Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-12-31
RIPE FOR THE HARVEST.


The year 1860 has been field year for his
tory. Some heroes have fallen by the way )
others have come by inspiration from the
ranks, and carried on the battles. One new
nation has taken place among free common
wealths all the others have been compelled
to recognize in its triumph the irresistible pro
gress of ideas. Highways of commerce have
been opened, which were never securely trav
eled before, and guarantees of amity and peace
have been established between people who
had been strangers to each other. The con-
fict of ages has generously given its victories
to civilization; and the universal sun looks
down upon as fair az. earth and as hopeful a
people as at any time since our first parents
took their lonely walk out of Paradise.
The darkest cloud seems to overshadow the
new world. In the beginning no bigger than
a mans hand, it has spread till it seems to
cover the whole heavens. Revolutionists find
as much safety in the capitol as in the dens
where their first plans were made. While
hostile flags are floating over the nations de-
fences, conspirators who placed them there are
admitted to the confidential counsels OF the
president, and encouraged by his criminal ST.
lence to complete the ruin they have begun.
The country is not only threatened with reyo-
luton, but in the slave states appears the more
dreadful fear Of servile Instruction 1t may
be groundless and unworthy fear-"the air
drawn dagger" which haunts guilty minds.
But the fear exists. 1t travels in the air like
the pestilence The deadly night shade does
not exhale so secret and subtle poison. The
fever itself, when it brandished its dark and
bloody scourge over those tropical Cities never
caused so widespread alarm. They have
sown the wind. In every unexpected whisper
they dread the whirlwind.
1t is easy to see how this shadow of calami
ty has been brought upon them. The ignor
ant and degraded slaves have been studiously
misled and deceived as to the character of the
northern people, and of the political movement
which has now achieved constitutional tr-
umph. Creatures on whose benighted reason
no light was ever suffered to shine; whose
human consciousness is iumined only by that
divine instinct which burns, like the vestal
fire, when all other light is extinguished, have
learned to believe that the election Of Mr.
Lincoln would somehow result in their liberia
ton, either by an army marching to destroy
their natural enemies, Or possibly by placing
weapons in their own hands. With the pas
sion of incurable madness the champions of
the slave interest have constantly represented,
avon in the nraSanca Of their slaves that tho
republican party, when triumphant, would in
terfere with them in the states, and that the
only security of the slave masters lay in its
destruction. Conscious of having awakened
hopes in the minds of their slaves, which their
choleric ard frenzied attitude cannot fail to
stimulate and encourage, is it wonderful that
they dread the terrible harvest, when those
hopes shall have ripened into deeds
Something more than two months will
elapse before any improvement can be hoped
for-long enough, indeed, for government
which connives at treason to involve the coun-
try in hopeless embarrassment. The uneasy
and seditious population of other states, intoX
icated with the novelty of the change, and en-
couraged by the success of South Carolina and
the implied sympathy of the administration
while she accomplshes her treason, are
overriding the conservative sentiment of
their states, and preparing to follow her ex.
ample. Do they want concession? They de-
clare war before concession is possible. And
none have yet asked concession in their be-
half which would not render impossible TIE
policy which the people approve, and which
the new administration was chosen to establish.
That policy is in accordance with the enlight-
ened spirit of the age. 1t has the sympathy
and commands the respect of the eiviliz.
ed world. One year Of such policy ap.
piled to the government by an hon
est and incorruptbe executive will restore
it to something of that peace which the coun-
try enjoyed under the rule Of presidents whc
were statesmen, as well as honorable and high
minded men, unless indeed the madness which
now rules the hour is suffered to grow Will
what ii feeds upon, and to destroy the agencies
through which alone the country can maintair
its strength, its integrity, and its honor