Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-10-17
1U0rtestet Daily SPY.
SLAVERY AND THE WAR.
Catholic View of tue Qnestion.

tFrom Brownson's Review for Octuber.l
ne question OF the HOoIlIion of slavery, is
becoming with us practical question in Il
sense it has never been before. The rebellion
OF the slave states, which has for its object,
not so much the dissolution OF the Union, or
the separation OF the south from the north, as
the reconstruction of the Union on the basis
of slavery, or, as the vice-president of the
confederate states has it, with slavery as its
corner stone, and therefore the eXtentiou of
slavery over the whole country, cannot fail to
force THIS question upon the grave attention of
every citizen OF the loyal states, who loves his
country and believes in the practicabillty of
freedom. The slaves states, by their rebellion
and war on the Union, are compelling us TO
regard this question as one which must soon
he practically met, and are forcing all lOyal
clJIzens TO make their elections between the
trai6n tet tsFf hR8H s9d preservation OF
= 4ree states, with, or without southern or pro
slavery prOclivitles, may wish or desire, is
pretty soon IL be the inevitable Issue OF the
terrible struggle in which our glorious and
hitherto peaceful republic is now engaged.
Perhaps at the moment we WRITE the last OF
August, majority OF the people OF the free
states may not only shrink from this issue but
even honestly believe it possible to avert it al
together. The bare suggest ton OF the abOl-
ton of slavery may shock, perhaps, Gnragc
them, but events march and men who mean
to be successful, or not to be lett behind, must
march with them. Another disaster like that
OF Bull Run, or another unsuccessful action,
like that of Wilson's Creek, where the brave
and noble'hearted Lyon fell, a martyr to the
cause of his country, aud victim to the tail
ure of his government to send him timely aid,
will do much to change the feelings and con
victions of the loyal citizens OF the tree states,
and, perhaps force them to give up the last
| hope or thought OF preserving both the Union
! and the institution OF slavery. 1t requires,
! however chary our public men may be even
| OF whispering it, no extraordinary sagacIy or
foresight to perceive that, if the present war is
to be continued, and the integrity of the nation
restored and maintained the war can hardl:
fail TO become OF liberation, or that the
northern blood and treasure, which it demands
Tor its successful prosecution, will demand in
return, as their naturalization, the emancipa.
ton OF the slave, and the universal adoption for
the south as well as the north Of our free labor
system.
We need not say, for the fact is well known
to our readers, that no man, according to his
ability and up Ortunity, has, since April,
1885, more strenuouSly opposed the abolition
movement in the free states than we have; not
because we loved slavery, or had any sympa-
thy with that hateful institution, but because
we loved tue constitution Oh Inc UNION, anu
because we believed that liberty at home and
throughout the world was far more interested
in preserving the Union OF these states under
the federal constitution than in aboIishing
slavery as it existed in the southern section of
our common country But we believe, and
always have believed, that liberty, the cause
OF free institutions, the hopes OF philanthro-
pists and christians, both at nome and abroad,
are more interested in preserving the Union
and the integrity Of the nation, than they are
or can be in maintaining negro slavery. If
we have opposed abolition heretofore because
we would preserve theSUnion, we must, a for
tori, oppose slavery whenever, in our judg
ment, its continuance becomes Incompatible
with the maintenance OF the Union or Of our
nation as free republican state.
The liberation OF the slave is not the purpose
and the end of the war in which we are now
engaged. The war is war against rebellion,
an unprovoked and wicked rebellion, engaged
in by the rebels for the purpose of makilg this
great saveholding republic, in which the
labor of the country shall be performed by
/ slaves, either black or white and if, to defeat
| the rebellion, the destruction Of slavery be
rendered necessary and be actually effected, it
| will change nothing in the character or pur-
| pose of the war. 1t will have been necessita-
ted by the rebellion, and the rebels will have
| only themselves to thank tor the destruction
| or abolition they force us to adopt in defense
OF liberty, the Union, and the authority OF the
! government.
| The real question now before the loyal states
is not whether the rebellion shall be suppress.
| ed by force of arms. or a peaceful division OF
the country into two separate and independent
republics submitted to, Any one who has any
knowledge OF the plans and purposes of the
rebels knows well that the division of the ter
ritory of the Union into two independent re-
publics is far short OF what they are aiming at
The leaders of the rebellion they who planned
it, they who have stirred it up and armed il
against the Union, have worked themselve:
into the conviction that slavery is not to b,
looked upon as an evil, under certain circun
stances to be tolerated, but as good to b.
desired, which religion and humanity requir
not only to be perpetuated, but extended tn