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About The Oregon Argus. (Oregon City [Or.]) 1855-1863 | View Entire Issue (July 27, 1861)
ed tut one week tefr Ui Ml F?rt Banter. Tha new Itself that tho officer commanding tho Haultio, to which veasol tli troops had been trsnifcr red from the Brooklyn nctinjr npon Mini quisl-nrmlitlce of tho lite Administration exintinjj op to III time tin order was dis patched had only ts,iic- and uncertuln ru mors to fix liii attention, ml had refused to land tin troop to reinforce Fort Pii li ens Moro crisis would U reached it Fort Sumter, which wn rondercd poa sil.lo, by tin near cihansllou of provia- loin in tin latter named fort. In prccao tion ajruitist such n conjuncture, tin Gov ernment hud a few dsya before commenced prepir'ui;r on expedition, ni well prepared in iniit be, to relieve Kurt Sumter, winch ur.pediiloii ww Intended to be ultimately used or not, according to circumstances. Tlift strongest anticipated case for unijr It was oow presented, and It was resolved to mii it forward, n had been intended. n lira contingency it was a'110 resolved to notilv tin Governor of South Carolina that ho m'ijtht expect nn attempt would bo made to provwion tho Fort, and that If tin at tempt should not bo rcsUlcd thero wouid i.,. rffnrt tn throw lii men. arms or am munition, without further notice; or, In cash of an attack upon tin Fort, notice iv-ii f.i Ivh trierm nrvonlillL'lv. Wliurelinon 4ia w g n i ' tho Fort wa attacked and bomburded to it fill, without even awaiting tho arrival nt tli.i t.enuttirmiliir f'YIieditioll. It is thui socn that tho assault upon and tin reduction of Fort Sumter wa in no sense a matter of telf-defcnso on the part of tho as.wilants. Jlicy well Knew mat llin irnrrion In the Fort could br no pos sibility commit aggression upon them. Thiv kunur tlnv wiru cxurcsalv notified that the giving of brend to tin few brove nnd hungry men or tin garron was an that would on that occasion be altcmptid, miles themselves, by resisting so niueh, Hon. I nrovukn moro. I Her mew mni tlin linvernnicnt desired to keen the earri son in tho fort, not to ossul) them, but to .... t.i mvre'y nulntniu visible possession, ana tints . t m .1 I I to preserve tin union irom nciuui mm uu-im-diiitn dfaolution. trusting, an hereinbe- Ium Htnted, to time, discussion, and tho bn!M-box for nnnl adjust incut; and iney oml rlii(V!,l the Fort for nrcciselv the rtveriio object, to drive out tho visible imthority of the Federal Union, and thus force it to imincdiiito dissolution. That tins wus thuir object, the Executivo well understood; and having laid to them in t!i Inaugural Address, "you can have no conflict witliout uciug yourselves uio ug frr.nors," ho took pains nut only to keep h iliii'lurulinii itoikI. but also to keen tho Una do free from tin power of ingenious soplrstry thnt the worm should not no nuie to misunderstand it. 15y the affair at Fort Sumter, with it.i surrounding eircnimtiin m, Hint point wan reached. Then nnd thero the nssuilunW of tho Government be ;;mi a coullict ofnrnis without a foo In kijjht or In expeetaney to return their fire, nave only tho few In tho fort, who were aoiit to that harbor yoiiw before, for their own protection, anil who wero still ready to tfivo that protection in whatever was lawful. In tliirf net, discarding nil else, vlicy hnvo forced upon the country tho de i.tructivo issue immediate dissolution or blood. This isMic embraces more than tho fate of them United States. It presents to the whole family of man the question whether a constitutional rcpuhl.cun democracy, a roveruincut of the peoplu by tho untno peo ple, can or cannot uminUiiu its territorial integrity nuainst its own domestic foci. It presents the question whether discontent ed individuals, too few in numbers to con trol the Administration according to or ff.niic law iu any case, und ulwnys upon tin prutensci madu in this case, can ubso-' lately, without any pretense, break up their (ioiriiinont. ninl thus nructicnllv I Hit nn mill tn (Vin irnrnrniniMit unon tho enrlli. Itforccsus to ask, ia there in ull republics ih'si iii!iirini fatal u-pnkuoss? Mint a gov ernment, of necessity, be too strong for the liberties oj tin people, or loo wcuk maintain its own exigence? So, seeing tlio issue, no chnnco wns left but to call out tho war power or tliu Uov erument, and resist tho force employed foi its ikfctructioii bv force for its preservation Tin call was made, and tho repponso of the country was most gratnypig, surpass in? in aiiniiiuiilv and mint the most sail' ifnino expectations. Vet nono of the Slnlos I'oninionlr rnlK'il Sl.iVO Stants. C eept Delawaro, gavu a regiment through regu! ir Stale organization, a tew n-gi iii'jntj havo been organaei; within sonio other States by individual enterprise, iiml received into the Government service (If course, tho Suceded States, so called mid to which Texas had been ioined about tho time of the Inauguration, iruve no troops to the