Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-06-17

4
! by the mere apprehension of this war; when
| / turn to our own business circles and see
men of wealth reduced to poverty our mer-
chants bankrupted, our mechanics and la
| boring men threatened with absolute star
walton, would fain hide my face in grief
But confronting this wide scene OF human
distress | sadly seek to find relief from it.
II war, or the mere prospect Of it, has in
three short months worked all this distress,
what an increase of trouble are we to antlc-
ipate should it proceed in all its detail Of
oppressive taxation, destruction, demorail-
'zation and sorrow! Human governments
were ordained for the happiness and pro.
lection of society Ifpei:a will restore aI1
secure these blessings 10 the people 81 the
United States, even though a number OF
their former associates have gone of under
new and independent organization, in the
name of heaven lei us raise our voice for it.
Shall this earnest cry for peace be stihed at
the bidding of host of financial and cow
ardly editors, aided by an army of greedy
contractors and public leeches, stimulating
an ignorant mob to denounce and attack us
as traitors and secessieniSts; We know it
shall not and this day do We proclaim our
duty to our country and our intention 10
perform it.
The cabinet Of Abraham Lincoln have
effected to treat all the seeded States as
still members of the Union. If so, surely
they are entitled to all those privileges
which the constitution gives them, while
they are also subject TO It's penalties. Yet
war in all its forms by land and sea, with
all It's seventies. has been levied against
these States, and the forms and most posi-
tive limits Of the constitution, which is the
supreme law OF this land TO the President
and cabinet as the humbeSt private citizen,
have been steadily and contemporary dis
regarded in its prosecution. The act ofwar
Is a solemn act at any time; in war against
our brethren of the South it is surely ten
fold so. Bv the express terms of the COhstl-
tuition, the right to declare war is delegated
to Congress. The President has no such
power. But he has, without even the forms
OF submission to Congress, i'll pal pable vio-
latiOn of the charter of government, which
is his guide as it is ours summoned glgan-
tic army, and that, too, for an extended
time, exceeding the term limited by the
constitution for the appropriation to support
armed forces. The question Of peace or
war, say, was never reposed in any Presl-
dent or cabinet. Congress alone possesses
the power to declare war, and in the present
case protest that our people have never
been allowed any opportunity to vote and
express their wishes on this momentouS and
terrible issue. Had it been given them last
winter believe our beloved Union would
this day have been firmly knit by the bonds
of good will and good faith which originally
formed it and alone can preserve it. But
the infractions of the constitution By those
officials into whose hands the rcinS Of gov
eminent have passed have not ended here
The invasions of personal liberty in our sis
ter State of Maryland have been such as to
Justly alarm and almost dishearten those
who believed that our free institutions were
not mere forms, to be blotted out at the
caprice or tyranny Of our temporary rulcrs.
The seizure OF telegrapnic messages, the
invasion of the privacy of the mails, the ar
rest and Imprisonment without judicial pro-
cess of citizens. have followed each other in
startling succession. These acts are simply
rSurpatiOnS. not only without color or law,
but against express rights. You and | ara
citizens of Delaware TO her laws and
government we owe allegiance TO the Fed
eral Government. Of which she is q member,
But as State officials can command US to no
duty unknown 10 State laws neither can a
Federal officer claim any authority over us
in matters not within his constitutional and
legal control A palpablc intrOction of our
written charter of government by our rulers
! iuStifeS diso0edicnce upon the part of a
citizen as much as lawful orders are entitled
to loyal compliance.
And. fellOw-ditizenS, never in our nations
/ history were her citizens called upon more
/ strictly to call their agents to account than
/ now The so-called military necessities
are beguiliug and dangerous in the extreme.
! The conquest of the South will be poor
rccompenSc to the North if our system OF
government be the price We are to pay for
I it Obedience and good faith toward a
government which protects him is the pri
mary duty of good citizen; but where
| that government is one of limited powers,
and those limitations created for the pre-
scryatiOn of individual liberty against the
aggrcsSions of rulert of majoritics, let us
Iuht lttNl ltNl Ill Stthll8 W HluNt u Nbht
upon Others we awake to find one upon our
own necks We can say with present war
measures ofthe administration and the spec
, taclc of MARYLAND before us, how long a
trace Of constitutional liberty will
remain for the other States in the Union
and how soon stern military deSpotsm
NAV uSurp the place of the constitution and
! the laws? Let MS as freemen stand prepared
| N all lawful ways to resist tie the inugura-
/ ton of such degrading condition of affairs
/ no matter how plausible or Specious may be
the plea undet which it is urged Let no
; man believe that he may ever safely violate
! Il great principle. The poisoned chaliCe
I will some day be commended to his own lips.
And if we to-day pass lightly over the out
ge upon the rights of John Merryman w9
NAV to morrow mourn in our own persons
: Of similar wrongs to his. If he has trans
dressed the laws, let them be fully vindicat-
ed. But it has been our boast that the
humbleSt person, nay, the meaneSt felon,
has civil rights proceeding his punishment
which no ruler can justly deprive him OF.
Let us stand by the laws. The matter, in
conclusion, ask YOU to hear and consider
carefully.
\ gentleman from Newcastle county who
has been your United States Senator for
more than 10 years past, | have the honor
to call nv father II there be one thing he
has tried fully and fairly TO do, it has been
to represent the people of this State And
YOU will do him the justice to say he never
deceived YOU, nor ever will His worst foe
will agree to that. The present issues
which distract our country were not in cX-
istcnce when he was chosen as your repre-
sentative. and of late as YOU are aware,
having taken decided ground upon them,
he has been called upon by voices many
and loud to resign his seat in the Senate.
The motives of those who have been most
prominent in such request OF little moment,
although their disguise is in many cases but
Aimsy. Toa Just man, however, a sense of
! good faith and self respect would prevent
his remaining at any time in false posi-
ton. II, therefore, he processes to represent
people, it must be in fact, not in name
only The Legislature now in existence
were not elected with reference to present