The weekly union record., 1864-09-10
Loyalty Versus Treason.

II be is able.
Our Southern bre,hren" are believed 10
have made small error il their calculstious
when they fired the Southern heart, and set
up their little Confederacy. Having disposed
Of the Army and Navy and the munitions of
war. in such manner that it would require
many months to make them of any service,and
secured most of tie forts, arsenals, aad war
material in their borders, they felt that in
system Of defensive war they were really in
pregBable- They supposed,-and the subse
quent action of that loyal Democracy trileli has
reasonable proelirit'ss SHOWS they had reason TO
erpect-that their accessories IL the North
would create such diversion of sentiment in
public opinion against war OF coercion, that
though they might not be able to defeat il al
together. they would at least be able 10 defer
it for time, or render il less vigorous than it
otherwise would be.
They also expected the demand for cotton
would ca1se France and England to interfere,
recognize their independence, and render them
such other material aid as would enable them
TO advance TO speedy triumph, and dictate
their own terms, of settlement for peace and
amty between the abandoned remnant Of the
old Republic and the uew.
Having q cowardly dotard in the presiden-
tial chair. and most of his cabinet being in
league with them, they rose suddenly to the
dignity Of nation, on paper.
They bad carried States into rebellion, pro-
claimed their independence, organized ia.
tional Confederacy, and added the last link to
the chain Of treason, BY firing upon the Fede-
raj Flag as i, waved over the battlements Of
Sumter. A this time the loyal mass OF the
people had looked upon the scenes transpiring,
aroused them-as they behed with woDder and
amazement and were utterly unable to com
prehend the audacious folly and wickeduess OF
base, wicked and ungrateful men. But the
booming of cannon, as its thunder tones peal
ed along the Atlantic. from the gulf to the
lakes, and their echoes rolled aud rever berated
among the Aeghenies across the Mississippi,
over the Rocky Mountains and across the con-
tnent 10 the shores of the Pacific, then gath
ering new force from the surging billows rolled
back like giant thunderbolt upon the brow
Of the snow capped Sierras, aroused the nation
from its lelhargy, and opened he eyes of the
people TO the real nature of the contest, the
interests at stake, and the principles to be de-
cided by the arbitrament Of war. From every
quarter of the land there arose from loyal lips
the stern language of determination to oppose
force by force for the suppression of rebellion,
the punishment OF treason, and the preserva-
ton of the Union. Then was made the issue
upon which there could be 10 cavil. Every
man must be for for his country or against 1t.
Neutrality was out of the question. There
could be but two parties, aud "oNLY PATRIOTS
OF TRAITORS" No argument is necessary to
prove that those, who during the progress of
the rebellion were saying-"wayward sisters,
depart in peace" were guilty Of treason as ac-
cessories before the fact Now to show that
those, opposing a war of coercion, were guilty
as accessories after the fact. These are plain
truths BY the common rules of law. Yet,
there ,cere those, who said wayward sisters had
right to depart, and the Government had no
right to coerce State Those persons were
then, and now are, adberents to the SO called
Democratic party-traio ors to that Democracy
that makes all men equal before the law
traitors to the constitution that makes the
Government Of the United States supreme over
all the Staes-traltors to toe Union which is
the basis of our liberties, and was formed for
the security ard happiness Of the people-tTai-
tors to the Government which they are bound
by oath, (either actual or implled) to protect
aud defend-traitors TO the trust committed 10
their care by bands sacred by the copfct of a
seven yesrss war-trators TO that Flag which
is waited over every sea, and TO every land, the
emblem of liberty, the hope of the oppressed,
the pride Of the free
Had the object of the rebels beeu-uot the
destruction of the Union-not the alienation
aud severance of any part of the national do
main from the jurisdiction of the constitution
not the subyersion Of the principles of hu-
man liberty-not the humiliation OF cur ma
tional emblem-not to build up principle,
despotic in lis nature, and baybarous in lis Or
igin-uot to fasten upon the people and per-
petuate a practice which meets the condemna-
ton of the civilized world, bat simply to obtain
q redress OF grievances the security Of rights
guaranteed by the constitution, and denied by
the Government, even then the first act of war
against the legal and constitutional authority
of the Government would have been treason.
Under our form Of Government, the will of the
majority is the rule, and that will being ex-
pressed every four years it is little less than
the gibberish of an lido. to say, force is neces.
sarv 10 oht ain from tho (,over7rrant anv RI, 4