The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-08-07
The Duty ofto.dny.

From the N. Y. Independent.
The South sacrifices everything that con-
hicts with her central idea. The North must
do the same. The South is not ashamed of
Slavery. The North must not be ashamed of
Liberty.
Under such circumstances, we hold:
l. That it was unwise to call for 100000 vol
unteers. The day has gone by for that. The
Administration should have drafted half mil
lion men for instant service, and half a million
more as reserves. 1t will waste months of time
and spend millions of money, and encourage
growing discomfort, and expend precious pop
ular enthusiasm-andt then, be obliged to draft
1t was not prudent? The people might be dis
contented To this is replied: 1t was, and
is necessary. The people must consent TO that
or dismemberment This call for volunteers
is one more step in that just-behind- the-time
policy which has marked the war. Volunteer
ing would have suficed early in the war, had
the Administration been wise according to the
exigency. They did not want the men that
wanted to go. Now the men do not want to go.
Drafting now will succeed. Wait four months,
and that will have become tour-fold more diff
cult than now Always behind!
2. The Government can no longer avoid
choosing the issue that has been made up and
thrust upon Freedom or SlaUery. The time
| has come. So long as there was a chance of
wise TO leave it, as far as possible to the States
concerned, and to employ the moral influences
| which change mems minds But staUeTy has
become a military question One year has chang
| ed all things. A remiss and vacillating policy
| of the Administration /; the committing of the
armies of the United States for whole year
to man who thought he was at West Point
giving a four years course OF instruction to
SOC, 900 men, infinitely at leisure, has chang
ed the relations and possibilities of things. 1t
has taken slavery out of the realm of discussion,
and placed it in the arena of war. 1t must be
settled by FORCE. There is the country, and
slavery on it like deadly cancer Diet and
regimen will not cure it. The knife may
Choose! Shall the patient die, or shall the
cancer be cut QUIT The question before the
American people to day is Knife? or Death
Liberty and Slavery cannot live any longer to-
gether. Choose between them!
The crisis is reached.
8. Let no one fear that bold policy Of
MILITARY EMANCIPATION will distrac.
the country. 1t would have exactly the oppo
site effect. There is now no current of public
feeling. Administrative hesitation and q policy
so fine and intricate as to be beyond popular
comprehension, have checked popular enthusi-
asm The Administration lies like dam across
the river, and the nation has flowed back into
a vast currentless, slackwater pond. This is a
condition of public mind which breeds discon-
tent and divisions. These stagnant waters
breed insects, vapors, and diseases. They are
beginning to raise and show themselves already
But once make a channel, remove the dam
give course and current to waters, and they
will flow irresistible as the Mississippi. There
may be at first some dissent, some resistance,
some hesitation of men who bring old traditions
to new affairs but, like eddies on the Missssp-
pi, they will but wrinkle the edges of q stream
that moves on with omnipotence.
Nothing will unite this people like bold
annunclation of moral principle. Let the
American flag be lifted up by Mr., Lincoln. as
was the brazen serpent, that every man who
looking upon it on this continent, should be
free, and a tide of joy and irresistible enthu-
siasm would sweep away every obstacle. Let
Mr.. Lincoln decree it. The nation will do
| it.
Such policy would carry the conscience of
the North would kindle the enthusiasm for
liberty, which is always the most potent of in
fuences would bring all the historic tradi
tons of the old American struggle to enkindle
the ardor of the young, who are to form our
mics. 1t would brush away at one stroke
thousand hndrances give simplicity and unity
to our plans, distinctness to our policy. II
would end all threat of foreign intervention
Above all, it would give to the American ar
mics that Pillar of Smoke by day and Fire by
night, by which God the Emancipator led forth
his people from Bondage into Liberty