The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-01-20

IL was Prcclpltated upon us under eyery
Observation-Disclosures. On the part OIL
the rebel leaders it was not only coolIy
and deliberately planned, but years were
spent, while they were still in the coun-
ellis and even control Of osr government,
in preparing for it, They even exer
cised this control to disarm us. in a great
measure, of men and materials for conflict.
They trained and educated their people
for 1T: by filling them with falsehoods,
and inspiring them with hatred of the
people of the Northern States, and our
republican form of Government. They
anticipated much, no doubt from the sup
posed weakness Of that government to
protect itself from an assault, on the one
hand; and from political cooperation in
the Northern States on the other. They
brought about. by their management, the
necessity ofwhat they termed sectional
election" of President and then seized
upon that as a pretcxt to put in practice
what they assumed to be the right of
''peaceable secession They undertook
the revolution of the Government, but
prepared for, and eventually adopted the
alternative of armed rebellion We were
not prepared for the first onset. We had
armies to gather, and arms and munitions
to provide for them; a navy to collect,
whence rebel leaders, while in power, had
scattered it, and equip it for the strife;
and it was only with the lapse Of time
that we realized the magnitude and
strength of the rebellion, and the elabo-
rate and cffectual means that The leaders
had taken for its prosecution and success.
When all these things are carefully con
sidcred, our people should not be sur
prised at the duration of the conflict, or
the cost of blood and treasure it has
involved.
By no act of wrong or oppression did
the people at the Northern States pro
woke this rebellion 1t has no warrant Cf
justification whatever. We had infringed
upon no right guaranteed to the Con-
stitution of the land We had assented
to all the compromises they presented to
us, and kept oar faith; while they violat-
ed, repealed, or destroyed them at pleas
ure. While the great mass ofour people,
of both political parties, refrained from
interfering with tneir peculiar institu-
tion,' we first family protested, and then
more resolutcly declared against its being
made an engine OF political power, and,
for this purpose, extended over territory
that otherwise should be free. He ur.-
ed the Southern people to confne that
institution" within its existing limits.
and take with it all the guarantees the
nation could give for its quiet and peace
able enjoyment; but we could not consent
that the blighting influence of slavery
should be sprcld over free territory,
merely to create Slave States, in order to
preserve ''the balance of political power"
For this check to their political a.:.bi-
ton, the leaders inaugurated this gigan-
tic rebellion; and a large portion of their
people took upon themselves its conse-
quences, in armed attempt to destroy a
government under which they had been
prosperous and happy-to dissolve a
Union Of States that had been their pro
lection and strength-without contem-
plating the possibility of failure, or the
fact that success must impovcrish rather
than benefit their conditiou.
According to the magnitude of this rs-
bellon, the result of restoration of our
Government and union, will be potent in
It's influence, not only upon ourselves but
the civilized word. 1t involves the cues
ion OF mans capacity for sell-govern-
ment. The issue is on trial whether gov
ernment resting solely with the people
and controlled by delegated powers, pos
sesses the lcments.of strength and unity
to protect itself and assert its sovereignty
IN such an emergency as a great revolu-
ton or rebellion inaugurated among g
portion of its own people for its destruc.
ton. When this fact shall be demon,
strated, as the loyalty of the great mas,
of our people gives unmistakable evi
dence that it will be, ii establishes at once
the stability ofour form of government
it vindieates the integrity and intelli
gence of cur people-lt will stand forth
as warning to future ATTIC nspts at rebel
llon-while it will constitute page in
history that the patriotic and phlanthro
pist of other lands may contemplate with
pride and hopefulness.
AS VIC have not provok ed this war, but
sought rather to avoid it, we are not re
|, sponsible for its consequences to its pro
tectors and follower II the zpeople oI
the Southern states feel its burthens and
devastating influences. it is because they
have invited them;-if sorrow and suffer
ing and misery have been brought tc
their hearthstones, it is because they
would not be content with peace and
Iprosperityi-if oppression and tyranny
are the features of the power they hav,
invoked to rule them, it is because they
suffered themselves to be seduced from
the Government that had so long pro
tected them;-i they are stepped in debt
Impoverished and ruined, it is because
they have preferred these to condition
of influence and plenty;-if their agri-
culture is smitten. and their commerce
destroyed, it is because they have assail-
ed the interest that has fostered the one,
and attempted to strike down the flag
that has protected the other;--if they in
stitution of human slavery is now dying
in their midst, is because they have smit-
ten it with their own hands--because they
made 1T an clement llion,-because
they sought to change its character from
domestic institution, under the protec
ton Of the Constitution and laws, to the