, 1866-02-14

dom among The SLAVES, !" disuniop would be-
enc inc7ftable," Lincoln and Others had
questioned the opinion Of Taney; snch sn1'
ptgnmg he ascibcd to the factions temper
Of the times-" The tavorite doctrine o1 the
majority Of the Democratic party on tho
power Of a Territorial Legislature over slavery
ne condemned as an attack On the sacred
rights Of property" The State legislatures,
he insisted, must repeal what he called "their
unconstitutional and obnoxious enactmenaa.
which were null and void" or "ft would
Tnlon:h Nay! il these unlmportant acts
were not repealed, "the injured States
would be justified In revolutionary resist
ance TO the Government Of the Union" He
maintained TINT no State might secede at its
sovereign will and pleasure that the Union
was meant for pcrtetuity; and that Congress
ctiiation that "the sword was not placed In
their hands TO preserve It By force thst " the
last desperate remedy Of q despalring people"
would be "an explanatory amendment re-
cognizing the decision Of the Supreme Court
Of the United states.'' The American union
be called IA coniederacy" Of States, and be
thought 1t duty to make the appeal for the
amendment "before any Of these States
should separate themselves from the Union"
The views Of the Lieutenant General, con-
tanning some patriotic advice, conceded "the
the reuniting Of the fragments by the sword"
and "escheWfng the idea Of Invading seccd-
cd State.f After changes in the Cabinet the
PRECEDENT informed Congress that "mattess
were still wosse;" that 7'the south suffered
Sessea rs sess s7 s sasad M BE ss
sage the Tag Of the Union was fred upon from
Fort Aloultie, and the insult waan reTenged
Or noticed. Senators in Congress telegraphed
to their constituents to seize tie national
forts, and they were not arrested. The
finances Of the country were grievously en-
reach-tho part Of 1t in Texas with all its
stores, Was made over by its comm ander to
the seeding insurgents. Que State after
another votcd In convention to 70 ont Of the
Union. A Peace Congress, so-called. met at
the request OF Virginia, to consult the terms
Of capltulation for the continuance Of the
Union. Congress in both branches sought to
devise concilatory c1pedirnts; the territories
OF the country were organizedin In manner not
TO conflict With any pEetenafons of the Sonth,
or any decision Of the Supreme Court and
nevertheless the seeding States formed at
Montgomery Provisional Government, and
pursued their relentless purpose with such
success TINT the Lieutenant General feared
tho city OF Washington might find itself ''in-
cluded In foreign country" aud proposed,
among the options for the capadetation Of
peace" The great Republic seemed to have
its emblem In the vast unfinished Capitol, at
that moment surrounded BY massea Of stone
and PROSTATE columns never yet lifted to their
places; seemingly the monument Of high but
delu5ve aspirations, the confused wreck OF
inchoate magnidcence, saddcr than any ruin
Of Egyptian Thebes or Athena.
HIS INAUGURATION.
The fourth of March came. With Instinct
i've wisdom, the new President, speaking to
the people on taking the oath Of ottlce, put
aside every question that divided the coun-
try, and gained a right to universal support,
by planting himself on the single idea OF
Union. That Union he declared to be un-
broken and perpetual: and he announced his
determination to fulfil the simple duty Of
tokiug care TINT the laws be faithfully e1ecu-
ted In I'LL the States Seven days later, the
convention Of Confederate States unanimous
ly adopted a constitution Of their own and
the new government was althoritatiyely an
nounced to be founded on the idea that slave
r. Is the natural md normal condition Of the
negro race. The issue was made up whether
the great Republic WAS to maintain It's proEi-
dentia1 place In the history OF mankind, or a
rebellion founded on negro slavery gain re-
ili1cd world. To the disadected, Llucoln had
said, You can have no conflict without be-
ing yourselves the aggTessors.' To fire the
passions Of the Southern portion Of the pco-
pie, the Confederate Government chose to be-
EQ1Q6 kuE HHSItSSOI6y Auu VI k4G UUIu4JIEs u
the 18th OF April began the bombardment Of
Fort Sumter, md compelled its evacuation.
