Year: 1861

land resounds with the clangor of rebellion.


arms, and is polluted with the dead bodies O


its children, some seeking to destroy, some


struggling to maintain the common beneficent
I Government OF all, as established by our faith
ers. This effort to divide the Union and sub


vert the Government, whatever may be the
/ pretense, is in fact a daring and dangerous
crusade against free Institutions 1t should


be opposed by the whole power of a patriotic
people, and crushed beyond the prospect of a
resurrection and to attain that end the Gov
ernment should be sustained in every lust and
reasonable effort to maintain the authority
and integrity of the nation; to uphold and
vindicate the supremacy of the Constitution
and majesty of the laws. by all lawful means
not erudgingly sustained, with one hesitating.
shuf1ing, unwilling step forward to save ap-
pearances, and two stealtliy ones backward,
TO secure a seas0nable retreat nor with the
shallow craft of a mercenary politician, calcu-
lating chances and balancing between expcdi-
ents, but with the generous alacrity and en-
ergy which have a meaning, and prove loyal,
patriotic and willing heart. 1t is not ques-
tion of Administration, but of Government
not Of politics. but of patriotiSm--not of pol
icy but of principles which uphold us all
question too great for party-betwcea the
Constitution and the laws on one hand and
miSrule and anarchy on the other-between
existence and destruction.


The Union was formed under the Constitu-
tion by an association of equals like the
temple OF Diana, every pillar which upholds
its arches was the Gift of a sovereign; not a
sovereign created by mans usurpation, and
serving upon gala days to exhibit to plum
4 10, / 1
gorgeous trappings of royalty, but of sove-
reign people, created in the image OF their
Maker and bearing in their bosoms the crown
jewels of immortality. In the administration
of its Government, and in the relations Of lis
members with one another, each and every
one is entitled TO complete equality; the right
to enjoy unmoested all the privileges of the
compact, in their full length and breadth, in
letter and in spirit.


Whenever and wherever there has been a
departure from this PLAIN and just stipulation,
IN theory or in practice, in either section, or
where either has employed means or agencies
calculated to disturb or irritatc, or annoy the
other, there has been error and cause of griev-
ance. which demanded redress and restitution :;
and when rebellion has sheathed its sword and
lowered lis front, and the obligations of the
Constitution are again recognized by all who
owe it obedience, may every one true to the Con
stituton and the Union unite in a common
purpose and an earnest effort in seeing that
there remains no Just cause of complaint unre-
dressed, in any portion Of the Confederacy


But there has been no grievance alleged
which, if true could justify armed rebellion
and disunion The Constitution, with defects
and impcrfectons from which human creatures
are inseparable, bears upon its bosom rene
dies for every abuse which is practiced in It's
name, and power to punish every violation of
its salutary provisions, and those who una
BILE to g bear the ills they have" should in-
woke its spirit, rather than " fly to Others they
know not Of" And the Government though
it has by no means been exempt from malad-
mnistration throughout its eventful history,
has been less arraigncd for injustice than any
Government on earth. And time and patience,
and sense of popular justice, the ebbs and
flows and currents of opinion would have
proved a corrective of all serious causes of dis
turbance. But efforts to divide the Union
and destroy the Government, beside being in
trinsically atrccious instead of correcting the
alleged grievances are calculated to aggravate
them more than hundred fold, and, if sue
cessful, to close day of humanitcs, hope and
promise, in this refuge of liberty, in blood aud
darkness. \ % one denies to an oppressed peo-
pie the right Of revolution as the last-dreaded
resort of man seeking emancipation, when all
other efforts have proved unavaiing- to
be entered upon except as a terrible necessity.
But secession is bold and bald and wicked
impoSture, with its authors, a chimera, an illu-
sion and cheat with those who are betrayed
into its support, and exhibits the worst iea-
lures of the basest despotism in enforcing obe-
dience to its reign Of terror. Ii is but syno-
nym for disunion by violence under the pre-
tense of rights reserved to States, and must
have sprung, like the voluptuous goddess from
froth, so little of right or reason, or Justice or
remedy, Or good sense, is there in it, or around
it, or about it; though. like the contents Of
her mystic girdle it promised to its voares
surieit Of hidden pleasures. The attempt TO
liken this corrupt and wicked rebellion to the
American Revolution, requires an assurance
of brass sufficient to reconstruct the Colossus
of Rhodes, While the colonies were petition
ing for redress Of grievances, war was pre-
cipitated upon them by the British Crown to
compel their submission and silence While
Congress was. canvassng the alleged griev-
ances Of portion of the States of the Con-
iederacy, and while its legislation upon the
subject of the Territories was proceeding in
harmony with their professed wishes, members
representing such aggrieved States withdrew
and preci piated disunion in hot haste, before
the result of proposed conciliatory efforts could
be ascertained, as though they feared if they
awaited the development Of events in progress
they might be more seriously aggrieved by
redress of grievances. The Colonies had
neither support nor sympathy, nor representa-
ton in any department of the Brisish Govern
ment, but they never persevered in their efforts
to obtain justice and recognition so long as a
ray of hope gave promise, and until they were
silenced by the presence Of British troops, and
were compelled to submit to slavery and deg
radiation, or appeal TO the last refuge of an op-
pressed people-the arbitrament of the battle
field They claimed no false or fabricated
reading of the British Constitution which
enabled them to sever their connection with
the crown, and avoid the responsibility of rev.
oution, but they manfully took their stand
upon the ultimat ratio of nations. They re-
ceived a worlds sympathy, because their re-
volt was an imperious necessity, and Heaven
smiled upon their efforts for deiverance and
independence But if they had conuived at
the accession of the selfish, perverse and bigo-
ted George to the crown, that they might be
able to complain of the reigning monarch, and,
above all, if they had controlled the Ministry,
and held majority in Parliament, and had
then vacated their seats, aud yielded up the
power to their opponents, and had cried out