cause of the Union. The Border Slates, so-called, wero not uniform in their action, sonio of them being almost u majority for the Union, while in others, in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, und Arkansas, the Union sentiment was nearly repressed and silenced. Tho course taken in Virginia was the most remarkable, perhaps Ihe most impor tant. A convention, elected by the State to consider this very question of disrupt ing the Federal Union, was in session- at the capital of Virginia when Fort Sumter fell. To this body the people had chosen n largo majority of professed Union men. Al most immediately alter thu fall of Sumter, tinny of tint majority went over to the original Disunion minority, and with th?m adopted an ordinance for withdrawing the State from the Union. Whether the change was wrought by their great approv al of the assault upon Sumter, or their great resentment at tho Government's re nistunco to the assault, is not definitely known. Although they submitted the or dinance for tho ratification to a veto of the eople, to bo taken on a day somewhat more than n mouth distant, tin Convention and tho Legislature, which was also in ses sion at the same time nnd place, with lead ing men of the Slutt not members of ei ther IhkIv. commenced oetinir as if the Stnto were already out of the Union. They ptislied unwary preparations vigor ously forward all over tho State. They Boiled the United State Armory at Har pert Ferry, and thu Xary Yard at Oos port, near Norfolk. They received, per haps invited, into their State large bodies of nrmed troops with their warlike appoint ments, from the so cjlcd seceded States. They formally entered into a treaty of tem porary alliance and co-operation with the o-caiifd Confchrnto SU'.e. r.d sent mcuibcrs to their Congress at Montgom ery. Aud Cually, the; permitted the in-1 surrectionary jrovemnvnt to In treiufi-iml to their Capital al uitnmon.i. o r pl of Virgwla have thus allowed thu gl int Insurrection to raslft Its nt within in borders, and tho Government His no cwwe left but to deal filb It where It fbnnd If, and It lias tin less regret, as the loal citi- tent have In due form cisiuicu, in Hon. . .. . . L . Those loyal citiiem tins oovernmem is bom.d to rccogniie and protect, is being 1-1...-..A.... In Ilia Itordef SUteS. SOl. cd, but In fad the .Maldlo Slates, there are those who furor a Hi,'J ,,!ch cul' ' arniej neutrality 'mat ia, arming oi those States to prevent the Union forces nawinir ono way, or tin IMumon lorces I. .? .i ... i i n.;. u i.. tin otner, over mi'ir un. v.i. v ni.i.ntnn cnmnlele: fizuratlvelr speeklnir, It would be the building of nn impsMable wall along the line oi separation, nu yet naI AiiitA nn Imnniwul.la one. for. under the guiM of neutrality, it would tie Ihe hands of Union men, and freely pass supplies from among them to tin insurrection!, ". It onulil tinl An ni mi ftnell cnCITIV. At t stroke, It would lake all the trouble off the hands or secession, cxci ptoniy wnni pro ceeds from the external blockade. It would do for the I);nn!oi.ils that which of nil things they most desire feed them well, and til ft I lu m Dinun'on without A strugulo of their own. It recognizes no lid' lity to tin Coimtitulion, ro obligation lo maintum the Union; and while very many who havo favored It aro doubthM loyal, it Is never theless Injurious In effect, nnd enibnrraisirg to tho action of tin Govirmacnt. Fir.d, a call w-.s mnda for 15,000 mili tia, and rapidly following this a proclama- itin '! iciioil f.if rlimlllff the ports of the tiiciii-fwiinnnr dixtriels Iv proceedings in the imturo of a blockade. So far, nil wns hlii.vd In br strietlv lecol. At thu I omt, tho insurrectionists annoiiiiicd their purpose to cuter upon the practice of privuleering. Other cull were mndo fir Toluntct r to serve ihnc yenrs, unless sooner dinharged, nnd also lurga ad.lifnns lo tho regular Army and Navy. These measures, wheth er strictly legal'or not, wero ventured upon iiniW tvlint iipucnrcd a popular demand hihI a public neci-ssily. Trusting tlien, ns now, that Congress would readily ratiiy them, it is believed that nothing has been dono beyond the Constitution or the com- w.lnnpv ef CninrreAS. Kivm nfter llul firf,t Csll for m'titiu. It was considered a duly to auihorize the Commanding lienrrui, in proper case, ac cording to his discretion, to suspend the privilege of the writ or luioem torpui, or, In other word, to arrest nnd detain, with out resort to tin ordinary process and forms of law, such ludividnils as In niiaht deem dangerous to tho public safety. This authority has purposely been exercised very sparingly; nevertheless, tho legality nnd nroorictv of what has been done under it are questioned, and tin attention of the pniintrv Iiiid Iippii railed to tho proposition that ono who is sworn to take care that tho laws bo faithfully executed, should not l.inuelf violnto ihcm. Of course, sonic con sideration was given to the questions of power and propriety