Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-06-24
THE ENEMY IN AMBUSH.

If the unconditional enemies of the republic
could be separated from the rest of its people,
they would be found inconsderable in number
and contemplate in power. They owe their
position at the head OF guilty rebellion, less
to an superiority OF craftsmanship or valor,
than to the crafty discrimination of their hatred
till the various elements of popular prejudice
were cajoled into formidable ministry to their
revenge. 1t is their apparent, and not their
real sagacity successful in civil affairs as in
war only through surprises and ambuscades,
that excites the prevailing fear of unrevealed
treachery, or of plots by which we may be
betrayed With suspicion made unusually
sensitive and acute by the misfortunes which
clouded the prestige OF our arms-at Big Bethel
and Vienna, ii is by some confidently assumed
that there already exists dangerous conspir-
acy, embracing northern politicians, who, by
saa,oncerled movement, are TO attempt 10 raise
a party Of peace in the midst of our camps,
and northern capitalists who are to exact con-
ditions for future loans to the government,
which will demoralize and discourage its ef-
forts TO maintain the federal supremacy unim.
peached aud unbrokcn.
The conspiracy seems to be rather the fruit
OF a lively imagination, than of any known
facts the circumstances which seem TO have
given it pausibility rest on precarious basis,
and may be explained by a more agreeable
hypothesis than that of the existence of wide
spread and dangerous disloyalty i'll our midst
1t would be strange indeed if the men whose
forfeited lives are contingent on the success oi
the rebellion, shoald not have made some sub
tie overtures to thUse VINO were their compan
ions in every political service SO long as they,
too, preserved a decent form OF fidelity TO the
government which protected, trusted, and hon.
ored them. And it would be more singular
spectacle, which mankind have waited sixty
centuries TO witness, if some easy going and
flexible traders i'll popular connections, hold
ing their conscience obsequious to their inter-
est, and their honor, like a soldiers rations,
subject to Communication, did not take these
oyertures upon consignment, to be acted upon
if safe and profitable, or returned to the con
signors, il an imperious and commanding pub
lie opinion required. Upon such a public
opinion, holding to the old union with religious
deyotion, revering the Constitution as the fun
damental law, striking hands magnifcently
forgetiul OF all other diyergences round this
common altar of holy offering and patriot
ic sacrifice, faith III the republic may resi- as
upon r ok
II such masked battery were actually ma
turing, through the agency of concealed enc
mics, with means arranged and provided
through dark lantern lodges, and should re
ally open its deadly fire when congress ad
vances TO strengthen the hands of officers in
the government and soldiers in the field, it
would serve as a new Inspiration of the loyalty
of the country which has already offered an
inestimable treasury of its best lives to guard,
protect, and defend it. The experiences of the
last six m.,nths have not been wasted altogeth-
err. Accustomed 10 regard their institutions
as secure and selfperpetuatng, the people
have but just learned the measure of human
effort which it requires to preserve them, and
how much their natural and inextinguishable
love of country is developed by the effort. If
they were filed with strange amazement by
the first parricida blow, another assault
would doubly arm them against the parri
cides, whether they came with arms in their
hands, or with the dangerous and fatal plea of
reconstruction and compromise in which the
deadly poison Of secession has been generated
They have learned by wise prejudice "to
look with horror on those children OF their
country who are prompt rashly 10 hack that
aged parent in pieces, and put him into the
kettle OF magicians, with the expectation that
by their poisonous weeds and wild incanta-
tons they may regenerate the paternal cons ii
tuition and renovate the fathers lie"