Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-05-03
C6usaa Of Hardness

him or the spot. John A. Dir.
Causes Of Hardness.
1t is not the privilege only, but also the
duty of every citizen to scan the conduct
Of the Government At such a time as
the present this duty becomes an hundred
fold. With a rebel army making war up
on the Government and Constitution the
civilian and soldier must be impatient
The feeling to up and at them and to
teach SO ignoble and vicious an enemy that
he cannot perpotrate such damnable trea-
son with immunity, in every loyal heart is
both spontaneous and irrepressible.
But while such a feeling is to be tolerated
as the offspring ofvirtue, a sober second
thought suggests that discretion IS the
better part Of valor,' and that ''6aution
is the parent of safety" The want of an
organized militia in most of the Northern
States, and especially the condition Of the
Government after having been under the
depletive treatment of one or TWO secession
administrations the treasury rified, the
navy removed to remote parts, and arms
OF AID munitions delivered up to the
South, render the raising and furnishing
a powerful army a work Of vast magni-
tudF Two months are very brief term
for such work to be accomplished in and
vet the Government and loyal States have
wrought prodigos since handful Of half
starved men in Sumter were the conquest
of the selfconceited and whisky debauched
rebel forces. It is only two weeks, but
the people have lived an age, every mo-
ment being traugbt with import most grave,
and every day equaling an ordinary hun
bred years As important as the defense
of Washington has been universally felt to
be as vigorously as the Government has
labored to be prepared to give the Satanic
rebels proper reception, we see it stated
that some of the Pennsylvania Volunteers
at the Capitol are still without arms. At
great distance from the field of conflict,
and hence, necessarily, with but partial
acquaintance with the case, probably in
total ignorance of circumstances of con-
trolling magnitude the matter Of what is
il light totally different from that pre-
scented by the whole features of the case
The ordinary duties Of the Government
are arduous in ordinary times how much
more so at such a time as the present,
with a military campaign which embraces
so extended rebel coast, and a nearly
equally extended interior hostile line, with
all the strategy and creative genius requi-
site to meet one Of the greatest emergen-
cies which was ever forced upon any gov
ernment. When the case is fully consider
ed we are sure that impotence will be
tempered with cordial and deep sympathy
for the Government upon which deVolves so
great a responsibility 1t would not have
been we'll TO have called out more men at
first than would have been consistent with
the Quarter Masters Department., or
than could have been soon supplied with
arms. BY the time those already called
will have been judiciously armed and APP
pointed, if a larger force shall then seem
necessary, we have no doubt that another
call will be made.
Having long premeditated secession and
nearly as long prepared for it, twill not be
surprising if, at the beginning, in some COM
paratively trihing matters, the rebels sue
ceed in obtaining temporary advantages. -
BY exhibiting a spirit of candor and for
lbcarance so far as is consistent in the cir
cumstauces, Government may hope to pro-
mote the calm reflection Of n,ultitudes who
might otherwise be excited to the insanity
of rushing to aid the rebels Events of
almost daily occurrence show what great
results depend upon small causes, multi
tudes hanging in suspense between loyalty
and rebellion, ready to be precipitatedinto
the vortex Of treason or deferred from ta-
king the fatal leap by the issue of the first
battle,
Another important feature is the fact
that in the ranks Of the government troops
in the District Of Columbia, are many men
who are traitors at heart, and must be pur-
ged out as soon as circumstances will per
NIT AZ the beginning it is worth the
while for the Administration to pre-emi-
nently seem to not be impelled by any Sec
tional feeling or party rancor Recent
events indicate that the Administration is
coming fully up to all that the most san
guine could desire.
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