, 1861-04-12
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FRIDAY, APRIL IL, 1861. !: ::,ss !:


FRIDAY, APRIL IL, 1851. 4 I:
4 FEW QUESTIONS.
On ths day Of the Presidential election
the country In all It's parts, waS H. the ~ed1 d
joyment Of profound peace. The clont
which settled down upon commercial, mon
eta1y and industrial affairs in 1857, wa,
gradually lifting, and men Of all pursuits
looked forward to the present time as.tha
IN which 8 new career Of prosperity, enter
prise and happiness might be begun. There
was ,n ,noMqghars an intimation that any por.
ton ofthe Republic was suffering from the
tyranny OF misgoveEnment any Of other
portion. The people were, it is true, divi.
-ded upon aquestion Of grave internal poll
cy; but there were nowhere any well
grounded apprehensions, that, in the breast
Of every American, the love Of the Con.
stitution as it is, and the Union as our ia.
theirs made it, was not the sentiment. al
ways superior to the demands Of partizan.
ship, nor that whatever was the verdict bfthe
people in the issues which were then tried,
the territorial integrity and honored pres:
sigs or the Republic, would not be main
tanned.
What 3 change. The Spring in which all
men hoped to see revival OF business, d
renewal Of: enterprise and rapid advance
on that high road which has led us to the
first rank of nations is here. The hopes
of the Autumn are blasted. The mer-
chants, in whose hands the. commerce Of
the country rests, are idle, or if employed,
are laboring to avert the bankruptcy which
;. stares them in the face The agricultu1ist
stores abundant crops in his granaries wait
ing in vain for remunerative prices for his
last years toll. The manufacturer, despite
the healthful influences Of the: new tariff,
runs his mills or workshops at a daily loss
ras a prodt1ess act Of mercy to the men
Whom his prosperity has fed: The labor
ers in the cities and towns, lately stimu-
lated By tile idea of full work and gener-
ous wage are idle, and, in many places,
are crying for bread with which to keep
the wolf, hunger, from the door. The cur
rency of all the States is deranged, and in
some Of them beyond the hope Of regula-
ton. Gold is abundant in the hands Of
the rich, but there are no lenders, and
debtors plead in vain to be saved from
overwhelming ruin. Holders Of real-estate
feel that their possessions are daily declin-
ing in value, and That taxation grows more
and more onerous. In q word; there is no
interest that has not felt baIeful touch,
by which it has been crippled or killed
outright Politically the outlook is not
more 1attering. A broken Union, dis
honored flag, States which should be as
brothers, about to plunge into strife, q Grip
pied government, falling revenue, and
widespread and profound distrust of the
worth Of free institutions as an agency for
blessing mankind-these are the things
which meet our view. A compact, sad but
truthful future -
What's the cause? Who has wrought
this wholesale ruin? Who has caused this
loss? Who has sent misery and beggary
into the land where so lately were pros
perity and comfort? Is there sober, IT,
tional man, well-informed as to the origin
and object Of recent and current events,
who in his heart believes that the Republi-
can party should shoulder any portion of
the blames Is there man anywhere who
does not know, that for all the loss, dis
tress, terror and bankruptcy in the COM
mercial world, and for the loss Of our
prestige, the dishonor OF our still glorious
old flag, the, attempted dismemberment Of
the country and certain Inauguration Of civil
wal, that the pro-siavery party Of the South
and their reasonable allies and con-
federates Of the North are alone response
b1e2 Who does not knowthat in the cleo
ton Of Line a1n and the triumph of the Re-
publican policy, they find no reasonable
justification Of their insane acts-that Dis
union with its consequences, war and de-
Vastation, the present ruin Of material In
terests and long degradation Of the Repub-
lie in the eyes Of the world-has been long
in contemplation, but deferred until the
control Of the Federal Government should
pass out Of Southern hands? Who does
not know that the allegation that the "pro-
perty" Of Southern men under Republi-
can regime, would not be safe, il absurdly
false2 that the Constitution will be sacred
~ observed by those who are sworn to pro.
teet it? that nothing but an insane hate Of
the North, by whom they have been out
stripped, & more insane purpose to found
free State on the basis of human bond
age, a long cherished Impotence of
control and determination to stay IN no
Union that they cannot govern, are (not
Northern aggression or fear Of Republican
rule} the causes Of this revolution which
these traitors have wrought-this civil war
which thcir treason and violence have pro-
vokeds We appeal to all fair men, no
matter Of what party-are not these things
SO?
Chicago has suffered in al her interests,
as well as every other city in the land.
We put it to tile men whose pockets have
been touched, and whose pride of country
has been rudely shoeked-Whati is the duty
Of the hour? To combine with the apollo
gists Of the rebels, who have accomplished
q devastation more general and hardly less
seyere than that which follows seven
years waE,. and tie the hands, dash the
hopes and sadden the hearts of the Presi-
dent and his friends, who are making
patriotic efforts to restore confidence, |
compel a peace, uphold the Constitution,
enforce the laws, and bring to punishment
the malcontents, the authors Of all the
eountry's woes? Is this the part of pa
triotism? Is this sustaining tile govern
ing power IN the emergency in which it is
placed? Is this upholding the old flag: to
save it from dishonor? is this being loyal
to party, or just to the Republic? Who
says yes?
GIVE THE PE0PLE.s
"We, the people of England" said three
tailors addressing the House Of Commons. /
=" We, the people of Chicago" said grocer,
an express agent, three lawyers, a Virginia
reaper and "a Vrginia editor, assembled
with closed doors, IN ap ohiceon Dearborn |