The Osceola times., 1876-09-30
THO GREATEST YEI,
Continued from Frs, Pao,.

To our conhdencc--parlicularly and elo
guenly warned by Mr.. CLAW and NJ,
Webster-that IL ever the abolitionist
got hold upon the organized physica
iorce OF the country they would COVER
without law, scefI at the authority of Tn
courts and throw down all the defence
of civil liberty.
But il the south had not seeded w
might have made a successful defense O
our constitution though the powers off TIN
government were in the hands of its en-
emies. With the aid of the southern
people, If they had been true TO thei
duty. we would have organized an oppo
sition 50 formidable in its moral and 70
litical power that you would scarcel,
have dared 10 assault us. No wonder
that we were "union savers" for TO u,
the union meant personal liberty, FIRE,
thought, an independent press, habeas
corpus, trial by jury, the impartial adj
ministration of justice--all these great
legal institutions which our iorefathcrs
had shed 80 much of blood 10 build up.
The south deserted US at the crisis OF
our fate, and left us in our weakness to
the mercy of the most unprinciped ty-
rants that ever betrayed public trust.
Secession was not mere folly and mad.
hess; it was something much worse We
could not but feel that we were deeply
wronged. There was no remedy for the
dire calamities with which we were
threatened except in bringing the Sc
ceded states back 10 their places in the
union. Our convictions of LEGAL duty.
our exasperated sense of injury and a
proper care for our best interests, all i'm
PEELED us TO Join the new administration
in the use of such force as might he found
necessary TO execute the laws in every
part of the country.
THE WAR OF THE PHAEIsEE.
But the abolitionists wanted war
for the destruction of the union, for the
overthrow of the constitution, for the
subversion OF free government, and for
the subjugation of the whole country to
that "higher law" which imposes no re.
straint upon the rapacity and malice of
tie ruling power. To such war the
national conscience was opposed. The
soul of every respectable officer in the
army and navy revolted at it, and every
virtuous man in private life felt il to be
an unspeakable outrage. To those who
doubted before, the disaster of
Bull Run made it plain that
TIE war could not be successfully
carried on unless II was put upon
principles consistent with the usagcs of
christendom and the safety of our own
institutions Therefore, it was that on
the I'D of July, 1861, congress with
almost perfect unanimity, passed reso-
luton through both houses, declaring in
the most explicit words that the war
should be conducted to preserve the con.
stitution, and not 10 revolutonize il.
give you here the words of the resolu.
tion itself from the Congressional Globe,
p. 223:
Resolved, That the present dcplorable
civil war has been forced upon the
country by the disunionists of the south.
ern states, now in arms against the CON
stitutional government, and in arms
around the capital that in this national
emergency, congress- banishing all feel.
ing of mere passion of resentment, will
recollect only its duty to the whole
country; that this war is not wagcd ON
their part in any spirit of oppression, or
tor any purpose OF conquest or subiupa.
tion or purpose OF overthrowing or In.
terfering with the rights or established
institutions Of those states, but 10 de-
iend and maintain the supremacy of the
constitution, and to preserve the union
with all the dignity, equality and rights
OF the several states unimpaired and
that rs soon as these objects are accom-
plished the war ought TO cease"
Confiding in this assurance democrats
from every northern state rushed TO the
front by the hundred thousand; the
border states of the south gave in their
formal adhesion to the government and
our great military leaders drew their
swords with alacrity in support of the
free institutions 10 which they had shown
their fidelity 50 often before.
With what base perfidy this solemn
pledge WAS broken ] need not tell YOU,
tor this speech shows that you know il
well. You expressly declare that so far
from sustaining the government you
revolutionized it. Instead of war for
the union, YOU claim that it put the
states out of the u'ion, and you had
right To keep them out as long as YOU
pleased or admit them to their places on
any terms however degrading, which
you choose TO dictate. Inst nd of re-
storing the supremacy of the constitu
I ION all your politicians held, and ~ fal
] know from their public declarations
: TIL hold, that the victory of the federal
forces abolished the constitution not only
In the south but in the north, and there.
fore they were not bound to observe its
Limitations, either in their legislative,
Jadicial or executive measure. Instead
OF bringing back the states with their
rights unimpaired, according to your
promise, you crippled, enslaved, subju-
gated and disfranchised them. Instead
ot using the war power for the Just and
lawful purposes to which you were
pledged, you converted it into black
republican job Ia put the rights of all
the people permanently under the feet
OF an unprincipled party.
submit this part of the case 10 your
consideration. ! ask you to say whether
You can find in the whole history of the
human race another instance oi similar
Perhdy on scale so large. The base
mes. OF the Massachusetts authorities in
selling the surrendered Pequods into
slavery alter solemn promise to the
contrary was but the germ of an idea"
on which you acted in the fullness of its
growth. Their act was in its nature and
character nearly AS bad AS it could be /:
but only eight score of helpless people
suffered by it; the victims of your
treachery are counted by millions.
THE CORRUPTION OF THE PHARrsrr.