Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-05-30
Duty of the Nation.

II the natl0n llIe were Ura1slent tlS tlc
life of man if its influence for good or III
were limited to brief and narrow spnce; 1t
the living generation alone were involved in
the consequences ofits action; lifts functions
might be suspended and its organic life ez-
pire without violence or injury; it it had no
boarded good to bequeath to posterty along
with its own integrity; If nor God nor man
would be dcfinuded in its disruption; if its
end were accomplished, its mission compile
ted-much more, if greater good might ensue
from its abrogation; if it had come to be an
evil instead of good; if its institutions and
government were prophetic of wrongs and
expressions; then might we look with in
difference upon the great struggle which has
so suddenly fallen upon us-inlght even be
consenting to the overthrow. Why seek to
perpetuatc that which is Of no value? Why
resort TO tho bloody arbitrament of the sword
for an obsolete idea? Why rally to the sup
port of dafnnct and meaningless Constitu-
| ton, a worthless and superseded flag? Why,
when no good is involved, the men of the
North stand over Eainst the men of the
South? They have insulted us Suppose
| they have can not we forgive and so on as
before? But they have robbed US, and de-
fed us, and killed our brothers, and hulnblcd
our flag, and called us towards. What OF
all that : are they not our superiors? But
they have sent forth piratical fleets to prey
upon our commerce, and gathered armies to
invest our Capital and drive out our PreSi-
dent, and proclaimed their purpose to burn
or occspy our great cities! Admitted what
then? Who are we,lthnt we should object
But they will not be contentwith this hav-
ing gained so much, they will suhjugate lis
they will enthrone despotism of masters,
and we and our children will be oppressed
aud domnecrcdo over and plnndered anarchy
will come into the whole land, and bloody
revolution succeeding revolution, decimate
the petty States. No doubt Of It. But
what have we to do about it? Is it not rs
1 Has freedom ever done any thing for us that
we should fight for it? Is it not better Ia
bow to the force of circumstances Has not
nature made some men to rule, and others ia
be slaves? Shall We fight against God?-
How can We hope to succeed even it we ut.
tempt resistance? On their side, is there
not learning, and wealth, and bravery, and
beauty, and blood2 On ours, barbarism,
1 and impoverishment, and cowardice and
/ lowIiness? On their side have they not jus
tice, and humanity, and freedom? On ours
fraud, and cruelty, ind slavery? Is it moi
madness in us to contend against such odds
Would our fathers have been guilty of sucl
temcrity? Were they so besotted us to pu
their lives in peril for an idea? Had the,
any such idle notions about country and free
dom as to bleed and, die for them vii
not their very dust cry, out against us, from
,, the nights Of Concord, and Lexington, ant
Bunker Hill, and Trenton, five prosecute
,, tbis war? Let MS disband our armies, ant
: not dishonor their memories. They set u
: the example how to bo slaves, can MOTIVE b.
worthy of themY -,
But an end to this; this war is duty. w
could submit to be branded, and de6ed, am
+, insulted, and robbed, and even enslaved
/ and handed down the ages with every terri
of opprobrium as craven, degenerate rnce
could forget all the glorious memorieso of' tn
past, and abandon oil the glory of the pre-
!. sent, if these were all, rather than engage i
q long and bloody war; but there are othe
considerations paramount in this case. Sa
v cred as life is, there are some things NOR
4 sacred for which, not one life alone, bu
a a hundred thousand OF nation best blood
i and all its treasure, were d cheap price
" This is recognized principle Of the govern
q ment Of God. He places right above ALL
To secure it no pledges his throne and ON
|. impotence to the destruction OF wrong, b
the destruction Of the wrong-docr. His go,
ernment, based in loYe and ordered for goot
and calculated TO SECURE 1t, rests upon tn
idea that the inAietion of evil, which is itse
nm interior good, may bo necessary for tn
n greater good. Hejordsins that life shall b
9 taken that more life and more happine!
n n may be preserved, and he employs men
Q executing the ordination. The present IS
= case in point. GOD has raised up natio
y on this continent for great and beneiicer
2 purpose has deposited with them the mo
benign institutions Of ciyl! a. ana religious ire
l endowed them with unparalleled means /,
h usefulness to the rest Of mankind; and wit