American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-04-13

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the intrigues Of the plant, and the expe-
diehts Of the co sardly, it became nation
al divinity, which from that day to this,
has called forth the willing sacrifices Of
every true American heart, and will con-
tinue to do 50 until its enemies are extir-
pated, and its false friends consigned to a
just sentence of scorn and contempt.
The progress of events has been stead
lily onward. The military power Of the
rebels greatly weakened, the territory once
held By them vastly reduced and cut in
twain by our rescue of the Mississippi riv-
er from their grasp, gradually they are be-
ing beaten back, their supplies being ex-
hauated,. their available forces constantly
reducing and the dissatisfied elements rap
idly increasing. Upon the ruins of their
structure Of government, a merciIess mil
itary despotism has been erected, which
vigorously strikes down every opposing
right and privilege, which has broken ev-
cry contract made with the people, has
practically repudiated the entire currency,
has conscripted the entire arms-bearing
population. and their officers shoot down
all who will not willingly obey their sum
mons; broken up courts, and, in word,
has erected military organization the
most concentrated and vigorous the world
has ever seen. Such are, as believe, our
enemies, while our Administration has
been very scrupulous of public and private
rights, and nevy has unjustifably inyad-
edejther. No man ever exercised summa-
ry power more cautiously than Mr.. Lin
coin. none more honestly, none ceased it
more gladly than he will, when the pub
lie interests may justify. They who de-
nounce him as a usurper, know little of
his high conscientiousness and regard but
little that public interest which fs with
him the pole-star of duty; and which now
calls SO loudly for his reelection. Mean
while, under the unparslledfinancialman-
agemeut of the Secretary OF the Treas
ury. our Government loans are taken with
eagerness, the taxes are paid with prompt
ness and cheerfulness, the army is being
filed by re-enlistments, the voice and
heart of the, nation is rallying more close
" and bravely around the Administration
-inzuring Us against triumphs of our
foes in the field, or our political foes at
home. Sir, amongstthe people of my dis
trict there are few, very few, wheare not
faithful to the nation in this great crisis OF
itsneed. The detection there as elsewhere,
is confined to extreme pro-slavery men,
who uphold it not only for its own sake,
but as means of achieving partisan sue
cess, in shameless disregard Of their own
solemn duties to the country. Why should
shyery be upheld? 1t deserves no such
fate It has long divided, distracted and
troubled US. 1t was from the beginning,
and has gone on cyer-increaslng to dis
tract and embroil "a. 1t has been, and is,
the great bone of contention, over which.
at last. we have come to blows. To save
il. is to perpCtuatc this discord. TO des-
troy it is to secure the present, and make
peaceful and glorious the fu u.e. But it
cannot be destroyed by proclamations
alone; the power OF law should be i""3aa-
cd to make the destruction complete in
character and nc..i%svt in extent Itmust
be written IN the Constitution that SiaUery
shoR no more eriR IN aay Amortcoa Siotc.
Then, and only then, may we sing the
requiem Of slavery. Atpre entitis wound
ed, deeply Wounded, by the blows that
were giyeuitby its own friends 1t tbleeds,
but lis wounds may be staunched, unless
by staggering blow the people utterly
destroy il, by force of public and unchang-
able law.
The pyiaciple of slavery is tie inspira-
ton of the rebellion, and it is yet SO held
and defended blythe organs Of public sen
timeut in the rebelious States. | quote
one declaration $50 far from believing
that slavery mus die, says the Richmond
Why, I'VE have long held the'opnion that
it is, the normal and only hnmane relation
which labor can sustain towards capital.
When the war is over, we shall urge that
every Yankee who ventures to put foot on
southern soil. be male q slave for life and
wear an iron collar as a. badge of inferior
ity to the African Slavery will stab itself
to death about the time that Yankees learn
to tell the truth, and no sooner"
Sir, there is no safety for liberty on this
continent, or for free labor, without the sup
preston Of the rebellion and the extirpa-
ton of the pestileut aristocracy of opin-
ION which sustains it, and the complete
conformation of our institutions to the
principles of the Declaration of Independ-
ence pity while | despise the man in
the loyal North who sympathizes with this
rebellion, for it is based upon ihe nartew-
est and most exclusive ideas; it is aimed
as blow at the doctrines which underle
our whole system of republican liberty
and if successful it is intended to be the
lever by which European systems are to
be introduced and established upon this
free continent, and by which the whole
current of events, which thus far has tend
ed to the ameloration of human suffering
and the extension of human rights, shall
be reversed and become assimilated to the
monarchieal and aristoeratic systems of
Europe. The man who is engaged in this
work is public enemy; the man who in
this home of liberty aids and abets him,
deserves the execration of mankind.
But the object of those strugglieg for
political power, under thisview of the case,
can never be accomplished, because the
MON candot and will not be restored ex-
nent throuOh the su4cessful proseeutinp of