ueiore una qucuou was acted upon. Tin whole of the laws nl to bo f.liLllflllh' CXC- ctrted were being rcsistcd. nnd, fuiling of exccut.on in nearly one-third of the slate?, must they be allowed to finally fail of exe cution, even had it been perfectly dear, that by Iho use ol tin means necessary to their execution sonio singlo law, made in ttich extreme tenderness of the citizen's liberty that practically it relieved more of tho guilty than of the innocent, should to a very limited extent bo violated? To state tho question more, directly: Arc all tho luws but ono to go unexecuted? Even in such a cose, would not tho official oath be broken if tho Government should bo over thrown, when it was believed that disre garding the single law would tend to pre serve it? Hut it was not believed thnt this rinestion was presented. It was not be' lieved that niiv law was violated. Tin nrni kiiiiK of the Constitution that thepri ilego ol tho writ of liabeus corpus Ehnli not be suspended, unless when iu cases oi reoci lion or invasion tho public safety may re quiro it, is equivalent to n provision thai sneli ni'ieilei'es mar be suspended when III eiiRes of rebellion or invasion the public mfely does require it. It was decided that we hnvo a case of rebellion, and that the public surety does require the quulilied sus pension of the privilege of the writ whicl was nuthoii.cd to be made. Now it is in aisled that Comrress. and not the Kxecu tive. is vested with this power. Put the Constitution itself is silent as to which or n lin u lo evercisn Iho iiinver- und as the provision wns plainly made for a dangerous emergency, it cannot ue ueheveil mat t lie framers of the instrument Intended that in cverv enso the danger should run its course until Congress should be called together, the very assembling of which might be prevented, ns was intended in this cuse, by llm rebellion. Nn more extended aruu- ment is now offered, ns an opinion nt some length will probably be presented by tho Attorney General, whether there shall be any legislation upon tho sunject, ami irony, wlint. nnd submitted entirely to the better juiltrmcnt ol congress. The forbearance of tho Uorcruineut had lieeri evti'iioidinarv. nnd so lull!' continued as to lead some lon itrn nations to shape their action ns if they supposed tho early destruction of our National Union was probable. AVhilo this discovery iruro the I - u Executive some concern, ho is now happy to say that tho sovereignty and rights ol the United States are now everywhere practically respected by foreign powers, . i .i .t. . i. . una a generui syinpuiny wnii me cuiinu j is manifested throughout tho world. The reports of the Secretaries of the Trrnsnry, . I.I V "II - .1 u ar, n mi uie .mivt, win give tue iniorma tion in detail deemed necessary and conve nient for your deliberation and nction, while the Executive nnd till tho Depart ments will stand reody to supply omissions, or to communicate new facts considered important for you to know. It is now recommended that you give the legal means for making this contest a short nnd divisive; one that you place at the control of the government for the work at least 400,000 men. and $100,000,000. The number of men is aliout one-tenth of thos? of proper ages in regions where, ap parently, all are willing to engage; and the mn m loot than twpiitv-thin) nirt nt th monry value owned by the men who feel ready" to devolve the whole amount of er.nri IlilD 000 nhieh is n leu cum n, r head than was the debt of onr devolution when we came out of that struggle; and the money value in the country r.ow bears even a greater proportion to what it was I hi ii than do tin iiopuljtuin. Biireiy each man Ins a Uroog motive now lo preserve our liberties as each hid men to (Mahli'h lliem. A right rwull at tins lime will keep the North more lo Ihe worn than ten timet tin men and ten timet the money. The evidence reaching ui from Ihe country Icavea no doubt that the mate rial for Ihe work is abundant, and that it needs only the hand of legislation to Rive it legal sanction, and Ihe band of the Rxee utlve to gire it practical ibue and efficien cy. One of the greatest perplexities of the government Is to avoid receiving troops faster than it Mi provided ror mem. in a word, tin people will save their Govern ment, If the Government itself will do Its part only Indifferently wi ll. It must seem, at fiit thought, of but little difference whether the pit-sent move ment at tho South bo called Fc.f lnn or Rebellion. Tin movers, liowcvi r. well un derstood the d ffrinco at the beginning They knew they could never raise their treason tp any respectable magnitude by ny namo which implies violation of law. They knew thtir (icoplo possessed as much moral aense, as much devotion to law nnd order, and as inucji prido nnd reverence for tho history and Government of their common country, as any other civilized and patriotic people. Tiny knew ihcy could mnko no advanctmcut directly In the