UPRISING OF TIE PEOPLE,
1t Is the glory Of the late President that he
had perfect iaIth IN the perpetuity OF tho
Union. Supported In advance by Douglas,
who spoke IS with the voice OF 4 million. he
instantly called u meeting Of Congress, and
sess the forts. places and property which had
been seized from the Union. The men Of the
North vera trained in schools Industrious
| and frugal; many OF them delicatcly bred /,
their minds teeming with ideas and teeming
with plans Of enterprise given to the culture
! yet employing wealth less for ostentntlon
thau for developing the resources Of their
| country seeking happiness In the calm Of
domestic life !. aad such lovers Of peace that
for generations they have been reputed un-
wurlike. Now, at the CRY Of their country in
patriotism; not hireling ga-the' purest and Of
| the best blood Ia the land; sons Of pions
ancestry, with clear perception Of duty,
| unclouded faith, and fixed resolve to succeed,
| they thronged round the President to support
| the wronged, the beautiful flag Of the nation.
their young men, whose lips were touched with
| eloauenec, whose hearts kindlcl With devo-
| ton, to. serve IN The ranks, and nuke their
way to command only ID they learned the art
I
/ most gentle and the most ,stndious; those Of
the sweetest temper md loEeliest character
and brightest genius, passed from the classes
to the camps. The lumbe5men spsang for
ward from the forests, the mechanics nom the
benches, where they had been trained, by the
and hope Of the Republic, to feel their re-
-sponsibillty to their foreiathers, their pos-
terity and mankind, went forth resolved that
their dignity as constituent part Of the Re:
public should not be impaired. Farmers and
sens of fa1mers LETT the land but half plowed,
the grain but hal planted, and, taking up the
musket, learned to face without fear the pres
| ence Of peril aud tho coming Ot death in the
shocks Of war, while their hearts were still
attached to the charms Of thets rural life, and
all the tender affections ot home. Whatever
there was Of truth, and faith, and public love
In Ae common heart, broke ont with one ex-
preston. The mighty winds blew from every
quarter to Ian the flame Of the sacred aud IN
Quenchable fire.
l.. . THE WAR WoRLp-W1ps WAR.
For d time the war was thought to be con-
fined to our own domestic. affairs but it was
sooI seen that It involved the destinIes Of
! mankind, and its principles and causes shook
Tie I5S:.!.fcs Of Europe to the centre, and from
Lisbon to Pekin divided the governments OF
the world.
GREAT BRITAIN. '.
There was kingdom whose people had In
! m eminent degree attained to freedom Of In
dustry and The security Of person and
| property. Its mlddlt-class rose to greatness.
Out Of that class sprung the nob1est poets
! and philosophers, whose words bRilt up the
tntellects OF its people; skillfll navigators to
| ind out the many paths Of the oceans; dis
coyerers IN natural science, whose Inventions
| guided It's Industry to wealth, till 1t equalled
~lny nation of the world In letters, and e1-
| celled all In trade and commerce. But Its
government vas become government Of
land, and not Of men every, ,blade Of grass
was represented. but only a small min
ority OF the people, In the tEansi-
heads ia" Of % he social organization ifeea them m
I selves from the military services which were
the conditions Of their tenure, and, throwing
the burden on the Industrial classes, kept all
the soil to themselves. Vast estates that had
been managed by monasteziessas endowments
for religion and charity were appropriated
to swell the wealth ofcourtiers aud faVorites;
and the commons, where the poor man once
had his right Of pasture, were taken away,
and, under forms Of law, enclosed distribnt-
lively within their own domains. Although
no law forbade my inhabitant from purchas-
ing land, the costlineas Of the transfer consti-
tuted prohibition; 50 that It Was the rule of
that country that the plow should not be in
the hands of It's owner. The church was
rested on contradiction, claiming to be an
embodiment :, Of absolute truth, aud Jet
was a creature Of the statute book.
nzR BEyT1MEsTs. ''
The progress Of time increased the terrible
contrast between wealth and poverty; ia
their years OF strength, the laboriny people
cut off from all share IN governing the State,
derived scanty support from the seyerest
toll, and had no hope for old age but In pub
lie charity or death, a gasptng combination
had dotted the world With military posts,
kept watch over our borders on the North
cast, at the Bermudas, in the West indies,
held the gates Of the Paci1c, Of the Southern
and Of the Indian ocean, hoyered On our
Northwest at Vancouver, held the whole OF
the old Mediterranean and Red Seas, and gar
risoued forts all the wny from Madras to Chi
na. That aristocracy had gazed with terror
on the growth Of Commonwealth where
ffeeholds existed By the million, and religion