The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1865-09-23

| man.
1t is far easier and more beneficial to exile
10000 proud, bloated and defiant rebels,
than to expatriate four millions of laborers,
native to the soil and loyal to the Govern
ment. This latter scheme was favorite
plan with the Bairs, with which they had
for awhile inoculated our late sainted Presi.
dent. But, a single experiment made him
discard it and its advisers. Since | have
mentioned the Bairs, | may say word
of those persistent apologists of the South
For, when the virus of Slavery has once
entered the veins Of the stakeholder, no
subsequent effort seems capable of wholly
Graduating it, They are family of consid-
cradle power. some merit, of admirable au.
dacity, and execrable selfshness with i'm
pctuous alacrity they seize the White House,
and hold possession Of it, as in the late Ad-
minstration, until shaken off by the over.
powering force of public indignation. Their
pernicious course had well nigh defeated
the re. election of Abraham Lincoln; and if
it should prevail with the present Admins
L
son is admitted to be, it will render him the
most unpopular President-save one-that
ever occupied the Presidential chair. But
there is no fear of that He Will soon say,
as Mr.. Lincoln did: Your TIME HAS
COMET
This remodeling the institutions, and re-
forming the rooted habits of proud arts
tocracy, is undoubtedly formidable task
requiring the broad mind OF enlarged states
manship, and the firm nerve of the hero
But will not this mighty occasion produce
will not the God Of Liberty and order give
us such men? Will not Romulus, Lycur-
gus, Charlcmagne, Washington arise,
whose expansive views will found free
empire, to endure till time shall be no more?
This doctrine Of restoration shocks me-
We have duty to perform which our fathers
were incapable of, which will be required at
our hands by God and our country. When
our ancestors found more perfect Union
necessary, they found it impossible to agree
upon Constitution without toleratinc. nav
guaranteeing Slavery. They were obliged
to acqulesce, trusting to time to work n
speedy cure, in which they were disappoint.
ed. They had some excuse, some iustilica.
ton. But we can have none if we do not
thoroughly eradicate Slavery and render it
forever impossible in this republic. The
Slave power made war'upon the nation
They declared the "more perfect Union ~
dissolved. Solemnly declared themselves a
foreign nation, alien TO this republic for
four years were in fact what they claimed to
be- We accepted the war which they ten
dered and treated them as a government
capable Of making war. We have conquered
them, and as a conquered enemy we can give
them laws; can abolish all their municipal
institutions and form new ones. If we do
not make those institutions fit to last through
generations Of free men, Il heavy curse will
be on us. Our glorious, but tainted repu-
bic has been born to new life through
bloody, agonizing pains. But this frightfu
" Restoration has thrown it into "cold
obstruction, and to death" If the rebel
States have never been out of the Union,
any attempt to reform their State institu-
tons, either by Congress or the President,
is rank usurpation.
Is then all lost? Is this great contest to
be in vain? That will depend upon the vr-
ture and intelligence Of the next Congress.
TO Congress alone belongs the power of re-
construction-of giving law to the vanquish-
ed. This is expressly decided by the Su-
preme Court of the United States in the
Dorr case, 9TH Howard, A. The Court saw.
Under this article of the Constitution the
4th) it rests with Congress to decide what
government is the established one in a State,
for the United States guarantees to each a
republican form of government" etcetera.
But we know how difficult it is for a majority
CT Congress to overcome preconceived opin.
ions. Besides, sbefore Congress meets.
things will be so inaugurated- precipi,ated
it will still be more difficult 10 correct. If
a majority Of Congress can be found wise
and firm enough to declare the Confederate
States conquered enemy, re construction
will be easy and legitimate; and the friends
of freedom will long rule in the Councils of
the Nation. If Restoration prevails the
prospect is gloomy, and new Lords will
make new laws" The Union party will be
overwhelmed. The Copperhead party has
become extinct with Secession. But with
Secession it will revive. Under ''restora-
tom every rebel State will send rebels to
Congress; and they, with Their allies in the
North, will control Congress, and occupy
the White House. Then Restoration of
Laws and ancient Constitutions will be sure
to follow; our public debt will be repudated
or the rebel National debt will be added to
ours. and the people be crushed beneath
heavy burdens.
Let us forget all parties, and build on the
broad platform Of demonstrating" the
Government out of the conquered territory,
into new and free States, and admitted into
the Union by the sovereign power of Con-
gress, with another plank, 1.-THE PROPERTY
OF THE REBELS SHALL PAY OUR NATIONAL DEBT,
and indemnity freed men and loyal sufferers
and that under no circumstances will we
suffer the National debt to be repudiated |
or the interest scaled below the contract
rates. nor permit any part of the rebel debt |