Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1864-08-25

, lures, and IN Its bloody tracks,
: Every thing about it speaks of war.
:. In its first manifestation, and in its
! last analysis, Il IS par. And truly NE
: could look for no mitigation of those
horrors in the success of the present
rebellion. There is nothing in the
) character Of this conspiracy to lessen
) our fears or cause US to relax our
vigilsnce. The purposes Of the re-
bel leaders arc fixed and determined
Z Their ayewed object of building a
government on the corner stone oi
human slavery, implies the intention
to subvert ours. Two governments
resting on such different bases, could
not stand together. No bond of al
lance gould exist between them, and
one of them would soon give way
before the power of the other.
No worse fate could befall our
land then to have it subjected to the
leaders of this rebellion. There
would he no limit to their ambition.
The voice of the people would never
be heard unless a it would accord
with their own wishes. Slavery
would cease to be q domestic insti
tution, and would spread is fatal
poison through every vein Of the
body polite. Labor would be de-
graded. and laborers would indeed
be the ''mud-sills of society" Cap
itsl would rule or own labor, and
men of capital would strive with
each other to possess the bodies of
their fellow-beings. Slavery, thus
protected by public opinion and by
military power, would defiantly raise
its head against all opposition, and
woull become a system of unmingled
cruelty and barbarism. The rebel
leaders would make every thing COM
plete. Every vestige of the gov
ernment would be removed, and on
ITS ruins a slave empire would be
built, where liberty would find no
resting place.
Then we would know what ruin
is Our flag would every where be
trailed in dust The name of our
country would become an object of
scorn among all the nations. The
world would not be slow to declare
that free government is a sham, that
; Liberty and Law cannot be made to
harmonic, and that the rights oil
men are inconsistent with the peace
of society. No argument could be
raised IN defence of constitutional
liberty. The downfall of the Gov
erment would be a conclusive reply
to everything of the Kind.
Let our eyes be open. If our free
institutions cannot stand here, there
is no place where they can stand
If Liberty cannot be vindicated by
the maintenance and perpetuity of
this government, it will be driven
from the earth. 1t has a fair trial,
and if it fails, the verdict against it
will be swift and final, but just
The cause of Liberty rests with US
The interest of humanity for ages of
ages hinge upon our present action;
the blessings we here enjoyed have
brought with them trust which can
not be shaken Off The legacy of
our Fathers is the richest that the
blood of man ever purchased, or the
hand Of God ever bestowed If it
is trifed with or thrown away. it can
never be recovered. Posterity has
a right to demand its preservati on
Our national and individual honor is
at stake If we falter, we are not
worthy of it.
: We have a right to conquer this
rebellion. 1t is our mortal enemy,
and if we do not conqner it, it will
conquer US. Our government; was
formed to be perpetual. The func-
tions ofa sovereign practical organ
ization belong to it. The protection
which it gives to its citizens requires
that they should submit to its
authority. No portion of the people
has a right to Withdraw allegiance
from 1t.
1t has been said that the govern
ment was not intended to be one of
force; that it was founded on the
consent of the people, and that any
attemptto enforce submission to its
laws would be contrary to the funda-
mental spirit and object of the gov
ernment itself. This is the non
coercion doctrine as enunciated by
Mr.. Davis, Mr.. Buchanan, Mr.. Vail.
andigham, and last and least, Mr..
Long,
Undoubtedly; the founders of the
Government intended that no undue
restraint should be put upon the will
of the people, and that no uuneces-
sary force should be used in enfore-
ing the laws; but certainly they never
intended that any state or section
should set aside the laws or despise
authority of the Government. The
maintenance ofauthority and the exc
cutioE of Law were left to the loyalty
of the people, but force was not for
hidden if it should be necessary =
The government was intended to be
respected as well as loved; to be a
terror to evil doers as well as pro-
lection to those who should do well.
1t was formed as government of
Justice and equity, and the liberties
of the people were to be secured by
the observance of law and respect
for constitutional authority.
This doctrine that military force
!. s.hould not ha ltsad To eneraa q ST. ta