The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1868-09-22

was the cause Of the Rebellion, but in
this he, in common with many,is entirely
in error. Let Mr.. Calhoun from bis dy-
ing bed disclose the cause,
"What is it," he asks, "that has en-
dangsred the Union?' 'eTo this auese
tion there can be but one answer that
the Immediate cause i. the almost univer.
sal discomfort which porvades all the
states composing the southern section Of
the Union, This, widely,extended dis
content is not Of recent origin. The next
question, going one step further back, is,
What has caused this widely difFused and
almost universal discomfort ? It is q
great mistake TO suppose, as Is by some,
that it originated with demagogues, who
excited the discomfort with the intention
Of aiding their personal advancement,
or with the disappointed ambition of Ger.
tain politicians. who rosorted to it as the
means Of retrieving their fortunes. On
the contrary, all the great political inaus
ences of the section were arrayed against
excitement, and exerted 10 the utmost TO
keep the people quiet. The great mass
OF the people Of the South were divided
as IN other sections, into Wings and Dem
ocrats. The leaders and the presses, CT
both parties in the South, were.very soil.
citous to prevent excitement and to pre-
serve quiet, because it was seen that the
effects of the former would necessarily
tend to weaken, If not destroy, the polit-
ical ties which, united themNwith their
respective parties in the other. section.
Those who know the strength of party
ties will readily appreciate the immense
force which..this scause ,cxcrted against
agitation, and in favor of preserving quiet.
But great as it was, it was not sufficient
to prevent the widespread discomfort
which now pervades this, section, No;
some cause far deeper and more powers
ful than the ore supposed must exist, to
account for discomfort so wide and deep.
The question, ,ttheH recurs: What, is. the
cause Of this discomfort? 1t will be found
in the belief Of the people OF the Southern
States, as prevalent as the discomfort IL
sell, that They cannot remain, as, things
now are, consistently with honor and
safety in.the Union. n The next question
to be consideredt tis,I What, hasl caused
this belief? There are several minor
causes, one CT which is the agitation Of
the slavery question at the North. But
there is.another lying back of il. that may
be regarded as the great and primary cause.
This is to be found in the fact THAT the
| equilibrium between the two sections in
the Government as it stood when the
Constitution was ratified and the Gov~
ernment put in action, has Jeen DESTROYED.
At that time there was nearly perfect
equilibrium between the two, but as it
now stands, one section has the ecelusiee
power of controlling the government,
which leaves the other without any ad-
equate means of protecting itself against
encroachment and oppression. The res
suit OF the whole is to give, the northern
section predominance in c,r,y departn,em
of government, and thereby .iconcentrate
| in it the two elements which constitute
| the Federal Government. The majority Of
States and majority of their population,
estimated in federal numbers, whatever
section concentrates the two in itself, pos
,sses the conh0i of the entire go,rTup,eat'
We here have the true cause cf the
Rebellion, 1.-The loss Of the control. .of the
| Federal Government, in all of it. depart
ments. II was not the agitation of the
slave question it was not the temporary
success of the Republican party, as such,
and the election of its candidate ID the
presidency; it was not the unjuslifed, ,ags
gressions Of the North --on' the rights of
the South. 1t was because, by the force
Of natural causes which could no longer
be withstood, by art and artifce, by the
people of the South, that the North, by
possessing the majority of states and the
majority.of population, counted in Federal
numbers, became .the Federal Govern
ment; to which, by the force of the same
causes, the Southern became a mere po-
liiical dependence, and must ever remain
so while the Federal Government should
continue. Every recurring census decade
forced this conviction deeper and deeper
into the..minds OF the. more intelligent OF
the Southern people, and long before the
decade Of 1860 they knew they Lad but
one alternative, - to submit to be governs
ed by the North, or cut loose and erect
new government of their own, where they
could possess all the power They chose
the latter, and steadily prepared for the
event, either.by fraud or force, as circumS
stances might dictate.
The movement. was desperate, but it
was their only hope for power, and pro-
ceeded from despair, /, They lost and
like Milton's satan, fell into deeper depths,
The Federal Government is with, and in,
the North, not by force or violence, not
by wrong done to the South, not by in-
triguc and party chicanery, but; by the
inevitable laws. Of population, and the
force Of uncomfortable circumstances
The North have emily be true to the
trust imposed upon them by the Provi>
dence of God, to come. out of the dread
tul conflict forced upon them. with clean
hands and pure hearts
An EMINENT CHRISTIAN MERCHANT