The national Republican., 1861-06-14
a Friday. juno IA, 1851.
. ~ The significance of the move up

~ The significance of the move upon
Romney, reported in our dispatches to-day, lies
In the fact that il threatens the connections Of
the rebel forces at Harper's Ferry with their
-nsin body at Manassas junction and Rich.
mond. Romney is thirty miles, as the road
goes, from Cumberland, and nearly due south,
and Is exactly west from Harper's Ferry, dis.
tant 6fty miles. But it is only thirty-6ve miles
(w.N. W } from Winchester, the terminus Of
the branch railway from Harper's Ferry, by
which the forces at the lastnamed place make
then teadiest, and, at present, safest connection
with the Manassas Gap road, and through that
with Richmond. No very large body Of troops,
moving in . loyal country, would be needed to
seriously disturb the rebel retreat from Har-
per's Ferry by way of Winchester. If they re.
tire in another direction towards Leesburg, they
ere watched by the efficient column lately sent
out from this city under Colonel Stone, now
holding the crossings of the Potomac below
Harper's Ferry, and ready to throw themselves
ACROSS the river upon the retreating lines from
,Harper's Ferry, if they should pursue that di.
rsction.
~ With the forces now advanced upon Har-
per's Ferry southwark from Chambersburg
With those from Cumberland, ria Romncy,
threatening its connections from the west and
southwest, and those ria Rockville from the
ssst it looks as Il the attempt of the rebels at
the Ferry 70 join their main body would be in
. high degree hazardous, while to remain
whore they are involves the danger Of surren.
der through starvation, their communications
cut Of At this juncture It looks as If the de.
tschment of the large body of troops at Harpers
Ferry was that movement which Gen. Beau.
regard deplored in his Charleston speech. The
regret, we are inclined to think, comes too
late the octogenarian has seen their blum
der, aud is closing in his grasp q fine body of
troops managed by the young tacticians who
have undertaken to teach him war;"
SYMPATHY WITH THE SOUTH"
We have heard SO much of this sympathy
with the South especially from residents Of
this city, that we desire to say a word upon the
subject.
1t were charity on our part to believe that, in
the use of this phrase, many have merely been
guilty Of choosing wrong term to express their
feelings and opinions, rather than to arrive at
the otherwise inevitable conclusion that they
sss ell traitors.
Sympathy means unison Of feeling, a con.
cert Of sentiments. Ia this true of those who
talk Of sympathy with rebels?
To sympathize with the South is to presup-
pose they have suffered wrongs, which were
irrsmediable in legitimate and peaceful man.
resort to which they were driven to maintain
their rights. This is not even claimed to be
the case by the most impudent traitor now in
arms south Of Mason and Dixon's line. Then
why should the people Of Washington city at.
tempt to justify their own sentiments by an ar.
gument which rebels even scorn to use?
. There is a morbid sentimentality existing
here, which is wholly unworthy intelligent men
and women, arising from consanguinity, pro-
Pinquity, homogeneity of society, and nativity.
Am I, because my kindred turn pirates, thieves,
and robbers, violating all law, civil and divine
am to entertain sympathy with them3 can
pity, but I cannot see by what system of casu.
istry can justify my conscience for harboring
sympathy with crime.
The man who commits highway robbery, un.
dergoes the scrutiny Of the bar of justice, and
suffers the penalty of offended law, is entitled
to Our pity, but not our sympathy.
The South occupy that position. They have
robbed the Government, committed burglary,
trespsss, and many other species Of crimes, and
boldly set at defiance not only the majesty Of
offended law, but totally ignore aud insult the
conscience OF the civilized world.
We can justly pity them for their madness
and folly, as a parent pities his wayward child |;
but it were sin to spare the requisite chastse-
ment to bring them TO q sense of their duty.
To entertain sympathy for them while under.
going such chastisement, is to entertain do.
sire TO aid them to escape it. This is treason
at heart. When the desire leads to any attempt
to its accomplishment, then it is downright
treason.
There are many in and around Washington
who happen to have been born in some South.
srn State, or have married into some Southern
fhmily, who claim right to sympathizs with
rebels; yea, even in some of the Departments
still linger beneath the drppings of the ma.
tiond bounty, pusillanimous Urah Heaps
and John Carkers, unable to rise above the
prejudices of local birth and cradled fancies,
who are daily plotting the death Of their over.
kind patron.
Over their heads is suspended the sword o