Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-10-16
JUNIUS.

EDITOR LEADER The Herald's remarks
on "Fremont's Proclamation and the Con-
traband Question" in its weekly issue OF
the 25th ult, are doubtless very lucid and
instructive to those who are able rightly to
appreciate them but, as am no scholar, it
will not perhaps be thought strange that to
me, they should seem to lack exceedingly in
Gle rness, in directness and logical acuteness,
and that their anti-slaveFy force should ap-
pear rather too weak to run down hill But
viii conhne myself TO a single question,
viz; "What is the South fghtiag for ?"
''It would be egregious folly, says the
Herald, ITO say that the institution of slave
~ is not primarily the cause of the war;
yet, ''the negro question, so far as the Fed
eral Government and the loyal States are
concerned, has nothing to do with the con-
test" What then is the North fighting for?
The phraseology of the Herald is noticeable,
''so far as the loyaL States are concerned P'-
This strongly iInplies what the Herald has
often substantially asserted in direct terms)
that so far as the disloyaI States are concern
ed, the negro question has something TO do
in the contestant, what's more, the editors
in these disloyal States have the manliness to
tell us in plain terms that it has everything
to do. What then is the issue2
The eloquenee of the Herald had led rs to
suppose that the North and South joined issue
on the question Of the right of the South to
carry slavery into the territories-theS South
claiming the right, the North denying it,
and eleeting a President on platform utter
" regulating it. The South refused to ac-
knowledge a President elected OF s1ch n
Platforms seeded, and, to show her deter
mination to resist a Government to be con-
trolled by such principles, reduced Fort Sum
ter, and SO the war commenced.
Now, if this be the true issue, how utter
" destitute of foundation in truth is the re-
mark that SO far as the Federal Govern
meut and the loyal States are concerned the
negro question mas nothing to do with the
contest F'
But if we have hitherto been misled, and
the above be not the true issue, will the Her
aid glance upon us ray Of his more recent
light and tell US what the issue is ?"
The term issue, as applied to contendinG
nations, parties or individuals, has definite
meaning, and we had supposed there wa
some issue involved in the present contest
But to saY-what the above quotations i'm
ply and wha,,the Herald don't hesitate to sa.
in direct terms-that the South are fighting
for their pet institution, while the North ar
fighting for something with which the negrt
question has no concern, is simply to sa.
that the contending forces are fighting upo
no issue whatever.
Suppose, then, that the fighting continue
four years. 1t is then so arranged that a
agent from Washington meets one from Rich
mond to consult on terms Of peace. Thei
countenances are, of course, terribly grin
and their bows of formality exceedingly pei
pendicular.
"Well, sir says Washington, ''can 20
see any hope OF an arrangement by whic
the peace of the country may be restored
"None at all, sir" answers Richmonr
Hunless you ooncede the right of the Sout
to carry slavery into the territories, and thu
to extend and build up her favOrite instit
ton as she sees Fl"
With a look of wonder and astonishmen
Washington replies, sand is THAT what Il
: South have been fighting for Why, sir '
of the North have been fighting for som
thing N with which the negro question sh
, | nOL0ng 10 uO WnhleftE!
any dear friend exclaims Richmon
his eyes filling with tears, his spine lubric
ted as with the oil of rattlesnakes or
COMPROMISE, and falling upon Washington
! it must be- my doubly dear friend, th
I North and South have been fighting under
l. horrible mistake and so at tie end of 70
I, : wears. we find We have gained (Wbat T.
u Irishmen, laying aside ceremony, gain
ten minutesl each bloody nose Supposi
IN that you questioned our right to carry sla'
Of ry into the territories, we determined to
80 tahlish the right beyond question, by force
v arms, and so pitched in How sad the cC
sequences And now, dear friend, while
I'd demolish a bottle Of brandy, (which | v
ly order forthwith will you have the kindn
he 10 explain what you Of the North have bI
fighting for p
le' Will the Herald, without the brandy,
lls US what the North is fighting for2 Or v
be alluding to his own sad case when be I
rs US recently Of the editor suffering 30 terri
re, from the ''bel- stOmache-sehep . because
nd knew something which be was not at lib
YES tv to tell2 And does it still ache bad2
Of so. we may feel bound to send the bra1
re- snv how. We are anxious to hear a
Ost while waiting in hope, will read again
sneech of Sumner at Worcester, Whicl
All. clear and to the point and which, like ]
monts Proclamation, sends an electric q
along the nerves for the very reason tha
an treats the negro question as having not 8
tie 70 DO With the present contest