The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1861-06-08
WHAT Is 1T WORTH:

We are all Of Us induging in the hope
| that this will be a short war; but lift should
not prove to b., how long twill paw to fight?
Wha. is our country worth? What shall
be considered fair price for our nationah-
y? What sum Of life and treasure shall
be stated as the value Of our free Govern.
ment? We can make an answer to these
questions when We endeayer to realize To
ourselves how little life would De worth with
country. nationality and our free Govern.
ment blotted out, and the national Gag con-
verted into dirty rag that has no existence
and no meaning outside the lids of history.
We can answer these questions whsn we can
tell how much the air We breathe is worth:
how much home, and personal virtues and
children are worth. There are certain es.
sential requisites to desirable existence,
and these, whatever they may be, are beyond
all price. They cannot be measured hy Ec-
urs., or estimated by any standard curren-
cy; and among them are our free institutions,
our country's name and flag, our national
reputation, and our beniacens Government.
These ours-we are people full Of self re-
spect, chiva.ry, manhood these lost--our
home is gone, and we are disgraced, degra-
dsd and impotent.
We can live under no other Government
than this. 1t cost our fathers long, sad
years Of struggle, uncounted treasure, un-
measured hardship, and an incalculable sum
Of precious life. They established, and
committed it to US AS sacred trust. Re-
specs for their memory bids US guard this
trust as We guard their ashes. The over
throw OF the Government is equivalent to
the destruction OF our nationality; and to
consent to this overthrow, in any way, would
be treason to all intents and purposes. Vol
untary or compulsory submission to any
other government sought to be raised upon
the ruins of this, or voluntary Of compulso.
~ consen. TO the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the ma
tion, would involve such q surrender of all
that We hold sacred, as men and patriots,
that death would be preferable. Ii would
be better for Us to be annihilated than to be
denatio nalized.
So, then, we ask, "what is i. worth p, we
can only answer that the value Of that which
is represented by tho words, sour country"
"our Government" ""our nationality, ,""our
Gag" cannot be stated. 1t is invaluable.
1t is essential to our life, like the water we
drink ami the air We breathe. We cannot
lose 1t without hanging our heads everytime
We acknowledge that we are Americans. w.
cannot lose II without drawing upon our
selves the contempt Of mankind. We can.
not lose it without STRENGTHENING the bands
Of desposism everywhere. II this be So,
how long will it pay to fight? We reply
that it will pay to fight just as long as there
is a traitor TO be hung, and patriots enough
left to hang him. Ii it ever should by any
possibility, come to choice between a war
OF one hundred years and the overthrow Of
the American Government, the question
would be just as easy to decide as il would
ts were the century reduced ninety nine
parts. 30 long as national destruction is
worse than civil war, so long will it pay to
Gsht for the preservation of the Govern.
ment. II is better to be soldier than
slave. Honorable war is better than A dis.
honorable peace. The preservation Of the
Government cannot cost too much, because
,,.hen it Is lost, We shall have nothing left to
as blu: disgrace.
This ia the thought, and this is the spirit
Of the friend. Of the Government to-day
II they canuo, hans treason, they will starve
il. Ii they cannot destroy the rebels, they
will tire them out. The n.gsket has been
taken up with the calm and frm ,sstermina
ton Of men who feel that they shall have
rothing lsf. to live for if their country shai,
be oyerthrown, and who will fgh. till death
comes to them before they will relinquish
their purpose. Behind these men, rank af-
ter rank, stand a million other men. ready
to take their place, and behind them stand
the holders Of the nations wealth, ready TO
expend their all to support the country's de.
Tenders. All history may be challenged to
show such another spectacle as the North
1sesests to-day. A whole people united to
q man, simply asking where they shall stand
and what they shalf do, to maintain their
country and ih.i. country's Gag. Twenty
millions of people agsisss eight millions,
declare that America shall not 10 cut 10 too,
and that the Government shall not be ever.
thrown. God pity the poor fools Who not
only sghs against their country, bat agains:
destiny.
Il has come to be Q question simply Of
natiopai existence, and il must be decided
| iu only one way. Whatever shall be the de-
mand upon human life, whatever shall b
,hs tar upon resources, whatever shall be
the cost OF effort and hardship, treasou
| az ainss the American Government must bs
crushed, and the national power To prsserv.
| itself be vindicated. Ii IL worth all that il
viii cost, because il 10 essential and il i.
worth Just a. much to the mistaken men = ha
are trying to destroy the Government - q
those who oppose them. The tine.vill CONS
when grateful Southern people viii shsui
Us for delivering them from the reign OF dss.
peraie politicians. and preserving them 70
country and home We shalt do IL fol
ourselves and for then.-Springfe'd Mas.
Repnbhean.
EJef Davis has etirmatirsd the Pres