The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1869-07-26
,dium. It would lave been stran 90 . h

and it was not strange, that having
arisen, it should resultin a conflict o.
shot ard steel. So deep-seated and 81
widespread were these convictions apl
so complicated with other issues and in
tercsts, that the whole nation was i'm
plicated, and in point Of numbers were SC
equally divided. THE South, by its
geographicallposition could not avail it
self Of the whole personal force Of those
who so conformed to its opinions, but its
force in the field was sufficient to CON.
mand for it tho acknowledgment Of
Belligerent Rights. A civil war pro
duces two independent parties (Which
breaks the bands Of society and govern.
ment or at leastit suspendstheir force and
efect."--Eattels Law of Nations. Bill.
CHI, xviii, Sec., 293. Here, in every
virtue Of our form of government and III
every virtue Of the Constitution as only
self-defensive, there was only suspension
o. the powers OF the government This
acknowledgment Of BelIigerent Rights, oil
itself, was evidence of the fact either
that the wrongs Of the government had
oeen so great, or were reasonably antici-
patcd rs being SO imminent, or that the
principles involved in the p controversy
were SO important and so generally recog,
uizel as in the Law Of Nations to pallia,e
excuse or justify the resort to arms,
Their lclligereut Rights we're recognized
by tho Central Government. In the
true theory of our government (and Lam
unwilling to make any admission Of a
theory which will invalida,e the suprem'
acy Of the Constitution) the South, BY
this acknowledgement. of these belligeren'
rights, was not recognized as . foreign
government at war with the Union. The
Government was but self defensive, self
asserting It's own Constitutional National.
ity. But they were admitted to all the
rights Of .l'elligeren,s. In the savage
state Of society the couqueror could XII
and cat his enemies or us do the Indians Of
the West, make them ruu the gauntlet OF
burn them at the stake; In the Barbarian
age he sold them as slavas; in the semi
civilized state he DISTINGUISHED them,
unseated them from their lands, trails.
planted them to fresh colonies, baptized
tlem7in a new religion, or otherwise
made them feel that the chances .of war
in the success of a truculent nature or Of
sordid ambition was sad vicissitude to
the conquered frequently faul.less in
themselves or lighting for a-'principle
which was true or they honestly believed
to be true. Now, thanks to the progress
Of humanity and religion which through
these many centuries has been moulding
aud changing these sasageand barbaric
rights (rites) Of the vic,ors, such claims
are enormitics in the moral judgment Of
mankind These Bclligerents Rights
carry with them the evidence Of this
amelioration and progress. What nov
would have been instruction. treason, re.
bellion in a small body Of men or q
worthless and corrupt crew, or even. of .
hostile minority formidable to the govern
mcnt under this old Naturalization, il
now ia the milder influence Of the great
Progress of the racsr aud this facknowl'
edgment of these rights to 4. great body
Of men. thus, circnmstanccl, but. tho
"Nattel Of law for the yinlicaton Of /;
principle. Itis manifest fr6mih whole
history of the conflict as from the very
'naturGo Of the principle ayowed aud acted
III b. the South, that had It succeeded i,
would have been, on its part. purely for
dts oSn independence, aud not to impose
aay burthens on its antagonist, nor ,g
claim any Of the spols orr advantages o.
victory, other !tlan those strictly Incident
to stlf.lcfenses In ills state, Of thing'
the Irinciple is vindicated in favor Of III,
unioE,. Its triumphant. The Union il
immortal. immortality tie very impottncy
Of the South to7aficct any inimical pur.
pose, by the very concession of the Soutl
made III It's total and immediate abandon
mrut Of hostile attitude uponits surrende,
and so, its acknowledgements that the is
sue was decided against it. and by itht
general Gear Of good men, North anG
South. that the tendency Of things il
ratherto Imperialism than toany llem
ocratic republicnnisin or any republican
Democracy, or any resurr led ghost o
State Rights ~ Sal VIZ ssI-;,4,
In this connection observe the vas pro
grcss made il the Laws Of war from tliJ
oldbarbarism Of the past. IA prince
taking h towiio or province from his encnl,
can justly acquire ovcrit the same righ
only an belonging to the sovereign agains
whom he had taken arms War authnr
.ises him to possess himself Of what be
lcnged to his enemy, il he deprives bin
Of the sovereignty cf n town or province
he acquires i Us il is riM all its ltnta
lions and notifications. vattcl, B, iii :
xiii, 100. Surely by making.thc war ant
making it successfully. he Prime doe
not acquire the right 10 subvert his owl
government, aud in this Subycrsion i'm
pose other Limitations and notifications
on the conquered. Surely the success o
the Union under the Constitution, di,
not subvert tie Constitution else are VI
running into Imperialism. Tie Consti
tuition is only and purely viulicatory
aud CONF uest gives It no new powers, no