-slavery feeling
at the north, became alarmed for the
safety Of tho institution" and sought
not only to obtain guarantees for its safety
by such legislation as the fugitive slave
law (for example) but by extending its
area Unto the territories) Finding this
mpractieable on account Of the increasing
hostility and Gas they at least imagined)
aggressive spirit Of the north, they sought
its safety in the only other alternative ap-
parently left to them, of Withdrawing from
the Union So South Carolina set the ex'
ample of secession, and the other insur-
gent states followed Now if, by the con-
stitution, these states were independent
sovereignties and had right to sscede,
that was an end to the controversy. There
was no cause for war. Asscr ting that right
they simply asked TO be let alone. But
the OLD Government said your pretended
secession is treason, ard the constitution
Furnishes treason with confiscatien ard
death live allow thirteen states TO Sc
cede and set the constitution at defiance
all can do so, ana the proud Govern
ment of the L s is at an end We must
deal with you traitors liz the south az We
would with all others who violate the
constitution and laws-by reason and per
suaslon first-then by threats, and if these
don't avail, We mus: try what virtue there
is in force We are determined to enforce
obedience to the constitution and laws Of
the Union. II the government had any
other warrant than this for going to war,
we don't know it. Now, it is an axiom as
old as any in Euclid that it Is unjust to de,
nsand obedience TO law, and deny the pro
lection OF law. Tomalntain that the gov
srnmen. OF the L. S can punish the insur-
gent states for disobedIsnce to the con-
stItution, and yet deny that they have any
rights under the constitution, is to man-
tain that We are justified in enforcing Our
laws in country not subject to our laws
Their ordinances of secession were either
valid or invalid. If valid, We have los: all
rights in the Southern States If invalid,
their status remains unchanged.
SO the Government Of the [. S. went to
war to enforce the auth ority OF the con-
stitution in the insursent states. But if
the status of these states remained I'M
changed, and they were still entitled to
the protection Of the constitution when
forced TO obey it, then tha constitution and
laws Of those states not in conformation Of
the constitution remained in full force;
and these authorized and protected the
institHtion of slavery.
Oh, but such a war, said Gov. Andrew,
and Gey. Yates, and your Phillipses, and
Summers, and Garrisons, will never do
Why, the cause OF the war was slavery, and
the cause Let the constitution slide. lie;
US take the south at their word-admit
that their secession ordinances are valid
that they are out Of the Union, outside OF
the pale of the constitution, and then we
can put the war on higher ground. In
stead of fighting to maintain a constitution
which il. "a league with hell and covenant
with death" we can then have God and
humanity 10 Gght for-freedom to the
oppressed, and not the maintenance Of a
constitution which sanctions slavery.
which our friend is SO much shocked, and
this is its meaning: a war for the destruc
ton Of slavery, in opposition to q war &c
enforce the auth ority OF the constitution
We admit that the use of the words GOD
and humani ~ '-love to Ged and your
neigh bor-wiih ouch a meaning i. a hide
Gus abuse Of language; but We submit,
would it not better become men who thus
pervert language, and their disciples, in
stead OF losing their temper On being re-
minded Of it, TO crimson with shame in
view Of tfeir beastly blasphemy?
Ifsuch a use of terms is not peryersion
of language--not slasphemy; if love TO
God and your nei ghber can be promoted
by tranpling the constitution Of our ceun-
try under foot, and using the bayonet to
compass the eradication of moral evils
then are all the teachings of christian civ
ilza.ion and Of the Bible at fault Whose
taketh the sword shall perish by the
sword" Not by might-not by power but
by my spirit, saith the Lord Casuists are
agreed, we believe, tina: strictly defensive
war may be wased consistently with the
doctrines Of Christianity. Christian men are
justified, therefore, in promoting a war fol
the defence Of the constitution: End the
| Government of our country. But when
| this defensive attitude is abandoned, anc
the war converted into one purely offei.
sive,-to destroy by force and might q
moral evil, then that war must end in coz.
| fusion and defeat. We believe that the
quick, sharp crushing of the slaveh olders
rebellion would havo Inflicted such 8
wound OH slavery itself rs to have insured
| it. destruction but the war as now waged
! or at least as sought to be waged by the