teeth ol these strong and noble sentiments. Ac cordingly, th'y comnu need by nn Insidious debauching of lln public mind. They In vented an ingrnluus anpliirm, which, If con ceded, wai followed by prfcci.y logical steps through all tin Incidents to complete destruction of lln Union. Tin sophism itself is, that any Stnto of the Union may, consistently will, lln National Constitution, lei re tho Union, and thcrtforc lawfully nnd peacefully go out witliout lln consent of the Union or oi any oiurr omiu w the Union. The blllo disguisj that iho supposed r'ght 1 lo In exer cised only for a jut cnne. because they themselves are lo bo tho sole Judges of its Janice, is Ico thin to merit any notice. With rebellion, thus sngar coated, they have been drugging tho public mind of their section fur moro than tinny years, and until at liiigth they havo brought ninny good men lo willingness to take up nuns against the Government, and on Ihe day after some asscmblngo of men l.nvc madid Ihe farcical pretence of Inking their steps out of the Union who could have been brought up to no such thing Iho day before. This sophism receives much, per haps tho whole, of its currency from ihe assumption tint (hero Is some omnipotent nnd sacred supremacy jHrluining lo a State, to each Stnto of our Federal Union. Our States huvo neither moro nor less power than that reserved lo them in Ihe Union by the Constitution, no one of them evr having been n State out of the Union bcloro they cast off their British coloninl ilcpendii.ee, nnd Ihe new oiks each came into Iho Uuion directly from a condition of dependence, except Texas; and even Texas, in its temporary independence, wus never designated a Stuto. Tho new ones only took the designation of States on coining into tin Union, while that naino wns first adopted for tho old ones iu mid by the colonic!', who were declared to be free nnd independent States. 15nt even then the object plainly was not to dcclaro their in dependence of one another, or of Ihe Union, but directly the contrary, ns their mutual pledge and their mutual nction before, ol the time, mid afterward, absolutely shows, and the express plighting of faith by each and all of tin original thirteen States in Articles ol Confederation two yenrs later, that the Union shall be perpetual, is most ronclnsive. Having never been Sttitcs, neither in substunco or iu name, outside of tho Union, whence their magical omnipo tence of Stnto rights, associating a claim of power lawlully to destroy the Union it self ? Much is said about tho sovereignty of the States, but tho word is not in the National Constitution, nor, ns is believed, in any of the Slate Constitutions. Wlmt is sovereignty iu the political sense of the term? Would it be far wrong to define it, a political community without a political superior? Tested by this, nono of our States, except Texas, ever was a sovereign ty, anil even sin gave up the character on coming into tho Union, by which act she in know bulged tho Constitution of the United States, and the laws and treaties of the United States, made in pursuance of tho Constitution, to be for lur, Iho su premo law of the land. Tho States have their status in tin Union, and they have no other legal status. If they break from this they can only do so ngainst law by revolution. Tho Union, nnd not themselves, separa ted, procured their independence nnd their liberty br conquest or purchase; tho Union gave each of them whntevrr independence nnd liberty it had. The Union is older than any of the States, nnd in laet it crea ted them as States originally. Sonio de pendent colonies mode the Union, and iu turn the Union threw off t! o'r old depen dence for them, nnd mndo them States such ns they are. Not one of them ever had n State Constitution independent of the Union. Of course it is not lorgotten that all the new States framed their Consti tutions before they entered tho Union. Nevertheless, depcudcht upon and prepar atory to coming into the Lnlnn, unques tionably the Suites have the powers nnd rights reserved to them in nud by tho Na tional Constitution; but among them surely arc not included all conceivable powers, however mischievous nnd destructive, known in tho world nt the time s govern mental powers, and certainly a power to destroy the Government itself had never been known as governmental merely ad ministrative power. This rclntivo matter of national power nnd State rights, as a principle, is not other than tho principle of generality nnd locality. hutever con cerns the whole should be confided to the General Government; while what concerns only the State should bo left exclusively to thu Mate. 1 hat is all there is of original principle about it. Whether the National Constitution in defining boundaries between the two, has applied the principle with ex act accuracy, is not to be questioned. We aro also bonnd by that definition without qnestion. What is now combatted is the position that secession is consistent with the