The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-04-28
NUMBER SO

then boldly aflirms that to which he Ie-
licved to be a true doctrine.
Others hold, that having committed
treason, rcnounced their allegiance to the
mon, discarded the Constitution and
laws, organized distinct and hostile Gov
crnmert, and by force OF arms have risen
from the condition Of insurgents to the
position Of an indcl endent power. re f;,st,.
and having te;n acknowledged as bellie-
erent both 10y foreign nations and cur own
Government, the Constitutions and Mon
are arrogated 50 Ear as they are concerned.
and that as between the two belligerents
they are under the laws of war and the
laws OF nations alone, and that which ever
power conqucrS may treat the vanq iishe
as conquered provinces. and may impose
upon them such conditions and laws as it
may deem best"
In answer to any objections that may be
raised to this position, he says:
But it is said that this must be oonsid-
I cred contest with rebel individuals only.
as States in the Union cannot make war.
That is true so long as they remain in the
/ | mon; and the very fact that we have adj
mitted them to be in a state of war. to be
beliigerents, shows that they are no longer
IN the Union, and that they are waging
war n their corporate capacity. under the
corporate name of the Confederate States.
and that such ma jor corporation is eompos-
ed Of minor corporations called states, ac-
ting IN their associated character.
When an insurrection becomes suffi-
ciently formidable to ent:tle the party to
belligcrent rights. it places the contending
powers on precisely the same footing as
foreign nations at war with each other.
No enc acquainted with the magnitude
OF this contest can deny t. it the character
OF evil war. For nearly three years the
Confederate States have maintained their
declaration OF independence, by force of
arms.
What then is Tie effect Of this public
war between these belligcrents. these for
eign nations? Before this war. the parties
were bound together by compact, by
treaty called the Constitution. They ac-
knowledge the validity Of municipal laws
mutually binding on each This war has
cut asunder all these lIgaments. abrocated
all the obligations"
Now, sir. for one at least | agree with
/ the distinguished gentlauan from Pennsyl-
yania, that the Confederate States are out
cf the Union. occupying the position of an
independent power de fact2. have been ac-
knowledged as bellieerent. both by for
ei%n nations and cur cwn government;
maintained their declaration Of independ-
encc for three years, by force Of arms: and
that the war has cut asundcr all the frag-
ments and abroeated al the obligations
4 that bound them under the Constitution
50 far ayree with him: and however un-
willing we may be TO accept such position
as he actual condition Of the Confederate
States, the history Of the past three years,
the law Of nations, the genius of our gov
ernment and regard for truth. compel me
at least to accept it, and my Judgment TO
approve it, and if the charge Of disoyaltv
is brought against me for this opinion, L
have only 10 shield myself under the broad
fnanrie OF the distinguished leader of the
I Republican party
Al thc OVIaa,..osao.sr1,n-st ac Ia v-or E,o
! land and France both declared the I-~S
federate States to be belligerents; the
/ United States has treated with them such
in the exchange Of prisoners, and the Adj
ministration to-day. without the honesty or
Independence OF the gentleman from Penn
sylvana to avow it, doing precisely what
| he proposes to DO under his war of con-
quest, waeed against the Confederate
States as Il foreign nation. 1t Is not now
even pretended that the war is carried on
HAVING for its OBJECT the restoration OF the
+ [ .ion reconstruction, consolidation
centralization, with an entire change
IN the Constitution, are the terms en-
ployed in speaking of the government that
is TO exist hereafter. To speak of the
! Constitution rs il was. and tle Union as il
was. is an oflense, sub iec;ing an officer in
the army to punishment bv dismissal
from the service, and conclusive evidence
of disloyalty in the citizen. If the time
ever was when the Union could have been
restored by war, which | do not believe, it
has long since been dispelled by emancipa-
ton, coniiscation, amnesty and the like
proclamations; military orders annulling.
State Constitutions, setting aside State,
laws, oblitcrating State lines and attempt
ny 10 oiS S""iA" an" >C' "p " ioi'h u '''"'o
government IN their stead, in which one
man out often who shall turn abolitionists,
take and subscribe an oath to execute and
obey the Will of Abraham Lincoln, whatey-
er it may be, shall yern and rillc over
the remaining ninc who refuse to become
abolitonists These fclles of the Admin
istration and others of the like character.
have, instead of crushing the rebellion,
crushed ont whatever Union sentiment may
have remained among the Southern peo.
pie.
CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK
1t was Dow, Jr.-sacred be his memo