The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-09-27

The initial trial of the strength Of the
Union was against agrarianism and
anarchy, as exhibited in the Shay
insurrection and Whiskey rebellion but
the great test, which has decided the fate of
all republics, was the ability of the govern
ment to survive party triumph; and to
prevent the translation OF defeated minor
! ity into rebels and traitors. Fortunately,
our institutions were equal to this trial.
The Federalists of New England, although
successful in their disloyal resistance to the
government, during the war of 1872, did not
precipitate actual civil war. But they
illustrated the violent and dangerous ex.
tremes of party spirit, which discovers in
its own ideas and platforms an approach to
the sublime exaltation of heaven and in
their opposite, the abasement and intamy
of hell.
Where party spirit INDUCES in such ex-
tremes, true loyalty cannot flourish. 1t is
on this account, that what has passed for
loyalty in this country, hitherto, has on the
part of minorities, been little better than
inevitable submission, made patient and tol.
cradle by the hope and expectation of
change" We have been, as a general
rule loyal to party only.
1t could not be otherwise, for in all ma
tions true loyalty to government, pervadiug
all classes and sections, must be the live
offspring of grand and destructive civil
war. And if people survive this ordeal,
their loyalty needs for maintenance occa.
sonal foreign wars, as we'll as an establish
ed National policy. internal and external.
A great civil war, the grandest in mag>
nitude, incidents and contingencies yet
known, is an absolute need, to produce in
this new world, the greatest nation in all
history. There is fitness in this as in all
things. But of the uses and purposes of
this war, designed by Providence, the ac-
tors in it, on both sides, are as ignorant
as were the Jews, who crucifed the Savior,
OF the true meaning and consequences of the
deed they were committing.
Taking more contracted view of the
subject, we note that the Republic survived
its first party triumph f; and that it is now
on trial, to determine whether or not it can
survive the shock and recoiI of the first Sec
tional, and institutional triumph, which has
been followed by the most stupendous civil
war the world has yet witnessed.
From an elevated point of observation
suggested By the preceding reflections, an
impartial review OF New England politics
during the period referred to, may be both
interesting and instructive; and offensive
only to ignorance, prejudice or misconcep.
tion. 1t must be remembered, however,
that among new communities, States or na-
tions, the sore place is always tender and
sensitive to the touch of even friendly
hand, which probes the wound only to cure.
And SO it is of the disloyal period in
New England politics, especially at this
time, when comparisons are obtrusive as well
as odious. ....
But that the country triumphed over
Eastern disloyalty encourages the belief that
it will triumph over Southern treason; and
that afterwards, the people of the South will
be as loyal as are now the people of New
England. There is comfort in this re6ec.
tion.
The critical reader of history will observe,
that all rebellions and revolutions are pre-.
cipitated by small minorities-the majority
always being conservative and passively
loyal, yielding obedience to the de facto gov
ernment, be it prescriptive or revolutionary.
Their probably never was time when any
thing like majority of the people of New
England would have preferred dissolution
to union, but had the war of 1872 contin-
ued much longer, the rejection of the COM
promise proposed by the Hartford Conven-
ton, would have enabled, there is every
reason to believe, the active, persistent and
violent New England Federalists, to preci-
pitate the rebellion towards which all their
actions tended and yet, it has been assert
ed by well informed men, that the members
of the Convention were loyal and patriotic.
The facts do not justify this charitable con.
clusion.
President Madison, in his message to
Congress, November, 1872, informed that
branch Of the government that the Govern
ors Of Massachusetts and Connecticut :" re.
| fused to furnish the required detachments