St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-07-26
HOPE FOR OUR COUNTRY
NO.. !. /

AaVoEaUAo pVeAVlou AOl 1tuuyInS tne pllucA'
pies Of our Government and estimating
the probable issues and tendencies of our
struggles, than out in an extreme frontier
town like this. We are not 80 liable to
Judge of this or Of that measure, before
the time. We stand where We may judge
calmly and dispationately.- Standing not
80 directly in the midst Of the strife; and
hence less liable to be blinded blythe smoke
and dust arising from the gunsind tramp
of friends and foes !. may deahe work
assigned us, and hay5 yiission and
cooler judgement, than sx p vs1sEworking
a mine, or storming an outpost leading
a forlorn hope, nearer headquarters, When
Sebastopol has toAen, we shall e sure to
find it out in due time and While the
Siege continues, We are not 50 liable to be
confused with contradictory statements
and false reports, as if standingsat tele.
graph station or in metropolitan depot.
We propose, therefore, q little, morale.
ing from week to week, during the cam.
paigu now so fairly opened !; not in the
slang Of party beligerents, butin' the more
conservative language Of patriotic hope.
fulness, touching the featureg Of our Gov.
crnment in their present. practical work.
ings. ::::5"' f.. -:5ys<.%z
With our eye on the sentiments of the
great statesmen Of the Old World in ref
ercnce to our institutions, we may not,
without fear Of contradiction, deem it a
foregone conclusion that the sjptaelssblem Of
free government is finally and fnlly solved.
There is one question now skafore us,
and only one, that must "giveaus some
pause" No apprehension is non enter
tanned that the States of this Confedera.
cy may not move on as unit for the next
century, at least, if the institution of HUI
man Slavery shall not rend them assunder.
No other question looks towards disrup-
ton. No other disease now prsys upon
our vitals.
Is there hope that a pilot Of sufficient
skill can be placed at the helm for this
pending storm? May we watch withcompos-
urethe gathering tempestwhile weknow that
thousands would rather see the vessel strand
ed than submit to the issue which now
seems inevitable )? Can the champions OF
that faction Of a faction, who are zp '*matl
upon their idols" that civil war, would be
thousand times more desirable than the
slightest repulse to their darling institu-
ton, can they be held with hand .suAici-
emily steady, with a policy sufficiently just
and conservative for the crisis-back from
proving our free institutions at farce and
our democracy hoax? The settlement
Of this question will depend very largely
upon the amount Of cement, consolidation
and disinteres tednessto be found ia the ranks
Of the Republican party.
>. -Four years ago we cast our vote for John
G. Fremont, but it was with trembling
hand. We delivered one or two public
discourses in behalf Of Freedom; but were
bold enough to intimate a foreboding at
the result that seemed for time so proba-
BILE. And yet We declared that we fear
ed the issue Of Republican triumph less
than we feared the accession of the oppo-
site party at that time. The result has
justified the propriety Of these scruples on
either side, : The Republican party was
then far from being what the struggles Of
four years have since made it. It lacked
and needed the cement, and concentration
aud acquaintance with itself, that the
discipline Of these years has conferred
upon it. Now the way is thrown open for
its accession to power, and in such an event
which seems inevitable We shall dis.
miss our scruples, only so as that party
shall seem to endure prosperity and stand
as unit, unseduced and mistaken.
With kind of sickening, shuddering
sensation did we see turned up the public
sparring Of Greeley, Weed and Raymond
But with rapture do We now behold the
former of these still standing at the post
of duty, whether with or without promo
ton and We venture the prediction thai
when, in after years, the history Of these
times shall be written, fist and foremost
among all the names that shall adorn thu
pages Of that history, shall stand HoR
ACE GREELEY. OBsEavrn.
Ir>S. - HRs~~noo%o - ia Gn1S