Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-03-01
SATURDAY, MARCH I 1859.


general and very earnest in East Tennessee, |
and that majority of the people in that sec.
ton of the state are opposed to the secession |
lists. Some of the counties along the Tennes.
see river gave heavy majorities against the Sc
cessionists, and no doubt is expressed in re-
gard to the sincerity of the Union demonstra.
tions that greeted the gunboat expedition on
its way up to Florence in Alabama. 1t is
maintained, however, that majority Of the
people of Tennessee are secessiunsts, and that
their influence will support the secession lead
ers until they and their army are thoroughly
routed and crushed. 1t may be so, or, 1T least,
it may be that majority of those who control
and direct popular movements are on the side
of the rebellion; but their present reasonable
position does not determine what a majority
of the people will do when freed from their
control.
1t is easy TO believe what we earnestly dc.
sire should be true, and it may be that on this
account we go beyond the reality in our esti
mates OF the prevalence of Union sentiment
in the disloyal states, and of the feasibility of
an immediate restoration of those states or
any OF them to the condition of loyal devotion
TO the Union. In the best of them secession
treason is quite as prevalent us loyalty aud
in all of them large proportion of the people
are 100 ignorant to know or inquire carefully
what they are fighting for, and consequently
too Ignorant to cherish intelligent love for the
Union. They will doubtless go quietly with
10 artx in 10 lQut
ent, it would be folly to expect them to rise
against their leaders and make a bold and
heroic stand for the old flag, like those nobler
men, the patriotic Unionists OF east Tennes-
see. We may mslead ourselves and be
brought to adopt disastrous measures, by be-
lieving too much as well as by believing too
little.
Ii is very pertinently suggested that one OF
our greatest dangers at The present time is
likely TO arise from an eager over estimate of
the amount of loyalty in tie rebel states
From the beginning our proceedings a. ainst
the rebellion have been weakened by this de.
fusion, and it would be sad termination of
the contest, if it should now be cherish
ed 10 such an extent as to put it in the power
of the rebel leaders, alter being overpowered
by our troops, mol only to save themselves
from destruction, but even TO come back into
the Union prouder, more arrogant, and more
aggressive than ever, as the foremost men of
tile southern states. The Union never can be
safe until those men are crushed Peace
and safety will be impossible until political
power in those states passes into the hands OF
different class oil southern men, such as An.
drew johnson and great many others not
now prominently before the public.
1t is not unlikely that when the rebel lead
ers are overpowed in the field they will under
take to rescue themselves from defeat and win
victory over the loyalty of the country by
means OF negotiation. They understand the
business of political negotiation, and will
bring to it all their audacity, craft, unscrupu-
lous management, and wonderful skill in
falsehood. They will propose a compromise,
and all their secret allies in the loyal states
will advocate it vehementy and that spirit
on our side which treats traitors and spies
with so much forbearance and tenderness will
be poor preparation to resist the onset
lessened by now casting out this evil spirit
and refusing to yield anything more to its
suggestions. JEFF Davis and his fellow CON
spirators are guilty of one of the blacklist
crimes ever heard of below the SUM- and he is
not Il friend OF the country who would save
them from the ruin to which justice devotes
them, orwho would advocate negotiation with
them on any terms whatever. Any termina-
ton OF the present contest will be disas
trous which does not bring such a doom to
those traitors as will alright and blast treason,
and make it impossible under our government
for the next thousand years We shall final.
ly come to wholesome understanding with
the people of the south but mercy to the lead
ing traitors would be an insult to patriotism
and crime against everything it holds dear in
our political institutions.
Without failing to recognize all true union
ism wherever found let US carry on the war
against treason with relentless energy and de
termination, until it is completely crushed,
and its leaders duly punished. They have
not done fighting. They are too arrogant and
INSCRIPTIONS to submit, and it would be folly to
assume that the war will be ended by
an immediate conversion of the hole south to
loyalty. There are more battles to be fought.
There is more work 10 be dnoe. The restora
ton OF the Union is sure, although the meas.
ures that may become necessary to complete
and confirm it can not be safely devised at pres
ent. We may be confident, however, that if
we do our duty faithfully, all will yet be well.