The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1864-12-15
When Shall tho War Cease
And What OF Slayery2


unequivocal manner as to the time when
che Government Of the United States will
cease hostilities, namely: "Whenever war
shall have ceased on the par. Of those who
begun it." That is to say, there would
have been no war-there was no disposi-
tion to continue a war against the Southern
people, on the part Of the General Govern
ment, but for the need of maintaining its
authority and fulfilling the duty imposed
upon it through the President, by the
Constitution that she shall take care that
the laws be faithfully executed" Apart
from this, We do not believe that there
existed any person or persons OF whatever
moral or political faith, in the North who
desired to make var upon the South for
any cause, CT even to pass the bounds
appointed by Christian and civilized usage
in agitation against any institution which
existed in the South, including Slavery.
There was not an Abolitionist IN the land
who would have been willing to incur
war such as has taken place, for the pur-
pose of securing the abolition Of Slavery.
There was no threat of that kind pending.
Hence there was no excuse on that basis
for JEFF. Davis leading the Southern States
into rebellion, and none for their following
him. The rebels made war, not against
certain Northern States, not against Abo-
litionists, not against the Republican
party, but against the Government, and
whatever may have been their purpose in
making war against us, we have simply to
do with the fact that to carry it out they
violated the laws, set the authority of the
Government at defiance and took forcible
possession of the common property OF the
United States, the custody OF which was
vested in the Government. And this is
the issue-all the issue between the
Government and the rebels to-day. The
rebels having made the institution of
Slavery a weapon of warfare against the
Government, an clement entirely foreign
in its relation to the Government, over
which the Executive could exercise no
jurisdiction, unless used us an arm with
which to smite his authority; because an
effort was made to render shat arm weak
or imperative against our army, does not
make the issue, on our part at least, one
against Slavery. If the rebels will cease
to fight, the war must cease, for our people
are anxious for peace, and would not fight
if they did not have an enemy in the field
to fight with. When they lay down their
arms they will find Slavery as it was before
the war, excepting, of course, the change
which it has undergone by their using it
as weapon of warfare. They cannot
expect to find it intact any more than they
can expec: to find their first army still in
the field in their bran new gray uniforms
The Government of the United States was
forced, in its own defense, to shoot down
rebel soldiers, to destroy rebel works, to
burn bridges, tear up railroads, free slaves,
and many other things which it dare not
do in the exercise of its functions as oivil
authority.
The President can no more rc-enslave a
person made free by his Emancipation
War Proclamation, than he can raise to
life again the thousands of men who have
perished in battle. When the subject of
Slavery comes to be considered by the
people, its life or its death will be decided
upon III Constitutional manner In the
meantime it is the bouDden duty of the
President of the United States, and he
accepts it, to carry on the war until the
rebels lay down their arms, but not a
moment longer. However, whether in
peace or war, the indication is that, before
many months shall have passed, the Con-
stitution will be so amended as to set at
rest forever the Slavery question, go far as
this nation is concerned. The Constitution
as it is, and he who executes the laws
under it, have determined the limit of the
present war to be, the instant the assailant
retires. At tina: moment the civil order
of things will bc resumed