Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-06-27
STATE OF THE COUNTRY

II 2LF. EGBT. ,. EREcEINRIDGE. y. =.
The Danville Review contains an article
from the pen Of this distinguished clergy
man and friend Of Union from which we
make the following extract:
/. We have already said that the issues OF
this unnatural war are in many respects as
uncertain as they viii probably be vast
Contjngenty, however, the most immediate
and direct issue of it can have but one oftwo
results Either the seeded States must re.
turn to their loyalty to the nation, and their
position as members Cf the United States Of
America, or the secession party must be able
to vindicate bv arms the course upon which
/ they have entered, and, maintaining the in
/ dependence Of as many of the States as may
/ finally adhere to them, those States must be
acknowledged by the American people and
/ Government as a separate nation. OF course
/ there can be no such result as the conquest Of
! the seeded States. and the holding them as
/ provinces or Territories by the Federal Coy
ernment Such an attempt is not TO lie
! thought of as possble-nor to be entertain
/ ed, for moment, even if it were possible, as
a permanent policy-but beyond all this,
/ even if it were polite and easy it would be
even more abhorrent, if possible, than seees.
! sion itself to the feelings Of the American
people, and the principles Of American lib.
erty. Which of these issues will be realized
depends apparently, on the event Of the war,
concerning which we will add something
presently, seeing the probabilities of that
event ought to be a very weighty considera.
ton with both parties 10 it, In the mean
time, let it be observed that the mere state.
ment of tho case makes it manifest that the
war entered upon by the nation, not rs one Of
( aggression and conquest, but one of self de-
/ fence and self preservation, can be conducted
/ only as war upon the secession party and
/ government-and not as war against the peO-
! pie Of the South a war. therefore, which
would end of itself upon the overthrow Of the
/ secession party, and the suppression Of the
/ Confederate Government erected by that par.
! ty.
/ .. Upon the happening Of such an event,
/ which certainly is possible, perhaps highly
/ probable. the allegation is that no people
no South--wOuld remain to reconstruct soci-
I ETY. and government, and restore the seeded
/ States to their place in the Union. We have
/ already spoken of the want of faith in all
/ such extravagant statements; an incredulity
fortified by the whole career Of the revolt,
/ both in its method Of usurping power, md its
method Of producing unanimity afterwards
/ TO which must be added the undeniable proofs
existing in public acts and records in popu-
lar movements and votes, in numberess pri-
vate communications, in the prosecutions Law
/ ishly inflicted upon thousands Of persons, and
in the seductOns habitually employed against
/ every doubtful, and the menaces against ev.
cry loyal citizen. What is now passing in
| Tennessee and Virginia, while we write, is
full of significance as TO what might be ex-
pected if the army of the secessionists were
driven out of those States. What happened,
. he in
which that party succeeded in establishing
their despotism-and what has recently hap
pened in Maryland, Missouri and Kentucky,
where their desperate efforts failed-is conclu-
sive as to the great fact that the mass Of the
/ community everywhere needed only to have
been wisely and bravely led to have conquer
/ ed what seems TO have been, almost every
where that it existed, faction of TIE mi
norlty. What made it powerful was its long
previous training-its activity and daring in
Z moment Of great popular discomfort morti-
fcatlon and alarm-and the fatal conniyance
/ Of Mr.. Buchanan, rendered decisive by the
active cooperation with the revolt of those
members Of his Cabinet whose positions bad
given them special opportunities to promote
its organization and It's first acts. 1t had,
. originally, no element of a national move
ment-it has now no aspect of q national rev.
olutiou. And, in our judgement, the mo.
ment it encounters signal defeat counter
revolution will set in that will strip it of all
that did not belong to it in It's first stages
and under just and wise treatment, will even
tualIy restore to the Union every seeded
State, not excepting South Carolina itself
For ourselves, and we believe in this we utter
the sentiments Of the whole nation, we de-
sire for the people in the States now held in
armed oppoaition to the National government
nothing worse than their complete deliver
ance from the iron despotism Of disloyal
and frantic party, and their speedy and com.
! piete restoration, IN perfect equality and re-
newed fraternity, to ali the glory Of our com-
mon nationality, and al the blessings to oqr
true and regulated freedom.
:. Supposing we are mistaken in the essen,