Washington telegraph., 1865-05-17

ef food and clothing. could ever have overcome
'hem; bat they are mortals, and cannot do
miracles
SECESSION NO TREASON. As ou, fortune $
.cem to dechas, the enemy become more trucu
i'nt sna insulting, and indulgs in epithe,s con.
ceTpinR us, which were formerly confined to
the most rabid and unreasoning class. The
most fippsnt of the lsttsr writers have no bet
Ter terms in which TO allude to Us than taose
af rebels" insurgents" traitors" These
are terms of opprobrium throughout the world
No honest man, true to his own convictions
can maintain his resolves, or conduct hinselt
under trials with courage and fortitude. whilst
conscious, or even suspecting, that he may
,Iustly deserve to be condemned by the moral
sense of the world. All real strength must
come from within. aud res, for its foundation
spsn firm and unfaltering sense in our own
breasts Of truth and right Hence the great
importance in this hour Of sorest trial. of clearly
understanding the grounds upon which we
stand
Evtn now. should Ne be convinced or even
gravsly doubt, that the South was wrong in
This eentest we would not consider il too late,
20 pay a tribute to the everlasting laws Of
truth and justice. and taking submissively all
the consequences of error. acknowledge the
fact, and counsel others to :retract Tha. be-
comes Il man.
But ii is equally incumbent upon reasoning
aud free born men, to adhere in adversely as
we'll As in prosperity, to principles which COM
mrnd themselves to their hearts and conseiences
IS true; and however overborns by superior
power, as happens often to the Right. in this
world. to avoid disgrace to their memories, and
to the raus- of Truth. by shameful recantationr.
1hs. is the .urtitude Of martyrs
Let us review the causes Of the war Ths
Union was a voluntary association of free, in
dependent and sovereign States, united for COM
mon defence and mutual welfare. In the con-
sntution nothing was determined as to the
night of any State to withdraw from the asso-
citation. II was expressly ignored, and re-
mained an open question. The right has been
repeatedly claimed by statesmen in all sections
and its exercise often threatened 1t was a
vexed question. and being over and above the
constitution, was not IN its nature capable Of
discrimination by any judicial tribunal. 1t was
high question of siatesmanship, to be deter
mined only by the States themselves in the
same capacity in which they entered into the
compact. In other words, the constitution was
received by all as the supreme law of the land,
by which individuals and States themselves
were to be governed, nhiist they might eontinu.
IN and enjoy tie benefits of the Union. but did not
necessarily preclade the right Of any State, act
ingein its sovereign capacity, to peaceahly dis
solve the connection. reiinqush the benefits of
the Union, and establish for itself any form of
government. framed with a due regard to the
laws of nations. and the rights of is former as.
soeiatss in the Union. This hight when claimed
and its exercise attempted, became properly a
subject FOR negotiation between the goverumen.
of the Union. and the seeding State or States,
as any other matter between nations incapable
of equitable adjustment by the courts Of either.
Pending this, the inhabitants of either would
Iightfully owe their allegiance to their respec-
tive governments. Whenever such questions
cannot be settled by diplomacy. they become
righful and proper causes Of war, and must b.
settled by the law of might without moral OPP
probium to either side. To call those who ad-
her. to their respective States. traitors. rebels,
and ii:Ssprgents is a misapplication of terms. and
the rasnife., 70. 7alt Of passion or prejudice
Whatever may be ms error OF Judgment inT0iv'
ed, there is c.rt. .1nly no moral crime. any more
than exists sr. >.ngst any other people who en-
gage in W. to defend and uphold the claims Of
their Respective governments Hence it is .hat
ve hs4.vs never considered any soldiers of the
,e-orth to be Justly censurable for taking up
arms at the call of what they recognize as their
allegiance, as long as they might observe tbs
rules of civilized warfare. Tho iniquity If any
Tests upon their rulers, who determine this duty
for them.
And so with regard to our OWE soldiers who
have already laid down their lives in defence Of
their country, and those WHO have retired,
MANNED and broken, to drag ont the remainder
of their lives peacefully, if possible at home,
and those who still stand bravely in arms, pre-
pared to share the fate of their comrades and
those leaders civil and military, who have put
themselves in frent upon our call, and been
conspicuous in maintaining our tights, and the
large mass OF citizens who have done all in
their power TO uphold our eause-for and in be.
hall OF all those, we appeal to the world and re-
jsct with scorn any other epithet than that of
patriots.
Highs may prevail Sod only knows in this
dark hour. his own council. He may allow US
to be overborns and crushed but if true 10 our
selves We only be disgraced by weak and
iimid recantation-by utfering cowardly lie
against our consciences, and eondemning our
selyes for personal safety. This we may avsid,
and II determined to DO SO. it will now in this