The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-07-21
The GndgeOnS not all caught yet.

cisco over q IndHlIeSIO, "LiiN'A Wy -
has lately been issued by the Rebel Congress
relative to the existing war. We have nos
seen the manifesto, but it is evidently bait
for catching gudgeons and they bite at 1t
readily, The Milwaukee Neaos says it lis
in some respects remarkable document,
and Judging from what the Meas says OF its
contents we judge it is a remarkable-ly'@g
document. The Ne1gs says the slgners OF
this document ''claim that they took up
arms merely to defend rights which they
had always possessed and enjoyed under the
constitution" That is the baldest and stall
est kind of faIshood, and yet the sympa-
thizers with rebels and traitors catch at 1t
and parade it in their columns, as ample
justification for them.
Everybody knows, that no single right
they claim to have taken up arms to defend,
was assaiIed, nor threatened, nor in the least
danger of ever being assailed or threatened
The only color of excuse for setting up such
a plea now, were the lies invented and cir
culated by these same leading rebels and
traitors to incite and urge the common peo-
pie, the ignorant masses OF the south, TO
ioin them in the rebellion, together with the
sscock and bull Stories" Of abolition projects
made up by the editor Of the Ne'o6 and his
co-laborers, for partisan purposes. The slave
holders had the most solemn assurances
from the leaders of the Republican party al
ways, and everywhere that no right OF
slavery in the states under the constitution
would ever be interfered with, and Presl-
dent Lincoln was elected on a platform that
expressly and solemnly declared that THE
federal constitution the rights otthe States
and the Union of the States, must and shall
be preserved" And further, ''that the
maintenance inviolate Of the Rights of the
States, and especially the right Of each State
to order and control its own domestic insti-
buttons according to its own judgment, eX-
cIusiveIy, is essential to that balance OF
powers on which the perfection and endu-
rance of our political fabric depends Here
was sufficient assurance, that SO far as Dir.
Lincoln and the Republican party was con-
cerned the shareholders could enjoy all their
rights under the constitution forever. But
they preferred the destruction Of the constl-
tuition to the enjoyment of their rights un
der it. The Ne1os says that the signers OF
this manifesto ''profess to be fighting tor
those rights still, and for nothing else" A
most lying and false profession. With the
same truth and the same propriety might
the drunken rowdy who throttles peaceabe
and peaceful citizen without cause or pro-
vocation, declare that he was fighting for
his rights and for nothing else; Or the
highwayman who has attacked with intent
to murder and rob, an individual who proves
too strong for him, set up plea that he was
only fighting for his rights and nothing else,
Such a plea or excuse might serve to con-
vince his pals, who were to share in the boo
ty but it would be believed by nobody else.
''This manifesto the Meas says and orac-
ularly declares, eff it means anything
means much" We presume # cit means
anything it means that the rebels are get
ing sick of the job they undertook, and they
would be glad to get out of it, if they could
do SO. and make the world believe that they
are the assaulted party, and therefore are
entitled to exemplary damages, which would
probably be nothing less than to have al
the expenses of the war on their side refund
ed and the destruction to property, slaves,
&c, made good. The Meas informs us that
''the Buffalo Courier remarks that it should
| be tie care of our administration at once to
take advantage of its the manifestos p APP
parent concessions and to assure the people
of the south that we are not fighting to de
stroy their rights but simply to put down
their rebellion"
The people of the South know already,
that we are not fighting to destroy then
rights They know that we did not COM
mence the war, nor give them any reason tic
commence.
The people of the south have already the
assurance that they can lay down their arms
and return to their allegiance to the consti-
tuition and the government they have sought
to destroy at any time-at any moment
| MbaDavar +bo1y caa Gt to -a+,,rp 70 tha;r dr1-
ties as good citizens to the United States,
they con do so, but they may find that
changes have taken place since they joined
in their wicked, parricidal conspiracy, and
we presume they will have to take things
as they find them-changes and all. Gov
eminent will not put itself out of the way
to restore the institutions the rebels by theii
own acts have destroyed.