Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1861-07-03
What VIII Congress dot

Congress meets Tomorrow. 1t Will doubt
less have it in its power to do much during |
the session, towards promoting either the veal
or the woe of our country. We would fain !
hope that its deliberations will be character |
lied by enlightened patriotism and profound |
wisdom. But how far there are just grounds |
for entertaining such hope. We will not un-
dertake to determine. OF one thing we now
are certain-those who hope that at this session,
anything will be done looking towards COM
promise of the unfortunate differences between
the Northern aud Southern States, or the res
toration of peace and tranquility to the coun-
try. are destined to bitter disappointment.
AS well might you expect to see grapes grow
ing on thorn-trees, or figs upon thistles, as to
behold Congress at Its present session, grant
ing even respectful consideration, to COM
promise or peace measures. The Members
of Congress will, during the session, be diVi-
ded into three classes. The weakest We will
describe first. 1t will be composed principal
", perhaps altogether, of the few members
from the border slave States who will take
their seats, with Crittenden of Kentucky as
their leader. They will denounce and repu-
date the course of the seeded States iu pass
ing secession ordinances, in organizing new
Government, and in raising an army to resist
the execution of the U. S. laws within their
limits But at the same tine, they will con-
tend that the Union cannot be preserved by
coercion; that the policy which the National
2 -C,,l
will end not in the restoration of the UnioD
to what it was, but in the reducing of the Sc
ceded States to the condition of conquered
provinces, to be held in subsection by a large
standing army, and that the final result will
be the total ignoring of the Constitution and
State rights. and the formation of great con-
solidated government on the ruins of Ameri-
can liberty that this can only be prevented
By staying all efforts or movements on the
part of our army, to conquer the revolted
States, and that it is not too late now to effect
compromise with those States, if an honor
able one is offered to .hem-in a word that
they will gladly accept the olive branch if it
is held out to them. They will accordingly
introduce compromise like that offered by
Mr.. Crttenden last winter and make long
and eloquent speeches in it's favor; but in
doing so, they will hardly hope to secure its
adoption. They will merely like Paul be
planting. and like Apollius watering, N the
hope that God will give the increase here
after.
The second class will be composed of those
members who regard the present war as an
effort to preserve the Union and Constitution
from destruction, and not as a crusade against
slavery They would gladly if they knew
how, consistently with proper regard for our
National honor, avert from our country the
horrors Of civil war but they hold that it is
now too late to talk about adjusting the
matter By a compromise-iu q word that the
time for compromising has gone by. and that
the sword alone can save the Union. They
will, consequently. be in favor of doing al
they can to enable the Administration to push
forward the war with vigor, and to conquer
the seeded States as soon as possible. They
will. therefore. 60 in for promptly ratifying all
that the Administration has thus far done,
and cheerfully vote it all supplies cf money
and men it may demand. They will, bowey-
er, insist that the war shall be carried on in a
strictly Constitutional manner, and that the
GovcrDmeD, shall do nothing calculated to
undermine the sovereignty Of the States or