Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-09-23

''the higher law in following which they
claim the ght to Croak through all laws
all constitutions. These are the men
whom | arraign before you as having been
disloyal 10 the past, and who, when the
present war commemorative first they
ever attempted TO support endeavorod
to pcrvert its objects. But the handspring
OF their action was the love of gain, and
they have grown rich by taking advantage
Of the nadon's necessities, and the kuowl
edge that they were secure from invasion.
Bot, fellow cltizeUs, outside of New
England, the groud moving cause was
patriotism, the desire 10 perpetuate the
government of our fathers, and to trans
init it to our posteri,y, to resent the inslt
to the flag before me, which the sun is
gliding with bis setting rays. We could
not bear that one star should he taken
from its sky. The blood Of our fathers
was cmbalmed in its red, the purity Of
their cause in its white and tho freedom
they attained IN to blue. These consid.
erations induced me and thousands OF my
comrades to forsake the peaceful avoca-
cations oil life, aud 10 bare our breasts to
the storm Of battle There were no party
distinctions, and Democrats were among
the first to offer their services.
Having shown the Object Of the people,
let Us consider the object OF tho admins,
tration as publicly declared to US. Pref.
dent Lincoln, in his inaugural address
said, Il have n" purpose, directly tr indi-
rccuy. to Interfere with the institution of
slavery in the States who're it now exists.
| believe | have no lawful right to do SO;
aud | have no inclination 10 do So +
The power coufided to me will be used to
bod, occupy and possess the property and
places belonging to the government, and
to collect the duties and imposts hut be-
yond what may be necessary for these
objects, there will be no invasion, no usng
Of force against or among The people any
where"
This was the declaration of the then
President; but further, in his proclamation
calling for 10 600 troops, be said it
was ito re possess tho forts, places and
, property OF the United States, aud we
{ should avoid devastation or disturbance of
peaceful! cLizcn5" The famous Commit
tee Of Thirty-hrcc on the state of the Tn.
ion, Of which Thomas Corwiu, Low Vim
lister to Mexico, was chairman, reported
, among other equally strong resolutions,
f the following "RcsIcet, That We rccog
nizo slavery a now existing in fifteen of
the ii..scd States, h" tac USE. and law
Of those States and We rcco sn'z9 no au-
thority legally or otherwise, outside Of a
? State where it 20 exists, TO Interfere with
, slaves or slavery in such States, in dsre-
, gard Of the rights of their owners, or the
peace Of society," Added to this we had
the almost unanimous resolution Of Con-
. gress, THAT this war is not waged on
our part in any spirit OF oppression, or for
e any purpose oil inquest or subjugaiion
I or purpose oil overthrowiug or interior
y ing with the rights o: established insttu-
| irons Of those States, bat to defend and
| maintain the supremacy OF The Cousttu-
ton, and to preserve the Union, with the
dignity, equality, aud rights Of the sew
cral States uumpaired aud that as sooL
y us these objects are accomplished the wal
n ought to cease" Here we have tho Oh
y cets of the war stated by the highest au-
o for conquest or Suhjugatloo; not to over
- throw tue institution of slavery or any
, other institution without the consent o
|. the States iutcrCstcy. 1t WAS contrac
- bclwen the soldiers and the government
y The consideration on our part was Gu
o lives, our blood; and after We were swor
IS inlo the service, we were coOlly Informed
;, that the objects for which we enlisted
=, should not he carried out, and thus tn
ct solemn pledges OF SCI weac broken, ant
Ia the war made one for the negro and 20
n for the Union. We want these pledge
% kept. We have done our duty in thi
,e contest, a. the blood shed during the pa
"A four years attests, and we NV call on h
a powers that be- or f they are unwilling
y upon the people who placed them in au
IN thority, to see that thl, contract is kept
rs Remember it was no holiday eXcursio
s. we undertook, nor was it to meet an oId
n nary foe. We were to fight our own hcs
j. au3 blood; men as brave by noture As W
ii are men whose fathers Lad fought Wit
IA ours to achieve the Revolution, and wh
~ illustrated thu valor OF their lace from th
90 SHOWS Of Canada to the scorchng plain
. of Mexico 1t is due ourselves TO adm
q. that the Southern people ar3 brave an
% were SElliully lcd, else we can cain u
an little honor for subduing them with ou
an superior numbers They showed deyodo
,g worthy better cause, and it was only
on superior numbers and indomltablu persC
a verance we compelled their surrender.
3m Among the first acts Of the Admiuistr
ow Gion violating our contractwas the publ
he cation of the emancipation procamato
ad At the time [ was confined in Libby prl
v- on as one of "Pope's folons," but Il
lie, sulferings of imprisonment were uothii
us compared to the mental torture of fudi'
er, the high and noble cause for which | e
~ listed dcbased by being made a strugg
ing for giving freedom to a few. degraded n
lu. sroes. Leading Republicans. it is trl
ee- urged the measure as a military neceSS@
res as il twenty millions of white men cou
ted not subdue eight millions South wtho
- the aid of few cowardly negroes. Th