Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1861-09-13
What Are We Fighting For 2

We arc afraid that there are many men in
the North, even loyal men, who do not ap-
preciate to the full extent, tho importance Of
the present conflict into which our country
is plunged. 1t is not war for national
aggrandizement,- mot to prove our numeri-
cal superiority or to satisfy the inorGinato
ambition Of a military dictator. We are
lighting for the most inestimable boon God
ever granted to man-Liberty. Not only for
our own liberties, but for those of our child
rem and our children's children,-yea, for
tho liberties of the down-troddcn and op-
pressed of the whole world. If our govern
ment now goes down before the whirlwind Of
Secession and bows at the feet of the Slave
power, farewell to that liberty which has been
the boast Of American citizens, and let the
millions Of the old world bid last and sor-
rowful adicu to the hopes that have animated
their breasts as they turned their eyes to-
wards the land where free institutions have
been most successful, and where the great
experiment is being tried whether man is ca
pable Of selfgovcrnment or no. Then what
a momentous. responsibility rests upon the
people of this government when it is consid-
cred that the liberties Of a nation, nay, Of a
whole world, are to be decided in this con-
flict for all coming time. five, with all our
past prosperity, our unparalleled growth and
advancement inevery thing that goes to make
powerful nation, go down now, where on
the wide earth, can you find a people that
will dare to attempt what we attempted and
failed to accomplish Does any one for a
moment suppose that if the South should be
successful, it would re-establish govern
ment like the present, like the one it is now
endeavoring to destroy? If there are any
such let them dismiss the thought immcdi-
atcly. A government founded by the slave
oligarchy, with slavery as the corner stone,
must, of necessity, be hostile to freedom.-
Mechanics, laborers, farmers, how do they
speak Of you to day? Do they not call you
serfs, white-slaves, mud-sills, and every op-
probrious epithct pampered and naughty
aristocracy can invent? Should the South
ern cause prevail the condition of the middle
and laboring classes of the North would be
on the same footing with those in Poland or
Hungary.
With liberty we will continue to increase
in everything that goes to make great,
prosperous, intelligent and happy people
Without il We shall sink lower and lower in
the scale, be torn into petty and distracted
States, where military despotism will be the
ruling power, and ignorance and brutality
take the place Of intelligence and humanity.
Then when 20 much is at stake, can we do
too much in unfolding the government
The eyes of the world are upon us we are
the ones called upon to demonstrate that
man is capable Of selfgovernment. tits no
easy task that is before us; we have hard
and unpleasant duties to perform if We would
succeed. The light Of many home must
be qucnched in blood and many tie broken
that earth can never cement, and friends and
must be counted as naught beside
the priceless boon Of worlds liberty. If
we work in right spirit, show proper ap-
probation of the interests at stake, we be-
ieve, as we believe that GCd is INST, that
victory must perch upon our banners, AM
we be enabled to proclaim, once again, Free
lom throughout the land. .a