Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-01-17

TIW TIT IWW" T'TVTTI-
THE WORK BEFORE US.

step has been taken in the one road toward
peace at all hazards and at any price. We
are now paying for our prosperity A thou
sand million dollars will not pay the direct
expenses Of this war. The incidental losses,
in ptostration Of business. in bad debts in
the South, in disturbance Of regular industry,
will add vastly to this sum. This is our har-
vest This is the cost of refusing TO do right.
This is the economy of abandoning and be-
traying fundamental principles and subsutut-
ing selfish policies, political expcdients, and
tricky platforms, made, like roofs, to shed
water both ways.
We do not rake up the past for the sake of
portioning out blame, or renewing old quar-
rels. It is for the present good, and TO find
some light for the future. Unless the moral
lesson is learned, we shall fall into the same
evils again. There is a national outworking
Of Christian truth. And Christian men aud
ministers ought to FIJI the burrows Of the
public ear with the sound seed Of moral in
structon.
The day is just before us-the day Of set
Ting Arrangements will have to be made,
whether our arms are victorious or are defeat
ed Shall we base our future policy upon
selfshness, upon kitng eNpedients, or upon
the highest principles of justice, recttudc and
humanity;
There is danger Of such dependency, such
WEAKNESS Of war. such wish Co get back 90
prosperous days. that the people may, for the
sake of peace, be willing ~ do anything. This
moral supplcncss is our danger Il will
heap up mischicf- for the future IL will cure
nothing lt will leave the causes of all our
present evils to work again. This war is
great carbuncio TO duUe % H, and leave the
d O. g. 90
boils and carbuuclcs. The strength of the
nation will be ircttercd away by recurring
outbreaks We shall have tine chill and fever
of war with regular periodicty, until the sys-
tenn becomes run down.
peace at any price is bid for endless
misfortune. The first step in the right di5cc-
ton mas, be full, fearless and thorough IAN
ALTON.
The next step is MILITARY AcrlvrY. If
our Government ma. not men enough, let
more be called. II 10 is for experience that
we wait, that will never be got by mere camp
dril. If it is the policy to do nothing, we
certainly can do that with less than half "a
million men, and at less cost than million
dollars day
The next step is the open annuncIatlon,
that hereafter this Government to be adj
.
of the Fathers who framed it. and, wholly
and OF emily, iu the interests of Liberty.
While We do not mean TO invade the asccr-
tanned province of States, nor usurp for the
federal government the rights and inahcnablc
authority of local government, we do mean
that the general government should let it be
fairly understood that the incidious and dead
ly hercsies which have been spreading since
. lo Of Ylh LA
dcmned aud mathematical. The goyernm, mt
is not to foster slavery. 1t is to foster with
peculiar discrimination every interest Of lib
erty
1t is time that these things were said
Candor requires it. 1t is wrong that Ken
lucky, and Western Virginia, and Missouri,
and Tennessee should be coaxed into the
Union upon a false impression II is not
true that the Northern states hold the views
in regard to the rights Of slavery that the
southern and Middle States do. There is
trouble ahead if these matters are vailed in
insincerity 1t is said that our first business
is war. No. Our first business is Honor.
Honesty, Truth. Th- tohoie North are deter
mined that Calhounism shall be purged from
the National Administration-lrom the laws
of the laud---irom our courts This is the
purpose of the Northern mind We are de-
termiued to have a free government i'm the
interests of freedom. If slavery must yet for
a time exist, 10 must be exceptional, abnormal,
local but in no sense sustained by the iede-
erai government.
TO this end:
slavery should be at once and peremtorily
abolished ia the District OF Columbia! That
denomination ha, long enough mflsd round
the neck Of governments with shame and dis
grace. The states of Maryland and Virginia
have not in this desperate emergency per.
formed any such patriotic service for the com.
mouwcolth as should make us hesitate on ac.
count oftheir supposed opinions The honor
of this nation is Of more Importance than 90,
scn,ibiIities of rebehous Virginia and luke,
warm MARYLAND
Our courts should be reformed. and honest
men put in them in place of those fancy,
p who, like teredoes, have bored the planks o
the Constitution with constructions until /
is ready TO sink
e Next, let it be boldly said that he slaces o.
p rebels are the nations free3nrH. Let th
f, American flag now rise and fling from ever
, star and from all its folds tidings Of lbert
e. wherever it floats, Borne by freeman, le
o. our flag carry freedom
s Aud as fast as bondmen come into GU
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