Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-09-12
The Objects of the War.

VIC are enSaBeu III I'D OTulnary war. we
are not fighting merely to decide the owner
ship to strip of territory, or to avenge some
slight insult or wrong, or to secure the adj
yancement of an industrial interest, but for
the very existance of a great nation. No
foreign foe could menace US with greater
evils and dangers than those which the tri-
umph Of the unhallowed designs of the con-
spirators would infict upon us. When in
ternal enemies wage such a war against
republic as they have inaugurated, death
struggle must ensue. and one Of the com5a-
tants must be destroyed. If they triumph,
we must bid an eternal farewell to all our
national greatness, prosperity, and security.
If the Government of the United States
proves too weak to protect itself against res
bellioD, it will be virtually destroyed, its
prestige will be ruined forever, one suscess-
full revol. against it will prove bur prece-
dent for new rebelions, and our unharpv
country will in few years be cut up-not
into two, but into numerous jarring, dstrac.
ted, impoverished, and miserable States.
The great conspiracy against the Union
strikes deadly blow at the happiness and
security cf all good citizens, whether they
live in the North or the South whether
they like or dislike the institution cf slavery;
whether they have hitherto belonged to toe
Democratic, Republican, or American par
ties. Those who seek to give partisan aspect
to the war, and to denounce il as one in
which only those of the same faith as the
Administration should engage, are either
bereft oil reasoh or, what is more probable,
IN secret league with the traitors. 1t is Of
comparatively little importauce to the Amer
lean people what are the opinion Of their ru-
iers on the questions of national politics
which have heretofore been most earnestly
agitated, but il is Government which thsy
have established should not be forcibly over
| turned and that treason should not stalk de-
family through the land, undermining all the
foundations of political and social order,
bringing the authority which the nation has
invested in it's constituted rulers into con-
tempt, and jeopardizing all the vast interests
of the peaceful citizens of our country.
The war which the insurgents have com
menced is not waged against a party, but
against country, and Democrats and Amer
leans have as much interest in crushing their
treasoLable movement as Republicans The
best men of all the old parties have discern.
ed this fact, and plead mos. earnestly With
their countrymen against the traitors. We
might fill our columns with proofs of this as
sertion, hut what could be stronger than the
appeals of Mr.. Douglas, the chief competitor
of Mr.. Lincoln, in the late election-the
speeches and writings of Everett. the Vice
Presidential candidate of the Constitutional
Union parly-or the eloquent addresses of
Holt, who acted as Secretary of War during
the closing months of the last Administration?
In the ranks and amcng the ofEcers Of the
national army, TOO, large portion of men
who have never been identified with the Re
publieans, will be found. This is as it
Should be. But meanwhile there are few
men, 80 lost to all sense of patriotism and
regard for the interests of tie nation, as T.
seek to paraIyze the efforts of the Admins
tration to preserve the Union intact, and to
overwhelm the defeat and confusion those
who are errayed in arms against it. Every
step which it takes to checkmase the designs
of the unprinciped conspirators, instead of
being hailed by them with the delight which
is felt by all loyal citizens, is criticised and
denounced Every frivolous pretext which
they can devise to awaken the preiudices, to
weaken the loyalty or to mislead the judg-
ment Of their countrymen, is ros )rted to-
They see nothing to condemn in all the iofa-
nous efforts Of the Secessionists to plunder
and destroy the Union, and nothing to ap-
plaua or approve in the measures of the Gov
ernment to protect it. They are ready to
/" cavil upon the ninth part Of hair" about
everv step taken to thwart the traitors, but
they evince no surprise or Indignation at any
act however tyrannical, at any wrong how
ever unjust or cruel, at any movement how
ever treasonable and dangerous, of which
oeH. DhNis anu bis cODteueFale5 may De gull !
ty. In fact, loyalty to the best Government
that has ever existed is in their eyes the
worst of crimes, aud open hostility 70 it 80
great virtue that it hides ard nsutralizes a
multitude of sins.
Our nation is now on trial. 1t should be
remembered that the enemies of republics
have always predicted their destruction.
chiefly because they believed that defeated
parties would sooner or later prefer an ap-
peal TO arms to a peaceful acquiesence in
decision of the baIlot-box which was obnox-
ious to them. The critical period in our his
tory has now arrived when this danger is no
longer speculative, but real It is the duty
Of every patriot to meet it as becomes free
men sincerely attached to republican insti
tutions, and those who counsel their country
men to make an iguominious peace with
armed traitors are the most dangerous foes
# civil liberty. Plat. Press.
Bas- The course of Gen. Fremont startles
he northern douph- face and irrita+es the So