Constitution, is lawful and peaceful. It is uot contended lhat there is any express aw for it, nnd nothine should ever be impli ed as law which leads to unjust or absurd consequence. The, nation purchased with money the countries ont of which several of these States were formed. Is it hist thnt they should go cfT without leave, and ,ill,oi.l refunding? Tn rtwn l' d J Urge mn-lo the aggregate. I bebevr. u hundred milliou-lo release Florida of lln boriginal tribes. Is it Jut lint dn now go off without making any MflrnT nn nation is now In debt for money applied to the bent fit o! these io-ealltd seceded Cii, In common wilh iho ret. H it just either that Ihe creditor aball fo im ...i.i iii roinnliiliis' KlsUi par. while part of lue national uhh vm,mv to pay the old debli of Tela.? it J"'l Unit she shall leave and pay no partoi !" w.-ir A-rnin if our Stjtc may secede, so may another, end when all shall Have L'fL la iiiT tli UtrMi. I "lvyM, ' i .r . i.i. ii hut la creditor? I!d w uotHy Ihcmoflhis ngo t ie of oun whin we borowed their mouey? p.. miV niw'iilza Ihe doctrine of al lowing the leecdera logo in near, it Is .difficult lone what wo eeo do If ot here choose to go or lo extort terms upon w win ihrr will promise to remain. Tin Sereder imitt ih..i our Constitution admits seces iion. They be ro awumcd lo make na tional ConMitation of their ow n, h which linve either din nrded or retained lln right of srecM on. al lh7 In- sUt it ex'sts in ours. II iw y uave uuwum .A it in theirs, iher thereby adiu'l lint on principle it onght not lo be In ours; il Hir have retained it. by Iheir own con struction ot ours they ihow that to be con sistent lliey must ncrdo from cue another whenever I hey shall find It Un reodieft way of settling their debts or effecting any other wtfish or nnjust obj.-ct. The prinel- i iiuir i nun of disintegration, nnd iinnti uliieh no roveruincut can pOSSilI) If all tho Slates save one should nssert tin power to drive that one out of 1. I'n nn il i nriMinicd 1110 Wlioic no"". of sccc.ion politiclaiii would ot once deny the power and denounco this art as the minimi niiir.iL'o noon State rights. Cut mitincA nreelsi Ir the same oct. instead of being called driving them out, should be cnlh-d iho sccediiw of the others from lhat one, it would be exactly what tin seceders claim to do, unless, indeed, nicy mno me noiut lhat the otic. beianc it is a minority, inny rightfully do what the others, because they aro a majority, may not rightfully do. Tlnso politicians aru suniio ami jwoiouuu on Ihe rights of minortl s. Th'y are not nniii.il to lhat newer which is in the ton slilution nnd speak from the preamble culling llseir " We the people." It may will be questioned whether there is to day n mainrily of tho Iczaltv Olialified voters of any State, except, iieihnps, South Caro lina, in furor of disunion. There is much renson to beliivo lhat the Union men nre the majority in ninny, if not in every other or Iho so culled scctditl amies, i no con trary has not been demonstrated in nny one of them. It is ventnred to affirm this even of Virginia ai d Tennessee, for the n cnlt of un election held ill military camps where tin bayonets nre nil on ono s'de of tin question voted upon, can scarcely ue considered as demonstrating popular sru l linen t At such mi election, nil that Inreo class who nre nt onro lor the Union nnd agninst coercion, would be coerced to vote ngiiiust the Unon. It mar bo assumed, without extrava ganec, that tho free institutions wo enjoy have developed thopowirs nnd improved the condition of our whole peoplo beyond an exann lo in the world. Ol Ibis we now have n striking and an impressive illiiftrn tion. So lare-e an nrmv as Ihe Govern ment lias now on foot was never before known without o soldier in It but who had tuken his place there of his own free choice; but more than this, there aro many singlo recriments whose members, ono and an other, possesses full practical knowledge of ull the arts, sicuccs, protessious, aim what ever else useful or elegant is known in the world, nnd there isscurccly one from which there could not be selected a JTcsiiietit, a Cabinet, n Concress. nnd perhaps a Court, abuinhintly competent to administer tho Government itself. Nor do I say this is not true also in Ihe army of our late friends, now adversaries, iu this contest. Kut if it Is. so much belter the renson why the Government, which hasconlerred such ben efits on them and us, .should not bo broken up. Whoever, in nny section, proposes to abandon such a Government, would do well to consider in defenso of what prin cinle it is that he does it: what better he is likely to get iu its stead; whether the substitute will give, of bo intended to give, so much of irood to the people. There nre some fori shadowing doubts on the subject. Our adversaries have adopted somo declaration of independence, in which, uul.kc the good old ono penned by J i per son, tl.ev omit tho words. " all men are created ecninl.'1 They have