Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-12
WHAT HAVE WE BEEN FIGHrING Foss

capitulation; and the common expectation was
speedily justified by the surrender of johnson
and Kirby Smith, and finally by the dispersion
of all the irregular and partisan bands which
infested the Southern country. BY the first
of June, 1860, the authority of the United
States was undisputed throughout its terri
toral limits. The work of disbanding our
armies commenced, and was carried forward
until the force now in the field has been re-
9Th instant the President of the United States
issued proclamation declaring the technical
end of the rebellion, and that ''henccforlh il
is so to be regarded
The question, then-what have VIC been
fighting for? is an exceedingly pertinent one
at this time, important to the whole nation,
and particularly interesting to that portion of
it who have risked their lives in its defense
upon the field. 1t is needless to state that
there are several theories in regard to the
object of the war. 1t is held by some that it
was a war in the interests of humanity only:
that that humanity means the African slave
that whatever may have been the designs OF
men in beginning or carrying on the war, they
have been overruled or directed by an unlnis-
takeable Providence for the overthrow OF
slavery and oppression of the negro race.
The rebellion, these theorists hold, orioi-
mated in the design to extend aud perpctuate
slavery--the exercise of the power Of the
United States, IN the suppression of the rebel
lion, found its chief Justification in resisting
this attempt. The Constitution of the United
States was a covenant with death and Il
league with hell, because it recognized and
countenanced the practice of slavery, and
no war, therefore, to maintain the Constitution
and the supremacy of the laws could re
ceive the Conscientious support of these gen.
tlemen, who held their allegiance to be due
not to the Constitution, but to ideas pc
culiar to their own brains. Certain of these
ultraists agreed, without reference to the
right or wrong of secession, that it was better
for the Southern States to depart in peace.
and though the consequence of this separation
involved the destruction of the Union, the free
States could console themselves with the re-
Election that they were no longer responsible
e
!Stop South Carolina in her career Of scces-
sion!" said Mr. Phillips; mo- rather build a
bridge OF gold for her and quicken her depart
ing steps" "Coerce a sovereign State" said
another, ''never; the States have right
to withdraw from the compact when they will "
Spar robiScum," cried still anothcr-..Iet
them depart in peace
1t is evident, therefore, that in the begin
ming of our national troubles, there was large
and influential class of men who were not
willing to engage in a war, the sole and pri
mary object of which was the maintenance Of
the Union under the Constitution. The Con
stitution being allied with both death and hell,
it followed as a logical consequence that any
attempt to maintain its authority, by force of
arms, must be directed by the prince of dark
ness and destruction-that all good Christians
must hold aloof from such a contest, and let
it be fought out, if fought it must be, by the
worldly weaklings who have been idle enough
to suppose that there was some virtue. in an
instrument framed by Madison and sanctioned
by Washington, and under which the American
people had prospered for three quarters of a
century. Few, if any of these men, therefore,
took part in the war, either at the period of
which we are speaking, Or later in the history
OF the struggle, when the abolition of slavery
became one of its unavoidable incidents, and
when the promise was made, with the assurance
of that spirit Of mischief who had nothing {o
give, that a million of free men would flock to
the banners of the country. 1t is not from
them, therefore, that we should seek to learn
the object Of the war. Let us briefly look
somewhere else
MIR. Lincoln, in his inaugural address, stated
IN substance that the Constitution and the
laws, made in pursuance thereof, were the
supreme law of the land; that he had taken an
oath to support both; that if in any section of
the country they were disputed or opposed.
that oath required him to execute them. let the
consequences be what they might, but at the
same time he had no purpose to interfere with
the institutions Of the States, as he had no
constitutional right to attempt such inter.
ference. From the first proclamation which
he issued on the 18th of April, 1861, to his
last utterances, but few DAYS before his
iamented death, the same doctrine of the
supremacy of the Constitution, is illustrated
and enforced If he calls for men. it is he
cause IN certain States he laws of the United
States are opposed and the execution thereof
obstructed--if he answers Mr.. Greelv's
promptings on the slavery question, he saws
what he does is for the Union, and what he
w'thholds is for the Union, he would save il
with slavery or without tiff he issues an
emancipation proclamation it is by virtue of
the war power vested in him, as Commander
ln-Chlef by the Constitution; whatever he
does Is ander the Constitution and for the
Union.
Following out the same spirit, Congress
adopted resolution concurrent in effect, he.
cause identical in both Houses, that the war
was to 'defend and maintain the supremacy Of
the Constitution and to preserve the Union
with all the dignity, equality and rights of the
several States unimpaired" This resolution,
In substance, was adopted by the Legislature
of Maryland in the extra session of December,
1861. 1t follows, therefore, that the men who
responded to the different calls of the Presi
NShU, ACHpuuu6u III dCCOTu WIN Jle spirit OF his
proclamations and the resolutions of Congress,
and that the men Of Maryland went forth
under the additional sanction Of the resou.
tions OF their State Legislature
1T is not only reproach upon the living but
fraud upon the dead to assert that anv SOL
dier in the Union army enlisted for anv other
purpose than to save the Union under the
Constitution. 1t is monstrous anomaI,.
foreign to the genius of the American moo Il.
and destructive of the very essence of rcnnb.
ican institutions, to assert that one portion If
our people have taken up arms and gone to war.
for the mere purpose of subjugating another
portion and holding hem in continued sub
lection.
Finally, it is blunder so great, as to amount
to crime, for this nation, after having poured
out Its blood and treasure like water in de-
fence of the Union, to forget the great object
TOR which we have been fighting, and to re-
fuse the union of hearts and hands as we'll as
soil, which is possible under the policy of the
President, for the purely ideal and impracti
h NANNE ~