Year: 1864

twelve thousand dollars for tho payment
Of the State Printer.
The Union members present declared
that no such resolution hal been real in
their hearing. and that no quorum was
present to pass that or any other. De
that as it may. it was but the resolution of
one House. 1t was not law. and had no
force or validity whatever. Under the
fiimsy pretext of this resolution warrants
were issued to the State Printer for twelve
thousand dollars. on which he drew the
money. When this sum was exhausted.
there was little delay in the payments.
but having become bolder, and the neces-
sites of the editor of the Sentinel becom-
ing greater, they dispensed with all pre-.
texts or forms of law, and paid him largs
sums of money from time to time, in all
amounting to about $4,000. When
asked to pay for the support of the Benev-
olent Institutions they plead the absence
Of appropriations, and the terrors of the
embezzlemcnt bill But when asked to
pay the editor of a partizan newspaper.
they laughed at the embezxlement bill as
a good joke, and treated the plea of no ap-
propriations as clever thing in its way.
but too trifling to interfere with the sup
port of the newspaper organ of the party.
am informed that the Attorney General
gave an opinion to the effect that it was
legal 10 pay the State Printer. | should
have been surprised it he had not.


RIGHT OF THE GOVERNMENT TOWARD REBELS.


Passing from matters of local or State
interest, the Governor next took up our
national condition and sail:


1t is truth taught alike by reason and
history, that the more terrible and des-
tructive wars are made the sooner they
are ended. Lingering and protractei wars
are the most terrible calamities that can
befal Nations. Not only do they con-
sumo the blood and substance of a Nation.
but they are attended with demoraliza-
tion and dissolution of the frame work of
society more dreadful than the loss of
even blood and treasure. Humanity. mer-
cy and sound policy then dictate that war.
if it must exist, shall be made terrible and
destructive that it may soon be ended, and
demand that every legitimate means for
that purpose shall be promptly employed.


The power of the enemy may be over
come and destroyed in two ways: First.
By destroying or capturing his army in
the field. Second, BY Withdrawing or
cutting off his resources so that he shall
not be able to furnish, clothe, feed, or
maintain an army. and where this can be
done it is quite as efficient as the former.
and far less costly and bloody to both par
ties. The resources to which refer con-
sist chiefly in arms and munitions Of war,
transportation, food and clothing for ar
mics.


The first great step adopted by the Gov
crnmen. to cut off the resources of the reb-
els was the blockade of their ports. and
the exclusion Of all foreign trade or COM
merce. This effort has been only partial
ly successful. and there is good reason to
believe that if its success had boon com
plete, the rebellion would have failed be-
fore this time for want of material and
supplies for carrying it on.


The question of the power Of the gov
ernment to blockade the ports of the rebel
Ststes was early presented in the courts.
and kas been solemnly affirmed in the Su-
preme Court of the United States, every
Judge concurring. No higher exhibition
of tho war power in cases of rebellion can
be presented than blockading rebel ports.
and treating them as the ports of foreign
enemy. The Constitution is silent upon
the subject, but the Court held that the
right is q necessary pant of the war ma
king power to suppress rebellion. 1t was
done by order of the President, and with
ont authority or concurrent act OF Con-
gress. sd


An attempt has been made from the boz
ginning to destroy rebel means of trans
portation and communication. by cutting
up and destroying their railroads. bridges,
steamboats, and shipping of every kind
The right to do this has not been seriously
questioned and is part Of the war power
vested in the President as Commander-in-
Chief of the Army and Navy of the United
States. a-sn


But how shall tine ability of the rebels
to feed and clothe their armies. and clothe
and subsist their families at home be des-
troyed? That is great question demand
ing our consideration. To answer it we
must carefully consider in what that abili-
ty consists. We find that this ability con-
sists chiefly in the labor of about four


millions of negro slaves, who are employ
ed in producing food and clothing for tbs


families at home and the armies in the


field, providing munitions of war, repair.
ing railroads. erecting Notifications, mana
ging baggage trains, and performing near
ly all the labor in the field, the workshop
and the camp. We shall find il this slave
labor could be withdrawn their armies in
the field could not be fel and clothed, and
that the men composing those armies


would be compelled to return home and


labor for their own and the subsistence Of


their families.


Their armies thus collapsed and dissor.


we'd, the rebellion would be ended. and


with it the war and eIusion Of blood.
But should tbers be those who deny thai


the withdrawal from the rebels of slave


labor would be decisive upon the rebellion.


yet even they are bound to confess that II
would tend powerfully in that direction


and greatly contribute to destroy the vital


resource OF the rebels. If, then. the with


drawl Of slave labor from the rebels would
be so potent in its effects and disastrous e
tho ~oholl,ou =. ,,y,on What 0round can AZ