adopted temporary National Constitution, in the preamble' of which, unliko our good old one signed by Washington, they omit " We the people," and substitute " We, the deputiesof tho sovereign and independent States." Why tins deliberate pressing out of view the rights of men. and the nuthority of the people? This is essentially a people's contest on this side of the world for that form and substance of government whose leading object is to elevnto the condition of men. to lift artificial weichts from all shoulders, to clear tho paths of laudable pursuits Tor all, to afford all an unfetterca start and fair chance in tho race of life, yield ing to the partial and temporary departnro from necessity. This is tin lending object of tin Government for whoso existence we contend. I nm most happy to believe that the plain people understand nnd appreciate this. It is worthy of note that whilo in this, the Government's hour of peril, large numbers of those in tho army and navy who havo been favored with tho offices have resigned nnd proved falso to the hand that pampered them, not one common sol dier or sailor is known to have deserted the flag. Great honor is duo those officers who remained true, despito the example of their treacherous associates; but the great est honor, and most important fact of nil, is the nimuimity and firmness of the com mon soldiers nnd common saliors. To the last man, as far ns is known, they have successfully resisted the traitorous efforts of those whose commands but an hour be fore they had obeyed as absolute law. This is the patriotic action of plain people. They understand without any argument that the destroying of the Government which was made by Washington1 means no good to them. Our popular Government has often been called nn experiment. Two points in it our people havo already settled: the suc cessful establishing and the successful ad ministering of it. One still remains: its successful maintenance agninst a formida- i. i. i .1 .iiomiit lo overthrow It. It t now for them to demonttraU to the -orld lhat lhoe who can fairly carry aa election, can l ujpni rebellion; that ballot are the rightful and peaceful sue eewor of buUcU, and that w hen bal nl have fairly and consiiimionai.y aecum, (here ran fat no successful appeal back to bullets: that there can in no pucvr-im r neal except "l,0, tncmielv at aoo LedingcUctlons. Suel. will be great baton of peace, teicLing men lhat what L. ii t.k h inf ection, nellher can they take by war; teaching all their folly ol being IM uegmmni . - IVst there be tome oneesiiicw in the mind of candid men at to what I to be the course of the Government lwtrtb Iht Southern States after the rebellion thall have been suppressed, lln Kxrcutive deems it proper lo say lhat In will be guided by the Conslitutioii and the law, and that he probably will hare no different understand log of the power! and duties of the Feder al Gorernment relative to the rigid of tho Stale and lln people under the Con stitution than was expressed in tho Inau gural Address. He desire to preserve the Government that it nny be adminis tered by tin mcu who made it Irfyal citizens everywhere havo Iho right to claim this of their Government, ami the Gor ernment has no right lo withhold or iksj- t.i. Il II la not iiereelvcd that In uivillg it. there Is any coercion, any conquering or any subjugation, In nnyjusi sciimi oi !iie terms. Tin Constitution provides, and all (he Stale have accepted tin provision, thnt the United Stole fhall guarantee lo every State In this Union a republican form of government. Hut If a Stale nmy law r. .ii.. n.i nt dm I'n' nn bnvinff done to. it nmy also discard tin republican form of government; so mat to prevent n out l nn indispensable mean lo tin end of maintaining wo pnnramy incnuonru. Where an end is lawful and obligaloiy, 1 1, a inrtiuimiitnlil" menus lo it aro also law ful and obligatory. It is with the deepest rnireot Hint I III! Executive follUll lllC (IlltV of employing tho wnr power In defense of Iho Government lorwi upon nun. nr onnl.l Imi iierforin this duty nr surrender llm nvkicnce of the Government. Tn compromise lln public servico would in this case be a crime. Not that compro mises nre not often proper, but that no popular Government can long snrvivo a marked precedent that lhoc who carry nn election enn only save tin Government fVniii limneilintn destruction hv tri villi? nil ....i.i - n r- Ihe main point upon which Ihe people gave tho election. lin people iiiciiwivck, ami not their servants, can safely reverse Ihelr own deliberate decisions. As a private citizen, the Executivo would not hnve con sented that these institutions should perish. Much less could ho net in betrayal of so vast and so sacred a trust as these free people had confided to liiin. Me felt that he had no moral r'ght to shrink, nor even to count the chnmos of his own lile in wlint might follow. In full view of his great responsibility, ho has sn fur done what he lias