The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-07-19


sion % II by Northern Democrats for
the low and selfish purpose Of reapihg
a little political gain presents spec
taele which IL Is not pleasant 70 con.
template. The ratification Of this a.
mendment il one Of the most import.
ant issues submitted TO the people Of
Indiana at the next election. The JUS
lice Of it, and the necessity for it, lie
upon the surface, and are too plain for
argument. We might as well argne
that two and two make four, or that
a who'e is equal to all its parts. Tr3
The third section provides in sub.
stance, that every person who, as a
member of Congress. officer Of the
United States, member Of the State
Legislature, or judicial officer Of any
State, had taken an oath to support the
Constitutions the United States, and
afterward committed perjury by en-
gazing in the rebellion, shall be ineli-
giblc to any Office under the United
States, or any State, The object OF it
is to exclude perjured rebels from pow.
er. 1t a man has once taken an oath
to support the Constitution and broken
it, he should not be permitted 10 take
it again in the same way You will
doubtless agree with Congress that
men enough can be found who have
never committed this wicked and
bloody perjury TO fll the Offices, both
State and National. and that it is but
a reasonable precautIon for public
safety TO prevent these men from
again coming into power. There is no
political or moral obligation 10 trust
them again, and every dictate of pru.
dence, justice, love for the Union. and
adherence of therebellicn, demands
that they should not be again trust.
! ed. f, -...-.....
The fourth section proc aims The "a.
lidity Of the public debt Of the United
States, including debts incurred for
payment of pensions and bOunties for
service in suppressing the rebellion,
and prohibits the United States, or
any State, from assuming or paying
any debt incurred in aid of the rebel
lion, or any claim for the loss or eman-
cipation of slaves.
1he strong sympathies manifested
by Northern Democratic leaders for
the holders of the rebel war debt, and
their malignant hostility TO the hold
ers Of the bonds of the United States
make this amendment necessary. =
Should the great calamity happen that
the National Government should pass
into the possession of the Democratic
party We are not at liberty to doubt
but what they would cause it to as
sumo the payment of the rebel war
debt. Not only are the inclinations
of the Northern members already 10
that direction, but their weIl-known
pusillanimity in the presence of South /.
ern men would overcome any fears OF
unpopularity at home, and they would
march up promptly to the support of
the measure as soon as it was demand
cd by the Southern wing of the party
Should the Southern wing demand as
condition for their support that they
should be paid for their slaves, who
can doubt for n moment, when they
consider tho love and devotion of
Northern Democratic leaders TO- sla-
very, the history Of the passage Of the
Nebraska bill, and O hundred other
political events which have occurred
in the last thirty years, that the de-
mand will be promptly acceded 10.
The amendment is. therefore, i'm
perativeIy required, by the sympathies,
cowardire, and the habits of submis-
sion to Southern men by which North
ern Democratic leaders are distinguish
ed. .. l..
To say that men who but yesterday
were in rebellion to destroy the Gov.
ernment. having been vanquished last
night, may to day, without conditions
or hindrarce, resume their seats in
Congress and take part in the admin.
istration of affairs, would be prop.
osition of which We might say, in
homely phrase, "there is no sense in
it," Itwould be 10 destroy all distinc-
tions between loyalty and treason, TO
confound all difference between the
support of the Government and the
destruction of it. 1t is an old saying
that treason is justified by its success,
but this would justify it equally in de-
feat. This proposition belongs TO tho
class of vile sophistries wherewith the
country was assailed at tho beginning
of and throughout the war, and which
were the nimsy and transparent gar.
ments by which Northern men sought
to cover the hideous nakedness OF their
sympathy with rebellion. They said
"the Government could not coerce a
State; that il was Incompatible with
the nature of Government 10 pre-.
serve its existence by force, and that
our Government had no right by force
of arms to preserve its life against re,
bellious violence.
Mr.. Buchanan, in his messaget to Con-
gress in Dec, 1860, committed himself
to the inconceivab!y foolish paradox,
that States under the Constitution had
no right to secede, but that if they at
tempted secession, tho Government
had no power to prevent them from so
doing. And, again, during the war,
when it became manifest to the world
that the rebellion could not be sup
pressed and slavery preserved, Mr.
Lincoln was furiously denounced as
usurper. tyrant and fiend, for his great
proclamation Of freedom. And now
as a proper conclusion, we are told by
the authors of these infamous sayings
| that vancuiehed rebels may. and