New-York daily tribune., 1861-09-12
MR. FOSTERS REPLY.

ttluB lOu III tLio wy - ANA"N+N 'Nl9'|p
most kind and fattering note Of the LIST July. am
aqaia here after an absence Of some weeks and, hav-
log few days of leisure before resuuing the labor to
which my energies are pledged hasten TO express
my thankful sense of the high compliment you pay me.
This compliment H. 1 fear not yet deseryedi hope
TO merit it the better when my work is done.
The earnert blessing and encouragement of one from
whose lips and lie have taken the nobies nsfiFa.
tons Of lay manhood and to whom shall always be
so much debtor for my best culture Of mind and heart,
could not but supply to me strong Incentive to 20
forward with unfaterug feet in the path Of stern but
sacred duty. Your words have indeed proved, IN my
case "a you cloQuelily said ut Irving Han the other
| night 10 have whole battles in theni.'
That life individual national, il militant, and that
the Christian is soldier IN no vain sml ude wac the
best lesson Of youf .a,hing. Behind the great wars
Of history and the srupges Of the worlds heroes, and
! governing them like the subtle, iuusteTiI iorces
Which control the phenomena OF nature you revealed
TO the coueniR of ideas, and The agoisc workings
OF the soul Mgbtier an the massed armies were the
politics OF the warrng nations aud greater then the
heroic deeds was the spirit they wero BON Of Aud
thus learned that for essentially opposing crceds there
can be 10 armislice that il not untrutlu and that
retonte and incorporating conflict, Ia which the true
shall subJugie the Ilse SD the good The evil Tire
sole issue 10 peace undsr which there will not
grow still new yigor Of aUtagonsm. The warfare Of
Qseai principles has IL and its destny, and can be
enoed ty no log tiog'ies or hypocrticsl adn'tmens
Never, uni vanquishes the other, though the CON
bat last Tor centuries, hostile opinions throw aside
their armor.
The grest war now wagng in America, snd whose
sudden outbreak and magnitude Of proportions have
appalled, mankind Il, most signally colnct ~ lfeaf
N has now but taken OH material i0rm and become
ncsrna,ed in armies. lie who It's origin IN the
fall % Sumter IN any prcyous overt act upon either
sis Is 4 hill0w observer a. the best. Ire eouspir
acy for the demolition of tho Union proceeds from in-
tee,iual absim ti0n, hnty and 90 hi,ca bnt pOico-
tia over minds aud hence thelwis of their dSi-
pies What the frenzied masses uuder the control of
The conspraors inpelled by anything nure than
preudi and pas-ion, Is not alleged but the headers
are indoctnnsied in the false e Of speei1us and
peryerse school 81 poll ic whose foremost sp1kcsman
was the gIea, South Csrolir.gn, end which hss a.
length borne ne indignant fruit Of nrned revolt ssainsi
the fundamental naxims Of tie nation. The rcyerber-
ous Of muskeiFy aud along the shores OF the
Potomac bu, the echoes Of tle Senatorial speeche,
OF Webster and Calhoun.
Nor il the war IN the truesi sense, sectional col
h.ion. That IL such is only sppnrrnt and scci
dental; for there Is Intrinsic and radical necessity
which gives It's present seuhlance o. geographical
division II might ftly be fought IN Vermont In
Virvinia in Maine as in Missouri; aud, n fact We
have seen indications that the colct about 10
same partisan complexion throughout the country.
Least Of al Is this contest one Of SonIh and Of North
for while there are yrgnt traitors among Northern
men, the voice of Thousands upon thousands OF South
ern loyalitts-R now senced save in secret and
fearful prayer TO Gods for vigorous aud speedy
assertion everywhere OF the author OF tie Republic
On tie part arrsyed the heresies II barbar-
ism and provincial saliion while, against them
stands the inspiring fuh Of civilization, progress, and
American nationality. The usurpers u the Souh have
thrown down The gauntlet 10 the world. aud bado mad
defiance TO the s1ioms Of htoy and the instincts Of
the race II is the DID, melancholy story Of that Ish-
Inaol who's hand wu against all men.
But the nation is mpregnAbio as TO all the bad agen
eicf which menace il dismembermsIt. IL God k for
us who, who stali be against vsl That overarchiHg
Providence which presides over the process OF the
races and witch hss 80 manifcstly iuieryesed in The
whole career OF Amorca, has no, ordained tue end Of
the appointed d snies Of this mighty Empire OF the
people for The generation m which We live. lie has
not willed that now Inthe very moInngol ns 1ays, hs
great Republic the accomplished dream OF prophets,
and product Of all the ages eha expire amid siBs and
team and that the eyange Of freedom, whereof II IL
tie chief apostle 20 the nsiiols sha become snddeny
a yoiceieas oracle.
Tie tending war IL not to be regretted by the
Christi an philanthropist and patriot IL vas inevita
be and now that has come let ne address ourselves
with COURAGE 10 it, conduct, aid bear tA ills with
manly fortituds sustained By the consOlrrg thought
that Of this gereraOn are divtnely chosen 20 Light
battles whose import and victories are not alone for
Ourselves, but for those who sbAl come alter us. be-
yOnd the din o. arms and seen dizlGntly through tho
smoke OF these bate-lelis, rises Tegenerated AID
peaceful future. The greater glory OF Freedom sanc
fes the means we Ese, aud eonsecraies our caInai
weapons giving them o oeesi ial temper.
genuiae and earnest sentiment OF patriotism s to-
day the nations gTeatesi need. The creation Of ts
sentiment, hitherto bat tue afectation Of stump
n.
tie war The bounds that divide loyalty snd treason
will be determined The patriot will hereafter no
longer hesitate between bis duty to the nation and bis
State Henceforth the statesman will recognize IN the
grand personality Of the Republic the object Of his
frst and highest loyalty. The strong foundations Of
the nation intimate and indissOlube, will be laid 10
the enlightened hearts OF all its oEens The duty 10
the State enoiDed all good men by the lessons Of
their youth and the mature conscience OF manhood,
and made enthusiasm, especially TO tie scholar who
has discoursed with Plato, will be no longer vague and
dubious of interprtaf on, it will transcend the tram
mels Of traditional colonial boundaries and territorial
lines and embrace the whole domain Of THE UNIoN.
Our craftsmanship will take u nobler dignity, and
exhibit more expanded sweep. Our citizenship VIII
become really, what II has been hardly saye In name
AMERICAN. Local and provincial differences, with
all their elements Of discord and distrus:, will disap
pear, and we shall be wrought into homogeneous
and siugie people.
The war win result not only in maintsiuing the GO
ographea integrity OF the country and IN piang our
empire forever yond auy fdtntegalion from in
ternal feuds but t win leave as its enduring monu-
rent hearty and unanimous nationality gam
chespy bought with thousands Of lives and millions Of
treasure.
Our flag Will be no longer an unmeaning banner for
the adornmsnt OF empty pggeants but the collective
symbol of people whose hitory at once and destiny
il typGes and its every thread VIII be full Of eloquent
signiicsnoe. No more ahall It be not without honor
in is own country and ite own househonid: Inc
nation Will look up to il hereafter the hosts OF Con
stantne looked up the heavenly sign which propne-
sled their conqpess, and 70 renewed their courage Tor
the fight.
Our armies will march Southward on errand rot
Of snbjngation but OF deisernce. They 60 on holy
mission of mercy and relief Their swords are drHwn
and their bayonets fixed, not hgans, lhe Son.n, oas
against the usurpers who restrain her people OF their
liberties. The relentless tyranny, their liberation
from which is committed 10 us as solemn duty, mas
not alone destroyed the larger end general righs o.