deemed his duly. Yon will now, ac cording lo your judgment, perform yonrs. He sincrrciy hopes that your views nnd your actions may so accord with his, ns to ntsuro all faithful citizens who have been disturbed in their righ's, of n certain nnd speedy restoration of Ihe law. And hav ing thus chosen our course with pure pur pose, lit us renew onr trust iu God, and go forward without fear, and with manly hearts. Ar.HAii.iu Lincoln. Ji ly 4, 18G1. Details of Eastern Jffcws. IUneimTowN, Mo., July 2. Early lliii morn ioij llie lroii nunioiifil livre cna-wil llm ford al W illiuiiisrt. The punt of honor in crowing ni given to the lit Wiwuii!n ami Mill IVnnsyirnni Regiments. Thry vuiii within 7 j vnnti f the en emy. The rebel al MurliiwburB, Va., ainnuiitiujr to four regiment of infantry and out reuinieiil of hone, wore engaged in Hie connicl. 1 hey hail four pircea of artillery, and were coinmnmled liy Col. Jackion. We had two lil'ed ami tewral wounded. Several dead and wniindcd rebel were left on the field in their hariy retreat Gun. Palter-on ha ceiil far n in'orcf me ill. He iippoet!ru JolinMiiu'a force to be I5.UU0 iiifunl ry, (iOt) cavalry, and 20 piece of artillery, and i pnaleil about seven mile from Mnrtiimburg. Put tenon command ia about 7,00(1 ineu with SO iield-piecee. (ieu. Ie' wife, formerly Mary Cuti, re marked a few day ago thnt her hushnnd had aneut great (Imp i f blixid because of llie fatal lep ha had taken in joining Ihe rebel. VitERi.iNa, July 3. Duili lioune of the Leg! lature oririiiitcd yealerduy. Lieut. Gov. Piiinley took the chair in the Bonnie, and Daniel Front, of Jncktnu, wn elected Speaker of the Hoiiiki. Got. I'ierponl'a message waa air lit to both bodies last iii)iit, together with oflicial duvuineula fnmi Wai-hington, rccogniring the new government. The mrKiaee is a very tthie document, and give umuual atifaction. Jt ia n complete rei iew of tho eectssiou of Virginia, and of llie cante lend ing to the formation of the present government, and reeO'.niiK'iiils an enerelic co-operation with llie Fideral Government. FIGHTS IN JllSSOfltl. .tSo'eliKkou the morning of July 10, SS0 Fed eral tioops under Col. Smith, IClh Illinois liei ment, eneumped nxar Monroe station, on Ihe Han nibal and St. Joseph Railroad, were surprined nnd attacked by 1 ,000 rebels, under Jackson' Brig -Gen. Tho. A. Harris. The rebel were driven back to Ihe station, wiih a loss of 4 killed and sev eral wounded. Five prisoner and 7 hone were taken. Copt McAllister, uf the Federal troops, wa mortally wounded; 4 othera were wounded. While ihe fight was going on, 30b rebel burned the railroad bridge, station hout, and 20 cars, iilno tearing up the track. The whole rebel force was pursued to Monroe by Col. Smith's command. Another fight look place at the station, and lh rebels were again repulsed with some loss. Col. Smith look up a position in and around the Fe male Seminary i and sent messenger for reinforce ments. At 1 1 p. m. he was surrounded by Hie reb els in full force, but thought he could hold out until reinforced. St. Lueis, July II. Col. Zrigle, with 1.300 men, attacked 6,000 rebels under Kainaand Par sons, miles east or Carthage, Jaspei co , south west Missouri, on the prairie. The attack beran at 9 30 a. m., July 6, with artillery, which broke llie enemy's center twice, and silenced their artil lery. Alter nD hourand a half of fighting the en emy tried to outflank the federal forces w ith their cavalry and cutoff their bage, but Zeigleby a retreating movemcut kept up a constant file and ordered the bxgeage train lo advance. The en my tried to cut off communication with Carthage. Zeigle's artillery wa so placed as to give them cross fire and made serious loss among them, which opened the raid, and Ziegle fell back on Car thage, when another stand wns nude. The trai tors being in pnsseatian of the town, Zeigie sur rouded it and threw shot and pap into their cavalry and mine infantry to great advantages The bloodiest fight wit when the rebels tried te pieventZeiele from reaching a peiceof woods whara they could not use cavalry. The rebel were forced to withdraw, and Zeigie fell back on Ml. Vernon. leigle a loss was eight killed and do to 4U wounded and missing. At the smallest calrola liou the enemies' loss wa about 300. Tba Fed eral troops captured 65 bertes, and picked up 6i double-barreled hot guns on Sunday morning. Ijca. Lyon id ueuurtille and Alaj. Margoa in Clinton, they expect to farm a junction ten mile south of CI'Dton tb.it B:ght and march t Zeig'c'i aid. aa atUaau U .. . '-Ul.alsaiiiJ, Aaairtra I -Wa.il.. .T-cw-.-- T-T, 'H SATURDAY. JULY . ,C. Thic Nri.