Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-08-07
pages 36l and 1863 he explained two over.
lures" as he calls them, as follows

" Each was, Oi course. intended 10 strengthen
the Unionists Of the SOUTH - the former lhi- own.
above qunted by showing that the North did not
regard the slave States as y conquest OF which il
was about ~ take possession. nor vet as a heri
tage whence were derived its subsistence md
wealth hut rather that it looked on their people
as misguided, excited brethren, with whom we
were anxious to discuss all differences freely. set
tie them (f pnssihle) amicahly, or rARr-U mart
nc musi-iN glNDNEss AND GOOD WILL "
This, we repeat, is Mr. Greeleys-eSpana.
ton since the war was over, aud when he had
had ample opportunity to review and correct
his opinions. Therefore we call attention to
the fact that he did not dsavow his strong
conviction of he right Of secession in 1860
and 1861, but actually reafirmcd his opinion
of the duty of uon.resistance by declaring
that, in case Of secession by the South, we
must PART IN EtNDNEss AND GOOD WILL"
This was the very thing the rebels wanted
" LEr Us ALONE" was their cry but to let
them alone was to let the Union slide ITO
dissolve ito bot out from the map Of the
world the groudest nation upon it, and to per.
petuate the barbarities Of slavery over mil
lions on millions Of its people. We doubt
not this is the very thing the unrcpentaut
rebels want now. They would have US let
alone the Ku.Klux scheme for annihiIatug
Repubicanism in the South 3" let alone
their schemes for future secession aud rebel.
liou aud " let them alone when they shall
again secede. Mr.. Greeley's committal to
this doctrine is surely enough to account for
the support these men are now zealously CIV
ing him; and the fact that they have.klleady
elected rebels to the next CoQef tAssi
North Carolina, and are likely to E ~ more
eseshere, should warn everybody that the
contest for and against the Union may speed
lily be renewed in tie Capitol. There will
be possible danger, then, in the election Of
Mr. Greeley. With Congress partly rebel
las was the 36th--aud the President stand.
ing as buchanan did, against the right of
the Government to coerce the rebelious
States into submission surrounding himself,
as Buchanan did, with cabinet and kitchen.
cabinet advisers some Of whom had convic-
tons on this momentuous question like his
own, aud others were embarrassed by their
personal and political relations all the cor
ditious for renewal of the conflict would be
restored by Greeeys election to just where
they were IN lSG0-G1.
But is there real or proJaJle darger2 We
would alarm nobody needlessly and therefore
we will state the case as it will probably
stand, that every reader may judges him
self If the rebel support in the 'intry, in
combination with sympathizing Democrats
and sore-headed Republicans, shall suffice to
elect Greeley, then it is certain that some
portion Of Congress also will be composed Of
rebels surely enough to make claml 'ous de-
mauds aud kinde anew the flames o. discon-
tent in the South if those demands shall be
refused Let Us consider, therefore, the prob
able nature of these demands, aud the provo
cations to renewed attempts at secession and
rebellion.
The first logical conclusion from Greeley.
position is, that the ,car for The Union tcas
mrong. Can any body doubt that future
Rebel Congressman will so claim They
did claim it all through the war and 50 did
Northern Democrats and especially those who
are now Jealous for Greeley 1t is reason
able therefore to assume that they will do so
again. On this position, it is easy to see that
many claims may be made to stir Tie Soath-
ern heart. II the war itself was wrong then
all its Legitimate consequences were wrong
So it may be claimed and logically argued.
Consider then, some Of The partic,ag claims
that the representatives Of Southern rebels
mag make.
First, as to The National Debt As the
debt is for an unjust aud wrongful war upon
the South, it will be unjust to tax the South
for the payment of that debt, and the people
Of the Union War States al, ne should pay it.
Second, as to the Debt Of the Southern Csn.
Jederacy; the war upon the South being
wrong, it follows that the immense cost forced
upon the South in selEdefensc should be paid
by the Union War States. Or, third as a
very fair compromise the Federal Govern.
ment must consolidate the Confe3erat, and
National DeJts and pay both, This logic will
apply also to pensions and grants of public
lands, aud require that both Union and'rebcl
soldiers shall be put upon the same footing
Fourth, as to Slayery: the war being Wrong,
aud the Proclamation of MISUNDERSTANDING
a war measure--as were also the coufscation
acts whether Of slaves or property-it will
of course be claimed that these acts were
also wrong, and that the right thing to be
done will be to restore all these to the South
slaves and property precisely as they we're
before the war. Here the new amendments
to the Constitution will come in, but not to
the disturbance Of Southern equanimity or
logic. The rebels are prepared because they
have already insisted that the amendments
are nugatory, and can argue strongly, on
Greeley's position as to secession, that being
rightfully out Of the Union when the amend
ments were adopted, these amendments are Of
no force rs to them aud indeed tbatdhe
Constitution itself is Of no force, because the
rebel States have been eroagfu11y forced
back into the Union.
1t would be easy to multiply claims Of Ibis
sort, based on Greeley's doctrine Of The rigEt
Of secession, which may be urged on Congress
by the rebels with great apparent justice,
and with irresistible force upon Southern
minds predisposed to receive them. Is it IN
reasonable to anticipate this Let ua not
forget the past, and let US not shut our Heyes
to the fact that the irroags to the South, IL
the war oas wrong, are infinitely worse than
all the pretexts for secession that have ever
heen made bnlore What then 80 49,