Year: 1865

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rebels than an acquiescence in the


measures of the Federal Government


and the maintenance af loyalty in


good faith. Many will, no doubt


scout the idea as chimerical and alto


gether unfounded. Others will doubt


less inquire for the cause of such sus


picions with a view of meeting the


emergency, should it toccur.,


In case such secret designs should


now or hereafter be entertained, and


also in case that the loyal masses and


the Government were to prove blind


to the fact, or infidel to such represen.
tation, and the conspirators were to
advance with their plans, and actually
gain the ascendency of power ere the
loyal masses should awake to the dan
ger, as was in fact the case prior to
the breaking out of the rebellion, it
would prove most deplorable calami-
ty indeed. 1t could not fail to entail
disgrace and shame upon the loyal
masses and the Government in the
eyes Of all the world and in all time
to come.


Let me call the readers serious at
tention for moment to this question
before he spurns it as senseless
phantom. Here let me say that there
are actually grounds for such appre-
tensions, or there are not. In case
there arc, then there must be some ex-
isting and known facts, which, in their
nature, suggest such designs, or afford
good grounds for such suspicious. In
order that we may not pass over the
matter too hastily for a subject of
such magnitude, then, let us pause
and inquire whether there is, i'm reali-
ty, cause for such surmise. 1t is as
serted that there is. Right here is
the point to inquire what are the facts
in the case and what is their charac-
ter. 1t seems that thousands of the
chief actors in the rebellion are apply
ing for pardon, and are making every
possible effort to get the control of
the State Governments, with great
professions Of loyalty and are pro-
Tossing acquiescence in the abolition
of slavery, and the endorsement of all
the measures Of the General Govern
ment, affecting the rebel States, and
yet there are existing facts which
seem to contradict these professions.
Let US look into these contradictory
facts to see what they amount to.


1t is a safe and accurate rule for de-
termining the conduct of a person, to
ascertain what his fixed and settled
character has been. For example: If
a man has established an unblemished
character for veracity and honesty we
are led to judge that his future course
of conduct will be the same. In this
we are not often deceived. On the
other hand, in case person has set
tied character for falsehood and fraud,
we are led to conclude at once that
his future conduct will be the same,
and are seldom deceived in this.


Let us apply this rule to the case
in hand. What have the leading spir-
its of the slave oligarchy shown their
character to be for integrity, honesty,
philanthropy, and for the promotion of
the rights of mankind Note the man
ner in which they have fulfilled their
covenants how they have sustained
the compromises of the Federal Con-
stitution," so called. 1t was the uni
form and concurrent sentiment, and
design of the members of the convcn-
tion which formed that instrument that
slavery should not extend over any
further territory than it then occupied,
and 1t was to cease at no distant peri
cd. 1t was the uniform understand.
ing that all were to work to that end.
That Constitution was thence adopted
by the people and became the su-
preme law Of the land. But how did
the shareholders maintain their fideli-
ty? How did they observe the obliga-
tions of that compromise 2 History
informs us. Louisiana, Arkansas,
Missouri, Mississippi, Florida and
Texas, have been brought in as slave
States in direct violation Of that meas
ure of compromise. Then the line So
80 north latitude, called the Missou-
ri Compromise Line" was established
by special agreement as an offset
against the admission of Missouri as
q slave State. How have they main
tanned their faith and their honor in
that respect! See ! in 1850, with
Stephen A. Douglas as their leader,
how faithlessly did they abrogate that
compromise by repeal of the act es-
tablishing it, with view of making


Kansas a slave State ! And note, too,
the civil war carried on in Kansas by
the concurrence and authority of the
slave oligarchy. Consider the lawless


usurpations and wholesale frauds, and


the innocent blood that was shed there! !
Then look at the preparatory steps to


the rebellion the deep schemes laid


for the entire overthrow of the Gov.
ernment and the whole history of the


rebellion, their loud declarations that


they SO detest the Northern people


that they would die in the last ditch y


rather than again enjoy protection un.


der the flag of the Union.