The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-08-13
u GRANTAVD COLFAX Us. JEWS
AND FOREIGNERS"

al liberty and progress
Within a few years past tie question OF
secession has been discussed by various
journalists, but with neagrcness common
to subjects with which the masses concur.
The south, it is true, maintained the right
to secede. The north denied them that
right, and the result is well known to
every one. Neither has it been forgotten
how the republicans in the north called
democrats rebels, secessionists, aud many
other epi!hets. The democrats, however
were not thus stigmat;zed for their doc
trine, because they never advocated that
the south had right to secede, but
so far as the unity OF the states was con
cerDed, they concurred with the republi
can party, that the union must be main.
tanned, one aud indiyisible; that the doc
trine Of secession was heresy that could
not receive their sanction in any sense
whatever. But now the subject has re-
ceived other advocates, as We find republi-
cans advocating the heresy and maintain.
ing that the states in rebellion were tout oil
the union territor;aily and politically -
Thus Mr.. NJ. frankly advocates a doc
trine which had ,as the democrats thought,
been settled by the war The south adj
mitted secession failure; he declares i. a
success, and for that success congress has
the right to impose upon the southern peo-
pie any act whatsoever as will mostly con-
duce to their reconstruction into the
union. Now if those states we're out OF
the union at the close Of the war they
we're out at the beginning. Their ord,-
nsnces of secession were not null and void
as Lincoln IN his inaugural address de-
clared, but valid TO all purposes and in
tents. Then it follows also that the con
stitution or compact between those states
was not permanent but temporary, not
unconditional in its requirements but con-
UlbiUudl. iidJ III WIS VUIu lTOiu Tic DC =
ginning. He who admits the right Of a
state to secele, must admit that the con
stitution never had any binding force
whatever He must also admit that a
compact which can be dissolved at the
option of one OF the parties without the
consent Of the others is null and void and
that the constitution as a compact was
nall and void because it could be so dis
solved aud was dissolved aud became
powerless by the ordinances of secession
lie must also admit that void contract
cannot be enforced against the party vio-
latiag. Then the south in the exercise Of
their rights did not make themselves amen
able to any ohense because the contract
TO which they were party could be dis
solved at their pleasure, ami if they had
right to seceie, they committed no crime
in the exercise Of their right. Courts Of
justice will not enforce Contract whic d
to attempt the enforcement OF the consti-
tuition upon the southern people. II was
in violation Of justice to wage war agllast
them for the purpose OF coercing them to
submit to a wrong. The position, then
taken by u makes the war heinoug
crime for which the republicans are guilty
1t shows that they waved the war for
purposes Of subjusation. TWAS impossible
to wage il Cor the pu:pose Of preventing
secession, as ,hey acknowledge that right.
But II those states were out of the union
what RICH. have you, Mr. H., to enforce
them to submit to a thing which you
know to oe wrong? If they had right
TO seccic had they not right to remain
out Of the union? La what manner have
you changed the compact 40 as to make
them amenabe How can you make
these states territorial property of the
Usited States? Do you think it right to
deprive these citizeas Of all their personal
and real property? Certainly you would
deprive them Of everything, not because
you think you have right to do SO, but
that rational republicanism III its arts
tocratic glory might share the name con-
queror, in which you PRIDE yourself SO
much. You have expended millions of
money and slain thousands of men, for
what? You waged war four long years
to acknowledge the rightof secession, and
now that you acknowledge it you have no
motive for your military despotism but
selfishncss. You exercise nothing in leg
islatipg for the southern people than ami
NAL revenge. The intellectual man HIS
not yet pierced through animal seishness
that he might frame laws for those pc ople
based upon intelligence and justice. You
have never assigned any reason for the re-
act than revenge. You
cherish an antipathy against those peo-
pie, and that antipathy you endeavor to