The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-09-11

Unieslsn IN sAe SsusA.
Every day furnishes evidence Of the strong
undercurrent Of Union feeling in the South If
We can rely upon many sorroboratng accounts.
the people OF North Carolina are ripe for move
ment looking to their return to allegiance to the
o. s. Government. Union lodges are spread
over the entire State, and two Union Brigades
are organized, ready 70 fight under the old flag
- soon - an opportunity shall occur.
We have read with considerable interest the
Letters Of the North Carolina correspondent Of
n. 7. Tribune. He seems to have been per.
son of intelligence and truth. cautious in his
statements, and giving uttsrance to his views On.
y upon careful deliberatioa. In . recent article
he gives Q resume of his observations, from which
We take the following. We call the particular
attention to the effect - stated BY him, of nor.
thern "psace" movements upon the Cnion men
of the South.
he says: "The strong undercurrent Of Onion
ism pervading the popular Southern sentiment
has been several times spoken of in my letters.
1t 10 surprising that there should be 20 much Of
the loyal spirit still alive in the secsded States
considering the iron rigor which represses it,
expression, and the manifold discouragements it
meets with. The amount of aid from among the
people of North Carolina which can be made of
practical avail to put down the Rebellion, in CO.
operation with the Federal forces, cannot be pre-.
cisely estimated, but there are thousands who
would willingly fight under the old banner. The
detection Of many Unionists, at one time promi-
nent a. leaders, has done the cause an immense
injury, and the standards of loyalty must be
borHe henceforth in the hands mainly of new
and ambitious men, whose shields are yet unin-
scribed, and whose mighty spurs are still to be
won. This detection ID probably not sincere and
permanent in some cases, but it has the same
disastrous effect as if it were ever 90 hearty and
determined Men of whom better things might
have been expected have succombed to the tide
Of treason, and disavowed their allegiance to the
country. 1t may DO some excuse fer them that,
in thus submitting to what they could not openly
withstand, except At grave risks. they acted in
obedience to that primary law of nature which
makes one shrink instinctively from suicide and
take counsel of prudent fears. The longer the
Government fails in striking q vigorous and de.
cisive blow at the backbone Of the conspiracy,
the more the mass OF those who are at heart 10y.
al become inclined to submit in sullen acquies.
cence to the resistless despotism Of their tyrants
There is danger that the still lingering affection
for the Union in the South will lapse at length
irto mere tradition, and the hope Of q restora.
ton to its blessings and ito glories be deemed q
chimsrical a. the revival of the Golden Age. In
all governments based upon the Democratic the.
DRY, the will Of the majority, or of what appears
to be such, assumes q kind Of authority to which
those who regard it - mistaken and unfortunate
are nevertheless likely to yield consent Espec
tally is this true when all the appliances of intm
idation and temptation, and every agency o.
force on the ono hand and cajolery on the other
are brought to bear upon the hesitating and re-
luctant. To say that have seen but little of the
heroism Of active and ousspoken dissent is need
less, for the laws of human nature would of them
selves controvert an opposite testimony. Ye
there are thousands hoping almost against hope
and clinging to expectations Of speedy deliver
snce with tenacity well nigh miraculous. tt
abandon these men to their oppressors would b.
an act OF national cowardce without parallel II
history.
| "The Union men of the South are much dis
heartened by the exaggerated accounts curren
there Of peace movements at the North. They
look upon Northern overtures for compromise
on any other basis than that of the complet,
suppression of the usurpation which now grind
them to the dust, as in the last degree cruel ant
treaeherous to them, and blasting to their hope
long cherished under the most adverse circum
stances. These white Gag demonstrations hav
also greatly contributed to revive the disappoint
ed rebel dream of active and effective aid from
Northern dirteaters and doughfaces in their un
holy crusade against the Union. Insgni6can
and feeble a. these demonstrations in the NortI
doubtless are, they are having most potent in
fuence for evil at the South. The disunionist
look upon them a. the beginning of the end
they have all along prophesied-the final recoe
milton of their independence and an agreemen
by the body Of the Northern people to terms q
pasi6c separation. 1t is the rainbow of rronis
to rebellion, but an omen of despair and dealt
to Unionism."