The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-01-26
Shall Justice be administered? P.
No. 3.
By REV. LEONARD BACON.
TIE CRIME OF THE REBELLION.

GERS is essential to the existence of civil
society, and the protection of the people.
by the punishment of criminals, SO that
crime shall be reprcssed, is one one chief
junction of civil government the qucs-
ton whether the authors of the late rebel
iio. against the United States are crimi-
mails is a serious question for the people, as
it will be in due time for the Judiciary.
Ii, in a Christian and biblical view.
civil society is not Il merely human invcn-
ton or contrivance, but necessary ar
rangcmcnt involved in the divine conStitu-
ton Of human nature, 50 that in every
country the existing government, however
constituted, is divilelv entrusted with the
duty OF administering justice by furnishing
criminals and if the crime that gees um-
punished through the uni;,ithiulneSs of The
government, or the Indifference of the peo-
pie. brings curse upon the country the
question whether the authors OF the rebel
lion ought to be regarded as criminals. and
punished for the crime, is Il question 10 be
considered in the fear Of God
Let it be remembered, then, that the
treason which planned and instituted the
rebellion is 4 crime unparalleled in the
history of nations. make tlii- statement
deliberately y. and ask the reader TO think
OF the considerations by which ii was war
rlned. Think whether there l. any par
;:llel TO the crime for which the authors OF
that treason are rcSponeiblc-the men who
conceived it and made the arrangements
iir>t-:he men who. having formed their
purpose. waited wear after year for Tie cx-
pec!ed occasion. and for the comrletion of
their prepar,tionS-th men who. with
the oath OF fidelity To the constitution on
their lips, and holdiue offices OF honor and
trust under the constitution. u-cd Ill their
influence. both PERSONAL AMI oili;.ial to de-
>troy the country they had sworn t. serve,
and who. ut l;l~.. in the execution of their
long-chcri~hcl purpose. deliberately kim
died the fires OF civil war. What WIS
their crime!
|. 1t was rebellion against recognize Il
AMI established government observe
mat first principle in the Cir. IAN doe
lrlne oi obedience 10 civil "oycrnmen:.-
The existing powers arc orlaincd Of Cd;
who,oevcr therefore r,>i>tcth tie power rc-
~i>tc!h the ordnance oi God. and the
that resist shall lrin. condemnation upon
| hap Ill
verSv, the government of ;he | lion over
the Union. within the limitations oi' lie
constitution. WAS an established GOVERN
mcn!. the existing power which coul not
he resisted without ruilt and the peril of
Hod's cond..mnin. Indignation Iho,e
criminals did not take UP arms against Il
government u~urpin@ powers with wll,h
neither the voluntary concession of the
people nor the providence ol God hai in
vested il They Deliberately planned AMI
levied war against government exercising
no other powers, and claiming no Others.
than tho~c which unqut,tionabIy belonged
to it, and which ii had exercised from the
/ beginning.
,. Their crime wa~ more than tlis l.
was rebellion against Il bcncGccnt govern
ment-a government which at the time
waS performing, ciltctua1lv and quietly.
all it> constituted du' u'icS-a government
which for it, marvellous combination o.
municipal and individual freedom with
national power Was the wonder Of the
worll-a government under which. for
mere than seventy years, the prosperity of
the nation. and iis advancement in wealth
and power, and in all ci,i.iziag art a;.,l
influences. had been without Il parallel in
human history. When government; h;,,
ceased to perform lis bynclircnt functions
a> a government. and. instead OF protect
in" the right and cxtca;ilg justice, Is ,iinp-
l. oppressive. then il may Lc the ri-ii: Of
,ht people TO throw oil lie power that OPP
presses them, and ly revolutionary meth
OILS to provide a government Tor them
selves But the rebellion which h;I,, COS!
our country 50 much, Lad no such i,>tiii-
, cation OF excise 1t WAS rebellion against
; a government purely heneccn., the bc~t
, government in the world
: Nor is this nj. The crime which Those
; men committed was not merely aLaim,t IN
| established government performing the be.
nclircnt functions for which government l.
divircly instituted it WAS rebellion
; AGAINST Il free and constitutional govern
ment. Whatever Justification there mn,
: be for attempting to organize revolution il
: Il country governed by dcspotir power
t where 10 peaceful change is practir:,bl,
: all excuses fail i'll the case of cb,lior
e against Il government which guarantee
Il freedom of political discussion and a.ita
ton, and which permits itself to he reform
9 ed by votes instead of violence. 1t ha
:, been well argued (bv DIR. Thompson. il
g his tract entitled "Revoluiion arairs:
!, free government not a ri "ht. but crime
Il i!lat. where self-"ovcrnmcnt bv the pco
pie has been -ltbliShed-where ever.
e abuse of administrator or legislation ma,
IS be freely discussed before the people. an
e i sure 10 be rcmedied as soon as the pco
d pie are made to see it-where even the or
'e eanic law, from which all the powers G
II government are derived and bywhich the
It are limited, provides for lis own amend
l. ment whenever amendment shall be dc
} manded by the popular will-there til
right of revolution ceases to exist. Til
crime of such a rebellion is one for whic
: no excuse can be made in behalf of thos
N who contrived it and began ii, Who is
II criminal, if lie is not who undertakes, i