New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-09-09

itrom the New York Freeman's Journal.
Only few weeks ago it was called treason -
in us to denounce as unspeakably silly the idea
that either half of this country could ssubdus''
the other half. We have looked upon it, never
theless, that the war must go till the Republican
leaders find out that fact; or, TILL by sWGding con-
tracts, they have sucked from the country the last
available dollar, and the war ceases by exhaustion
The latter, if not the former, of these events we
have thought likely to happen, before the outraged
and betrayed people of the Northern States will
have an opportunity, by election, to hurl the Re-
publican party from power--trst in the state Gov
ernments, next to Congress, and finally from what
is left of the United States. But it looks as if the
more intelligent of the Republicans are be-
ginning to learn. We are not surprised to find
Gov. Sprague, of Rhode Island, who was carried
away by the idea Of whipping back" the South,
but who at least behaved brayely at Bull Run, now
saying that they had made a great mistake regard
ing the South, adding:
We were under the impression that they were
lacking in all the resources which so TO raise and
maintain armies whereas, in almost every par
ticular, we have found them superior 10 ourselves;
We have found not only the physique Of their men
equal to ours, but their clothing, their arms, their
subsistence and their means Of transportation
everything that goes to make up military effeier-
cy-supGrOr to Ours.'
Which, of course. gives gloomy idea of the
chance of whipping them on their own soil.
But we find leading Republican paper in Massa-
chuse.ts-the celebrated New Bedford Mercury
making the following clean breast Of the' perilous
stuff that has walked it from its slambePa. 1t
says:
F'W We have made mistake in our estimate of the
strength of the rebels; have we made another in
the confidence we have placed in our own? Is it
true that the South carries with her the sources of
certain failure, or shall we not rather be compelled
to yield to her demands not as a matter merely of
policy and self-interest, but of she er necessity 4
" Is not the struggle assuming new features, and
instead of being contest for the preservation of
the Constitution, is it not growing into war of
subjugaton, in which the course fIst marked out
by the Government will be abandoned by the ne
cessty of events?
'' Is there any longer a reasonable hope that
after the bitter strife of States and the shedding Of
fraternal blood, the Union can ever be restoredto
its former position?h
Sensible suggestions and we give due credit to
the New Bedford Mercury for its courage in facing
the music. AS we do not belong to Abe Lincoln's
school, and are more ready to answer than to ask
questions, we will lay down some wholesome
propositions to be thought over by men returning
to the use of reason in poltics-by men who are
dropping their flag badges and recovering from
their two-houf-shout of "Great is Diaua of the
Ephesians!"
Every act and every week of war ID sunderng
further apart the North and South.
If the South could be "suhjugated" those
States would no longer be what they were under
the old Constitution. They would De subject
provinces. We want none such.
A million of soldiers can neither coucuer the
South nor hold it if it were conquered.
The aim of the Abolitionzed Republicans is to
disrupt the Union by this war; and thus get coun-
try free of negro slavery.
Passion may yet be allayed, South as well as
North and the Union may be reconstructed yet.
The only possible way to restore the Union, is to
have peace before too deep wounds have been in
tiicted on either side.
The strongest of empires, and the greatest of
potentates, have treated with ''rebels with arms
in their hands, 1t ought to be easy for govern
ment of freemen, who claim and guarantee the
right of keeping and bearing arms
Our grandchildren will never bother their heads
about whether we, this year and next year have
:" had our own way or whether our feelings
have been gratiied.'' If by any compromises We
can save the institutions of our country, and leave
great and free and happy country for those that
are to come after us, our one duty il 10 do this
thing.