Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-07-22
THE STILL VExED QUESTION.

We fear that some Jealous supporters of the
government are making themselves needlessly
unhappy through fear of sublerranean plots OF
the abolitionists During the past week, and,
indeed, since the public began to express its
unaffected displeasure at the promptness OF one
or two accidental generals in catching and re-
storing fugitives from masters in rebellion,
few winters, with eyes of owls, have been see
ing danger, and sounding the note OF warning
and alarm. The chronic spasms of these
alarmists have lost very much OF their terror
since the sublime loyalty of the people maze
it clear that this government is to be saVea' lor
the present, whatever other institutions sur
vive or perish.
The loss of the oyershadowing political pres
tige which the institution of slavery has en-
ioyed for nearly fly years may be one OF the
results OF the war but It will follow as an ia
cident. not as purpose. Its champions, after
wears of secret preparations, and in moment
when they imagined all the parts of the con
spiracy were complete, struck the murderous
blow which halt a million brave men are now
ready to answer with their lives. 1t would be
asking of them degree of charity of which
human nature is not capable, to insist that the
bold, bad cause, the gigantic inhumanity for
which their enemies struck, should escape
without wound.
1t was not, however, with such motive
that the government called its true sons to the
field. 1t was no part of its mission TO carry
on an discriminating war against evils confess
eddy beyond its control, and which were better
left to the avenging judgment of time. 1t was
from the beginning committed, by duty and by
choice, to "stand b. the constitution" both
because it was the accepted law of the land,
and because its limitations were believed TO be
the best for the general good. Plots for any
purpose, couspracies for any cause, touching
the integrity of that instrument, dash harm
lessly against the public policy of the admins
tration, from which there is no desirable or
possible way for it to depart In the spirit of
that policy the administration commenced the
task OF crushing the rebellion, regarding that
as its controlling, absorbing duty, contemplate
ing nothing beyond it but - vindicate the au-
thority OF the government, end to perpetuate
its blessings to the generations which are to
come after us.
When the war is over, and the brave men
in the field return from their work of labor,
peril, and death, it is they who will demand
that every lawful constraint shall be placed
upon system which has been the fountain
of so many woes,-not as domestic institu
ton merely, but as a vast political conspiracy,
threatening the existence Of free institutions
SO long as its power remains unsubdued and
unbroken 1t will never be possible to for
get that it educated the politicians and states
men who have brought nothing but disaster
to the republic, that it has dignifed the high
est crimes against the state, and rewarded with
peculiar honors. theft, perjury, and assassina-
ton, which in all ages have been looked upon
as the basest and most wicked of crimes.
When in the order of events tspolitcal sup
ports fall away, as they assuredly will, with
the decline of the rebellion, the demand will
be made, with vigor which was never ex-
pressed before,-that the constitution shall not
be thrust between it and its death.