Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-08-08

In the intcrvil between the naugura-
uration of President Lincoln on the 4th
of March last and the issuing of his proc.
lamation for volunteers on the 18th of
of April, there was in the Republican
ranks feeling of doubt and uncertainty
as to how tho Administration would deal
with the secessionists.
From the delay in taking any deciled
stand, suspicion arose in tho minds of
many who had contributed {, their eleva-
ton to power, that the President and his
Cabinet might possibly favor an amica.
division Of the Union.
Taking their cue from this, Republican
journals and orators began to hint and
some to speak plainly of tho disadvan-
tage Of the Union to the North and to
urge that was an arrangement that had
answered its purposea nd should be re-
! placed by a new one, and that final sep
aration of the more Southern States
| from the rest world be peaceable, but a
sure means OF accomplishing what, in
their view, was OF moro Importance than
anything else in the great controversy
the downfall of slavery in this continent
The radical abliotion wing Of the Ro-
publican party took up tho secession line
of argument and dvocated the doctrine
with n zeal and earnesincss that put to
shame tho most energetic supporters Of
the South. Whilo the bonn barlment of
Fort Sumpter was progressing, Wendell
! Pphilips, who may be regarded rs a rep
rcscntative man OF his class, made n speech
in Boston, deprecating, in the most en-.
phatlc manner, any appeal to arms, in
SlSting that the seccssonsts were right
in principcl, and urging that the only
way to get rid Of slavery was to let the
people OF those States that were so dis
posed go peaceably ont of tho Union;
whereas, IN ottempt To retain them in the
Union. by a resort to force, which would
lead, in the end. to new compromises,
would result in tho re- establishment and
perpetuation of slavery.
The presidents proclamation came, call,
ing for sGventy-iivo thousand volunteers
and an extra session Of Congress. This
indicated that the Cabincnt had deternin-
ed upon n war policy. This seemed at
'i'p Hi'hi Nv w vi lloNb WV NNllNlhtlbIlN pI
Northern Republican disunionists. But,
with remarkable speed and facility, they
apparently changed their views and alter
ed their course to suit tho new state of
things, still keeping before them the one
single and darling object, tho cmancipa,
tion of the negroes,
Slavery, they said. was at the bottom
of the rebellion, and must be extnguish
ed before we could havo peace. There
fore, there must be no compromise with
Shareholders, The war must go on, till
that which caused the rebellion, namely,
slavery, was eXiirpated, or in fair way OF
utter extinction.
Still, while uttering these sentiments,
they loudly protcssed to be the only true
II lends of the Union. From being either
covert outspoken advocates Of dissolution,
Republican journals and leaders suddenly
became vocileyous for war to save the
Union, and exhibited the most intolerant
and lerocius spirit toward those whom
they suspected of cherlshing the views
lhey had themselves proieSsed to enter
tam few days before.
In one week after his famous secession
speech IN Boston, Wendell Phillips de-
l!vercd another in the same place, giving
the war, as he expressed it, welcome
hearty and hot" and rejoicing in it, not
because 1t would preserve the Union, but
because it would extirpa;o slavery, de-
clarlng, whilo shout or applause was
sent up by his Republican hearers, that
ho did not care whether secession was
Acknowledged or cannonaded, so that the
four millions negro slaves in tho South
wore SGT free.