Year: 1863

| Setuer uulluB tue great struggle now SolnS OH
between the Government and those who are en-
deavoring to destroy it. In Union there is
strength and to guide and direct it we must
have organization, harmony and concert of ac-
! tion.


Ave have all been delighted in our youth with
| the fable of the old man who showed his sons u
bundle of rods and pointed out to them how easy
it was to snap one asunder and how difficult to
break the whole united in bundle. The princi-
pie involved in this illustration pervades the
whole moral. physical and political world. Just
as sure as Union men suffer themselves to be
divided into factions in this State on collateral
and minor issues, just certain will they suffer
at the coming election shameful defeat, the
consequence of which upon the welfare and pros
perity of this country no one can tell. Let civil
war break out in this State it surely will if the
secessonists get into power, and property and
life will be safe no longer


How are we to avert such a calamity? We
know no better way than to follow the example
of our brethren in the Atlantic States-form our
selves into a loyal, National League, and fight
the battle on the plain, simple issue now before
the American peope--Union or Disunion. There
is no other issue, nor can there be until the re-
bellion is put down, and it should be distinctly
understood that those persons who are striving
to raise other issues about the Proclamation, or
the mode of carrying on the war, to weaken
those entrusted with the management of the Gov
ernment, are sympathizers with treason, and are
doing this for the real purpose of giving success
to the rebel cause


The following is copy of the pledge which
Union men subscribe to in the Eastern States,
and the only one required to be subscribed to by
those becoming members of the National Union
League:


We, the undersigned, citizens of the United States here
by associate ourselves under the and title of the
LOYAL NATIONAL LEAGUE


We pledge ourselves to unconditional loyalty to the
Government of the United States to unwayerng sup
port of its efforts to suppress the rebellion aud to spare no
endeavor to maintain unimpaired the National Unity both
in principle and territorial boundary.


The primary object Of this League is and shall be- to
bind together all Loyal of all trades and professions,
in common union to maintain the power, glory and in
| tegrty OF the Nation


1t is comprehensive and succinct, one which n o
Union man can hesitate to take, and at once
commends itself to the common sense of every
body, regardless of past party affiliations. Such
men as Judge Daily, John Van Buren. James T.
Brady and Daniel S. Dickinson, (all formerly
Breckenridge men), VIM. IL. Seward. S. p. Chase,
Edward Everett and hundreds of thousands more
have already subscribed to it and favor the move
ment.


1t will be observed that this is no proposition
to form party or secret association to move in
the dark for some hidden purpose. 1t is simply
an open, honest and patriotic pledge to stand by
the Republic against its enemies in arms, and
those who are secretly cooperating with them.
Those who do not fully understand it or do not
intend to abide by it should not subscribe to it.
By this means Union men will be brought to-
gethcr, and enabled to know each other, and
also know those who are against them. The
emmssaries of JEFF. Davis are busy among us
using every effort to rally the cohorts of treason
under the name of Democracy, and it is no time
for the friends of the Government to be idle.
Call meetings in every precinct in the county,
select President and Secretary, aud if neces
sary appoint committee to confer with every
citizen in the precinct, and procure sgners to
the foregoing pledge Means must also be taken
to extend the circulation of Union papers and
campaign documents, to counteract the baneful
influence of the "copperbead" " journals and
secret circulars which designing men are scatter
ing throughout the land. Recollect that educa-
ton and learning and correct political inorma-
tion are the bane Of the present type Of Dcmoc
racy.


! Our principles cannot suffer by free discussion,
aud we should be proud to stand up manfully
and proclaim our devotion to the Union, and de-
termination to stand by the country till every
enemy is put down. We leave to the conspira-
tors the odious necessity of carrying on their
Vaccinations in secret and darkness trusting
that the day is not distant when they will call
upon the rocks and mountains to fall upon them
| to hide them from the wrath of an outraged and
indignant people. The people are determined to
put down the rebellion, if it takes every man
and every dollar in the United States We have
an army of no less than seven hundred thousand
men in the field, which are unsurpassed by any
ever known in history, with a navy equal to a
land force of half million more. Congress has
given the President power to call out three
millions more if he should deem it expedent,
while the finances of the country have been
placed almost absolutely under his control. By
authority of law he can Issue letters of marque,
aud suspend the writ of habeds corpus.


With all these extraordinary powers placed in
his hands, backed up by the earnest support of
the twenty millions of the loyal States, the re.
bellion must be crushed sooner or later. When
the contest is ended and the attempt at separa
ton given up it will be given up for many ages
to come. No such bloody lesson will be again
] II mil ha do,
that treason or the waging of war against the
Government is a crime not to be committed with
mpunty, and which necessarily brings in its
train the most terrible retributons. The unsuc
cessful efforts of Aaron Burr and Benedict Ar.
mold had made us nearly forget how appalling
and heinous the offense Of attempting the sub.
version of lawful Government, and il required
the dark plots of the Southern conspirators, with
all their train Of devastation woe, carnage and
death to illustrate the magnitude Of this crime.