The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-04-19

out that starving garrison OF eighty men, nv
the fort in ruins. thus adding ano'her
violence and war TO those which 'ney oeio'e
have penetrated. Ii Is as idle as 1t Is nise Tor
men TO talk Of the war as having been now
commenced, or that the attempt OF the Admin
istration TO provision Fort Sumter inaugurates
civil war. twas inaugurated when the seizure
OF Forts Moultrie and Pinckney was made. II
existed when the rebels sent that shot into the
Star Of the West when on her errand Of mercy,
and the last erowning act of the rebels in taking
Fort Sumter is but another instance OF. the stu
pendous yillainy Of the inaugurators Of civil
war which now must only end in their destruc-
ton. Fort Sumter has been battered to pieces
with rebel cannon. and Major Anderson, after
conflict Of eighteen hours, has surrendered
his little command Of eighty men, exhausted
and worn out with the fight, to force Of sew
eral thousands, and the stars and stripes have
been lowered to the flag Of the rebels.
The dispatches given in our paper to-day will
inform our readers fully in the details Of the
affair. They will perceive that the rebels, in
advance OF the arrival of the force sent out by
the United States Government to provision the
fort, with q full knowledge that IL was the de-
sire OF the Government TO succor II peaceably,
and that force would not be used unless resist
ance was made, commenced the attack, and
that in surrendering the fort they could be sat
isfed with nothing short Of the humiliation OF
the national flag. Fort Sumter has been sur
rendered to superior force. Humiliating as
is all this to the patriot, the pang that 1t occa-
sions is assuaged by the knowledge that the
war evoked by the rebels is one Of their own
seeking and that now, the Administration, hav-
Ing waited until fOrbearanee ceased to be yir-
tue, will carry il on with an earnestness and q
power that will bring down on the heads Of the
South the retribution due to rebels and trai-
tors.
The war has been forced upon our Govern
ment, and the voices of twenty millions Of free
men will unite in demanding that IL shall be
prosecuted with that spirit and deter mination
which shall make II successful one; and IL In
III the end il should sweep away the institution
Of slavery, humanity will be the gamer, eivili-
ration will advance with steadier progress, and
freedom placed ON more impregnable founda-
tons. 1t will be perceived that President Lin
coin aud his Cabinet are sensible Of the re-
sponsibilities which this new phase Of civil war
has cast upon them, that they are taking meas
ures to meet every emergency; that with them
the Union "must and shall be preserved" is
the watch-word, aud il gives us pleasure to per-
eeiye that all over the free North the partiran
is giving place to the patriot, that. with here
and there an exception, the people will, with
means aud men, amply, fully aud cheerfully
sustain the Government in putting down re
bsllion which has not single justification for
its commencement, aud which was originated
to secure results Of wckedness which the judy
ment Of the civilized world will pronounce I'M
paralleled in the history Of the past.