-WePul.lUhih,iv1i. McssflRo entire this week, to the HsJ of much other Interesting nutter TW tnesssita U telegrsphic copy, ln4 found to contain a few error, i, friend ol Ma conntry will J decided manner In which tl p,,, metU the difflculliei now uwettis.,,. country. The advices of every dursci , couilnir from Wsshlngton, otsort n,, tho Government ia resolved to i ahead until every resil of tlsf bou fuinons and dijrraecful rcWllioa It plelily crushed out. Wmk al tk rtn,. All aorta of rejiort art in eirenlitio, rt iileut thai liupjKtte.1 I Ik etei, Pacifk-, Cnpt, 6tap!s, va Iter i, luinhia river on Wrdmaday aaitit af Ua tA. Th facta ar imly three t Th nwrl n f. land about eight o'clock r. a, ka a Uij some ily or aevruly puw.i.r iU, mtiyn tity of freight, especting la trark AttsriaThsa. day morning, and proceed IninirdUliI; Uari. liver) Ihii g went on awimm ngty Jui tl part of the liilil. The itiana shell I tVI tsl pte light down through llie Uniting clog im d ciiti d a KNtheriug torm. We kid ukrs sn family on boatd, natieipaiing a atiek, fr, s4 ptrusaiil Irip to A "tori, our new hen. We but just gone lo bed, at tlrvrn asd kull t'M when the strainer rna sn lial void ujkt iv. fin Ruck,'1 In Iho vicinity i.( lUinier. TWikrt w a not very violent, but enoarjli to I Uim of lie iaengers marly or tjuiiej at af iWj berth. We haatencd on deck, and (tni the sleniiier was ttill umlrr beadviy, b.l ill s-i innl lo know iiothmg about lln aiaiij,,. tallied, although wu learned that Iks n sw Inkinpt in water very fast Th first eDurt wu &. reeled toward trying to find the leak, ioatJtr I atop it from the invido. Tin faiiing, i anl ti arltled down by nirun of weighiiia fwitftU bow, wilh tbu vii w uf partially checking Uw rsk uf water o that the pump might kersktr ilUl tillahscould iuii down lo Ailori. Tin hatck w aya were ininiedlilely opened, anl th Imitia the hold, which was fart beeomin mkimrjej water, waa ho sted en deck wiia all psaibirss. patch. 'I he freight wa shifted aft, ied mn eight fine horses, (lauding forwafJ,ert mmiJn fur back aa posaible, in order lo riliive Ike AifU word, which waa last acllling dews at Im Wi Tho bulk-head wero cut away, to let tin ir buck, so n to get the pumps at Wrrk. TsiisW by this lime had sot bands au l bose aflmt ieib hold. The strain pumps wrr kept eoasUMlj a work, and vastqiwniiiiesof water arre krwrliif through Ihe hatchway by means at a larrt Uttrl roustf iicti d of a bum). Th ship ia tkc ant time had been kept going, rem of th tan stream,, thru down, occasionally Hoppn b t lime, and turning round and leond is Ik asUi of the river, just bvluw Collin mouatsia. Auknt o'clock Thursday morning dayliglitbeiiilml in tho east, much to Ihe relief of allea Wui Tlie water had now gained on die Itrrs liD ilia) evident that tho engine, which wa bartrr a lion, must toon ttop. Tho fireman nnxsftr Rclow, having woiked for soma lima la na nearly waist deep. There aa new a iJanaW left but lo bench the vessel. She wumtrMsl at a few minutes pml three, just bek Cat" mountain, on tho north Iwnk of Ik Colsa. She crawled iiion the (and so modrtaltljilhiln could feel no jar when Ihe ateamtr ami. T) lea.I wua thrown for a mile before Mehitf Is) shore, indica ting pretty deep water all lbs nj. Detween her bows and the ahore, s disuse a" om ten or fifteen rojs, the water issiwn"tll feet deep, and quite rapid. From her wheel-koosar back th water deepens rapidly, givhijaJtMl1 ty or twcnly-fivo feetal Ihe atern. AOorattlast. thu current washed the aand rapidlj fromiito her, and in a few hour ehi- listed w(riauai merge a portion of her lower decks, aali" part of the freight on the upper deck M T Ihe river. The cabin, cook loom, aad ill us k sparinieuta wero slrijiped of bedJisfi stsn all olher valuables, wkich wcressfclj axW shore by one o'clock r. u. on Thoxsaay. At"1 eleven o'clock Ihe bark Samuel Merrraeaaw" ihe river, and anchored a mile and a half ("J Capt. Gilman, who bad her iu charge, stsli" boat alongside and kindly look ourfamiljlw" the bark, bound to Oak Point. Tb Multnomah and Cowlils both male """ ance about au hour later, and look U PW" passengers back to Portland. ' We eanio lo Oak Point on tarried, wondering through die wild "nkPZ ering berrir which grow her ia Ihe a1 j fusion, nnd lingering among Iheambn! P of Mr. Alex. Abernelhy' home """""" ricbed by luwiou fruits and adorned If diat render thia charming spot as ft a J song as His garden of Alciaa- mosquitoes (the only evil we saw here), law waters stretching far away In the "J' jV. on either side by tho overhanging boot lonwood the cooling xepliym, lh noou baaleu np from Ih ocean, i'UV fragrance of a hundred elusteta f fiowcm, and wavinj the braucbea of Ik In, cherry, apple, and pear treea-all ttB . to write gladness on tU facos of "'Vrf there, and atamp Iho soul wilh the hearen-uei. W. to ' TLM' Friday at thrvo o'esoek fcr Astoria, so the plac aafely about aon-Jowa. There are a variety of opiaiooa aa r peel, of aaving th Pacin. Som be raised soou. whTt other, think '" got off before hitrh water next 'I,, y ovent, it is a great km, an ' "T2t th. whole community. Tue V"'" . m.rjy bearing of Cap- St.plos """ havo rn.de them very pooch with , U public, and it anrvemlly kotxi W rary lo- of the Pacific win a b. tb.-"-removuig ,,e .nUJl- XT W. are smd oWitt Ncjmith !r pub!i doewnra'4 m IV amy