Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-08-23
Separation or Emancipation.
BY HON. AMAsA WALKER.

lhCl the DalIle N Duh run showed lne
contending parties its character and di-
mansions.
The influence of the first of these events
was to arouse and unite the free States in
support of the Government; the result Of
the latter (already beginning to be felD
will be to determine the great principle
on which the war shall be conducted, and
the exact issue to be made.
In the late battle the South triumphed,
but gained no victory the North was re-
pulsed, but sustained no defeat-yet both
parties have learned a most important
lesson, and will respect each others Prov
ess vastly more than they did before.
Both now, for the frst time, realize some
thing of the mighty struggle upon which
they have entered. It rises before them
in all its awful dimensions, and they see
its hight and breadth and length. There
will be hereafter no triAing with this con-
flict, as a light and easy matter Ito be
quickly disposed Of" All now see that
tho entire energies of the contending par
ties will be inevitably brought into requi-
sition. The north has found out that the
South can fight, and the South has learned
that in the open field one Southerner
cannot whip five Yankees"
Both parties have doubtless been
strengthened by the collision near Man
assas the South by her success in turn
ing back the invaders p the North, by
the new and enthusiastic determination
which has been awakened to bring forth
all the power of the nation to crush the
rebellion.
But this is not all, nor the most i'm
portant. While the South has received
new encouragement 10 struggle for the
great principle for which it is contending,
viz, the right to hold colored men in per-
petual and unrestrained bondage, and ex-
tend The system of slavery whenever and
wherever they please, the north will be
compelled by military necessity to plant
itself on exactly the opposite principle.
We cannot do otherwise if we would. If
the South stands squarely and boldly on
one side, the North must take Its stand as
eqnivocally on the other. We have no
alternative.
In all the political contests of the past,
the South has always had one great adj
vantage over her opponent. The former
has ever been frank and resolute in an
nouncing and defending her principles,
however odious and revolving they might .
be, while the North has almost always
been in an equiyocal position. She coulG
not assent to ;he wicked schemes Of the
South, yet she has seldom had the cour-
age to combat them mautuIy and boldly;
some compromise Of great principle,
some lodging of the real question at
issue, has been but too characteristic of
the people OF the free states. The legiu
mate consequence has been that the
South has had greatly the advantage, and .
finally triumphed. That which has been
so undeniably and unfortunately true in
our political controversies is now but too .
true when we appeal to tbs solemn and .
awful arbitrament of the sword.
The South announces to the world, in
the plainest language, that she secedes
from the Union that she may establish a
government founded upon SLAVERY
that this is her great object. Is the North
as clearly and unmistakably contending
for FREEDOM? Does she declare to the
world that her flag shall not float over a
Slave Far from it. On the other hand,
has she not been scrupulously careful to
through her civil and military
functionaries,t that she recognizes the right
of men to hold slaves, and will return
them to loyal citizens if they run away
If so, then, so far as any great princi-
pie is concerned, is not the essential and
generic difference between the two par
les simply this, that the South is fighting
o sustain and perpetuate slavery ont of
he Union, and the North to do the same
hing ,oitEin it?
The reflections Of the people Of the
rec states, awakened by the late disaster,
and the now but too evident magnitude
IF the struggle, lead them to iquire wheth-
er there is really sufficient difference be-
ween the objects avowed by the two
parties to justify all the bloodshed and
waste of treasure which such a war as
;tares them in the face must inevitably
require. And well may they do this. 1t
5 not sufficient to tell them that the free
states are contending for the Union and
he Constitution. That is a question of :
policy, and makes the war what Carl
,aldi declares it to be, "a political war;
q he tnrminatnd of the hest nv the StntlL