Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1866-05-03
whole NO. 1888.

The districts there found no difficulty, after
the war was over, in getting representa-
ton TO Congress. There were no tcst-oaths
imposed to exclude them, Why should the
conspiracy of the Calhoun junto bring grca;er
punishment on its innocent Victims than did
that Of the Essex juuto and its Hartford Com
vention? The scheme cf each was equally
criminnl-a dissolution Of the Union.--but
the means of the latter were much more in
vidious, for foreign force was introduced
into the heart of the country hostile to all the
essential principles of our lcpuplcan system.
And is there no atoncment III the culami-
ties with which the unfortunate masses Of
the South have been visited from the despot-
ism of the usurpation which would never
have been put over .licM had not the trcach-
cry and collusion of our national government
assisted ?-nothing in the utter ruin in which
succeeded from the invasion Of our army,
which necessity made dcstvoycrs, to plead for
justice and generosity to The victims Of o war
guiltless Of its proyocation? The whole
South has been field Of baltle--all its agri-
culture has been, to a great extent, PROSTATE
for four years! Towns and homestcad5 in
Vulnerable have been swept away in flames.
Half n million of its mos! vigorous youth
have perishcd in batlc--countleas millions
of money, invested in the means Of produce
ton, have been lost, and its proudcst cities
are in ruins. Charleston remains, like tie
ruins of Carthage Of old, IN appropriate
monument Of periidy which has sunk the sun
ny South in darkness and desolation. Mean
while, the North has risen in increasing
grandeur and wealth throughout the progress
of the war. What hearts those men must
have WHO, standing nloof from tie war and
enjoying the glory and blessings Of the VIC
tories won by our gallant armies without
sharing their tolls and porlo, now, instead of
initiating the soldiers megnanimity in lifting
up fallen brother, would strike down agai.,
the helpless and who demand rpoils, con-
fscation, more blood, and would have il she'd
on scatiold, where they could enjoy the
tragedy at their ease az 1T T. theatre.
How differently felt that true friend of the
Union-Prcsidcnt Lincoln! His humane
instincts taught him that the bleeding CASH
cs made By the sword, which hnd severed for
Il time the affections of the country, were
best cured when soonest bound and healed
with the first intention. lie looked upon tho
States as mcmbcrs Of the same body, still
united to it by all the iudcstructible ligaturos
of the Constitution, but suffering, under the
weight Of lhe usurpation, suspended ani,na-
ton. That removed, the States were in a
condition to resume their functions with all
the rights and faculties impaired to them by
the Constitution. When the military pow
; cr had done its duty delegated by the supreme
law, aud had suppressed the insurrection,
had cxtirpatcd its cause, and all impedments
to their mutual prescribed action, by what
right did Congress intcrpose, assume to pre-
scribe conditions not to be found in the
supreme law, which was law to Congress
itself, and which established the State rights
, in dcrogation of which Congress attempted
to legisate
1t was upon this attempt that Lincoln put
: his veto Congress undertook 10 enact con-
dtious not in the Constitution Of the United
. States, upon which the Southern States
Q should act with their sisters Of the North. -
This the President considered sheer arroga-
ton. 1t was presuming that the States were
l dead that the general government having
I failed in its dnty to suppress the conspiracy
t and insurrcction under which they were com
a poled to succumb, for time, the States had
= committed suicide--had become mere outly-
y ing Territories, conquered from a foreign en-
c emv , The whole preteXt was built up OF
: false assumptions. The President proca ~
t cd that the war was wagCd by the nation on
o the principle that the States in which the re-
= bellion reigncd were parcel of the nation
d could nor should not be separated from 1t by
s thcr own or any other ROVER that neither
d the Congress of the United States nor that OF
d the usurping confcdcrncy could alter their
c status in the Union. Upon this issue, elNbo-
o ratoly argued over the whole country ana III
n Con2ro>a, the President VA nominated h'