The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1867-01-31

torn from unuer III anu prostd'cu W III"
earth bv unauthorized and arbitrary power,
by some means or power unknown to our
law. The principles Upon which 1t is
to be done are all false, both in theory
and fact and as destructive Of the Union
as the States. The preamble, which has
been stricken out sluce the bill was re-
ported I'D since the gentleman made his
speech, recites that the Confederate
States" so called. have forfeited ali their
rights under tie Constitution" And M
his speech he declares
''The Federal arms trlumphed. The
Confederate government surrendered un
condi;ionally The law Of nations then
fixed their condition. They were subject
to the controlling power Of the conquerors
No former laws, no former couipacts or
treaties existed to bind the bclgerents.-
They had all been melted and consumed in
=, the fierce fires OF the terrible war"
Now. Sir, deny every assertion here
made, except only that 1.-The Federal army
triumphed." And that OF itself. in view
Of the purpose of the contendlug parties.
is a complete refutation OF all the other
anu CcuNtnHtfttc- iic ~Ht'SE
and their governments were not destroyed.
All the attempts TO take them out of their
relations to the other States ct the Union
were failures, and every step in that iii
rection was an Illegal and void act And
the moment the rebellion was pat down
and the people freed from IFS control, they
the PEOPLE of tie State had right tu
their State government aS before the war.
On the part Of the Confederates the
strugg e was TO separate and divide; ON
our part to prevent separation and diTis-
ION and preserve the States i'll the Union
They sought to avoid the IL Us Of the Fed
eral Government: We are to enforce them.
They DENIED their obligations to obey the
Constitution we insisted upon their obe
dcnce They declared they would IA"
longer live with us as States IN the Union:
We demanded they shoull remain forever
They claimed the right to secedc when
they felt disposed: we ayowed secession "a
l;ionstrous hercsy. They left the halls ct
Con- re>s and declared they would 40 Ions
ger perform their duties and functions in
the Union We swvre on the altar of eur
country that they should obey the ,onsti
} tution and laws made in pursuance thereof
They seized their arms and apEea!ed 10
the god of battles fer the justice of their
, cause: we accepted the wager Of battle
and lifted our eyes in prayer 10 heaven
that the issue might be with Us. We
pressed them closely and more closely, and
in their agony and desperation they cried.
for the purpose OF rallying their dIspIrited
forces. we meant to "snbjugate' them
And as yictory wavered in the balance We
solenan'y, tefure God and the civilized age.
declared That, banishiBg ali feeling OF
mere passion or resentment" we will rec
ollect only our duty to the whole coun
try: that the war is not waged upon our
part IN any spirit os oppression, nor f r
any purpose OF conquest or suhjngatlon.
.but to defend and mai ltaiu the supremacy
! Of tie Constitution and to pre- erve the
Union, with all the dignity equality and
tights Of the several States unmpaire'i !;
that as soon as these objects are accom-
plished the war ought to cease
The Federal arms triumnhed,' and ii
the triumph is complete, determined ali The
issues iu their favor. The Confederate
armies and government were ovealhruwn
ard surrendered. hot Internationally,
but upon these conditions, held out to them
and never Withdrawn til the end Of the
war The law Of nature holds such prom
iseS as binding. Nattls page i3i, says:
= "A! promises made to az eremy IN The
course of war are obligatory Neither
are ireates made void by war which were
,1 - This H.
the ease wheie the war is between two Nd
tions utterly deny the abomInable and
detestablc doctrine of the gentleman as the
law of nations, that the conquered natlon
is subject to the absolute will and disposal
of the conqueror. What nc may or may
not do depends IN some measure on the
cause of the d ficuly. and who were actu-
ally engaged in it. His rlShts sprung
from the source Of natural justice, an
should be exercised and measured By jusd
tice and humanity. The doctrine that the
conquered nation may be disposed OF at
the sovereign will and pleasure or the
conqueror is opposed to the humane and
enlightened sense Of the age. Ii Is the
source aud foundation of despotism and
despoti, power 1t is not the law Of ma
tions. Vattel. page 454, writing upon
this subject, says:
But if the whole nation be subdued, +,
in what manner can the victor treat II
without transgressng the bounds OF JUS
: tice What are his rights over the con-
quest? Some have dared to advance this
monstrous principle that the conqueror is
absolute master of his conquest, that he
:, may dispose of it as his properly. treat 1t
as he pleases, according to the common
expression Of treating State as conquered
country. and hence they derive one of tho
.. sources of despotc government. But
enough oi' tho. who would reduce men to
the state # transferable 9 ,oJs. or use
them like beasts of burden, who would
deliver them up as the property or pari>
monv of another man. Let Us argue on
principles countenanccd by reason and
becoming humanity
But deny that the law of nations Fl ed
the condition of the so>ca.led Confederate
States, or in any mar ner determined ther
, status. The law of uatious or the common
. laws of war, those maxims Of humanity
t adop'el hy common consent Tor the more
: humane conduct of war, undoubtedly ap-
, Piled in its prosecution in the conduct of
g the war Itself But ours is a nation with
4 a government Of its own, with n written
e Con ,titution and laws providing for peace
n ,rJ NOR .svith stipulatIons i'm ease cf run