Year: 1861

lnere IS another fallacy IN speaking
of the resolution of the North to crush
Secession by force. It is the resolution
Of the Eation-of all that is faithful and
loyal in it, wherever found The peo-
pie of the Southern States have not had
any fair opportunity to express their
opinions. The military usurpers have
allowed nothing to be submitted to the
test of popular vote, except where
they were able to take such measures of
precaution, in the way of hanging, con-
fscation, banishment, disarming oppo-
nents, and the presence of an armed
force which should overawe dissenters, as
might secure' the unanimity they de-
sired. There is undoubtedly much
more loyalty in the Northern than in
the Southern States of the Union, as
there is less of passion, and more of in
telligence and principle-although trea-
son has, till very lately, found more
than enough apologists or abettors even
in the Free States. But the spirit
which now actuates our people has little
that is sectional in it, and the principles
at issue have the same application to
Maine that they have to Florida.


t When we ask, then, where this rebel
lion will leave US, and what will be the
condition of the United States when
the authority of the Government has
been vihdicated and re-established, the
answer must be sought in the consider
ations already suggested The rebel
lion cannot be ended, until we have set
tied as principle of constitutional law
for our own citizens, and as a fact of
which all other nations must take no
tice, that this whole country belongs to
the people Of the United States. No
foreign power shall possess foot of it.
If the majority of the people of a
State can throw off their allegiance to
the Union, they can transfer their allie
glance to England or Spain at their
pleasure, as well as to new confederacy
of their own devising: The battles of
the Revolution which secured onr indie
pendence were fought by the whole
country, and for the whole country,
without reference to local maj orr ties
The accessions to our territory were
made by the nation as unit, and be-
long to it as such. We did not acquire
Texas, and pay the millions of its debt,
with the reservation that it might sell
itself again the next day to the highest
bidder That no foreign dominion
shall interpose between the Northwest
and the Atlantic, or between the Valley
of the Mississippi and the Gulf, is a
geographical necessity. But that the
American Union is indissoluble is es-
sential to our national existence. If
thgt be not so, We have neither a flag
nor country-we can neither contract
Il debt nor make a treaty-we have nei-
ther honor Il broad nor strength at home
our eSferimep. f free government is
u blpndcr aud ailurc-and for US.
"Chaos has come again


But the further question remains, in
what way is it possible that harmony shall
be restored between the parts of the
country through which the rebellion
has spread and those which have re-
manned faithful to the Constitution and
Union? When We have dispersed the
armies of the robels, and demolished
their batteries, and retaken our forts
and arsenal, our navy-yards and armo-
ries, our mints and custom houses
when we have visited their leaders with
retributive justice, and made Richmond
and Charleston and New Orleans as sub
missiye to lawful authority as Baltimore,
Washington or Boston-what then?-
VIII people we have subjrgated ever
live with US again on terms of equality
and friendship? Can the wounded
pride Of the Ancient Dominion be so
far soothed that she can allow US again
to bask in the sunshine of her favor?-
Will she ever consent to resume her old
superiority, and furnish ou: audacious
army aud navy with officers, our COM
mittees with chairmen, and our depart
ments with clerks? Or must we for IL
generation, hold the States we have sub
dued by military occupation? Must we
make Territories of them, and blot out
those malignant stars from our glorious
and triumphant banner?


In all seriousness, there seems but
one solution to the problem; and it must
be found if at all, in the proposition al
ready stated, that treason is an individ-
ual act. A State cannot rebel, as it
cannot secede. a governor of a State
may rebel, and a maj jority of a lcgisla-
ture may join an insurrection, as Il gov
ernor or Legislators may commit larceny
or Join a piratical expedition. But
whoever arrays himself in armed oppo-
sition to the Government Of the United
States, or gives aid and comfort to its
enemies, becomes thereby merely pri-
vate rebel and traitor. Whatever Office
he may fill. with whatever functions of
local government he may be intrusted,
by whatever name he may be called,
governor or judge, senator or represen-
tative, it is the treason Of the citizen,
and not Of the officer. And as State
has no legal existence except as a mem
Der OF the Union, and has no constitu-
tional powers or functions or capacities
but those which it exercises in harmony
with and subordination to the rightful
authority Of the Federal Government,
so the loyal and faithful inhabitants Of
Il State, and they only, constitute the
State. Mr.. Mason tells the people Of
Virginia, that those Of them who, in
their conscience: cannot vote to seperatc
Virginia from the United States, if
they retain such opinions, must leave
the State. We thank him for teaching
us that word When the tables are
turned, it will form Il valuable theme
for his meditation. The unconditional
Union men, who arc Of and for their
country against all corners, who neither
commit treason openly nor disguise
their cowardly treachery under the shall
low cover of neutrality, are to WELD the
power Of their respective States, and to
be the only recognized Inhabitants
All others must submit or fly. Ii the