Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-04-10
[For the Spectator. |


W. IL Se,card, Secretary of State.
For the Spectator
The Northern Radical Republicans in the free
States declared that they were fighting the South
for the purpose of maintaining and securing the
peerpetuity. of the Union, and of proving to the
whole world that the American experiment Of
free institutions resulting from the union Of CO.
equal States should not prove failure on the
contrary, that it should be no failure at all thai
foreign assaults, however powerful. or intestine
divisions, however formidable, could not by any
possibility undermine its firm foundations. The
war they waged they declared was against the
Southern States then within the Union.
The Radicals in Congress now declare that
the late war In which they were engaged against
the South tor maintaining the integrity Of the
Federal Government, was for the purpose of
whipping the Southern States out ofthe Union,
and at the same time declare still further that
it was for keeping them out.
The Northern people declared over and over
again, that it was a civil war between sister
States OF the same Union whose citizens owed
allegiance to common Government.
This was the language of Lincoln in regard to
the nature and object of the conflict. He called
out $4,000 men, as he announced to recover ev-
cry fort and arsenal over which foated the flag
Of the United States. His whole purpose was
plain, as he said it was not to dismember the
Union, but to preserve it in tact The war they
declared was waged, not for conquest in which
the conquered were to pass under the yoke, di-
vested of their citizenship, but for Federal SUI
premacy upon the acknowledgement of which
they should return to their allegiance. This
was the view of the entire North as proclaimed
by their Government and their people, military
and civil. The indissoluble connections which
existed between the several States, which form
integral members of consolidated Union, more
perfect and harmonious than that which existed
before the commencement of hostilites, was to
be the glorious result of the conflict The Fed
eral Government further contended that there
was no virtue or authority in secession. That
all acts Of secession from the Union by States
were null and void abinitio, and that war cul-
nlinating in anything short of total overthrow
no way disturb their subsisting relations to it.
The Southern States maintained at the be-
ginning of the controversy that secession was a
fundamental principle Of American liberty
That our Government, being founded upon the
theory of secession and State sovereignty, sever
ed the ties which bound them to the Federal
Government The North, "a ct arms, has de-
clared the right as well as the remedy mere
nulity. The South has accepted the situation,
is calm, dignifed and quiet, willing to support
the Constitution of the United States, and all
laws made in pursuance thereof. Her people
have taken all sorts of oaths, amnesty oaths,
and State oaths, paying their taxes with great
difficulty, but without threat or murmur,
submitting to a principle of tyranny and injus-
tice which caused their patriotic ancestors to
resist the Government Of Great Britain, by fire
and blood.
What is our status now? Why, the Radicals
now declare that the late war was not for the
maintenance Of the Union, but war for the
destruction of the Union, war for conquest
That the triumph Of the Federal armies over
the South reduced them to a condition of mere
territorial dependents. No longer are the South
ern States organized communities. That we
have no longer Union of States, that they
that portion OF the States have been cut of
from the original compact. Is not the Radical
party in Congress crazy? when they so pertina-
ciously insist on thrusting out the Southern
States from the Federal fold. Are they willing
to admit that the Union over which they made
so much fuss, whilst they were numbering our
citizens and devastating our homes is virtually
dissolved? viii they continue to maintain that
the United States are no longer united but SUM-
dered States2 The Bone of Contention between
the slaveholding and non-slaveholding States is
forever removed. OlaVery is forever abolished
by ratification of the Constitutional amendment.
Our votes by States were counted. and then for
a short time, we were recognized as being in
the Union. 1t is needless to prolong this ar
ticle, to assign reasons for the course now being
pursued by the u. S. Congress. They will not
admit even their strongest Union men from the
South. No, not even their test Oath friends.
Had our people elected Mr.. Lewis, he would like,
Mr.. Stuart, be now out in the cold They want
no man either Union or Secessionist from the
South who will not think exactly as they think
and do exactly as they bid, to strike down the
popular will and give them the control of the
Government, which means they must have the
spoils Mr.. Webster the real Statesman and
jurist once made prophecy. It is naaataun an
parvo. Let him speak. He said, eff these IA
natics and abolitionists ever get the power into
their hands they will override the Constitution,
set the Supreme Court at defiance, change and
make laws to suit themselves-will finally bank
rupt the country and deluge it with blood. -
See his prediction and its fulfllment too. We
have the Executive arm paralyzed-the SUI
preme Court will be set aside, and the govern
ment at Washington subverted and revolution
lied. A Robespiere dynasty Jacobinical
club-all the legitimate sequence Of denial of
the great doctrines of the American Constitu-
tion-State rights and state sovereignty
G.. r. II.