The Portland daily press., 1862-12-24
Wednesday Morning, December "a, 1862.
The War--its Evils and their Compensa.
tions.


tons.
Under this title the members of the church
and society of the Second Parish, have printed
the late Thanksgiving sermon by DIR. CAR
RUTHERs, for copy of which we are indebted
to their courtesy. The text on which this die
course is founded is 7Hess. Y. IS: an every
thing give thanks; for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus concerning you." After
brief introduction the preacher goes on to
draw out and illustrate the cause for thankful
ness, which underlies four national msfor-
tunes. 1t is sufficient reward for all the sac
riiices Of this war, if thereby our liberty be
saved from anarchy or despotism. The cold
Indifference Of the English Queens proclama-
tion of neutrality has taught us scf-depend-
ence and relieved us of obligations, which
might have proved embarrassing. The noisy
negotiation of the Trent affair has called the
affairs so pointedly, that they could not help
learning what questions are really at stake
here, and having learned are our unfailing
friends to-day. Lastly there is ample compen-
sation for the wearisome delays and ignomin-
ious defeats SO long suffered; and this con-
cluding portion of the sermon, so well suited
to these gloomy days, SO full of manly courage
and Christian trust, we give in full:
The rebellion still existing, though in di-
minished force, is closely connected and even
identified with negro slavery. The rebels
themselves best know their own wishes and
intentions. Mr.. Stevens, the Vice President
Of the Southern Confederacy, may be supposed
to understand his own motives and designs,
and those ofhis associates. His outspoken ad-
dress at Atlanta. will live long after the Con-
federacy has breathed its last, and will be
quoted by posterity as specimen of that au-
dacity and blasphemy which nothing but the
reactiye and deinoralizing influence of slavery
could have produced.
Though last, not least he says, "the new
constitution has put to rest forerer all the ag-
itatfng questions relating to our peculiar inst-
tuition. Slavery was the immediate cause of
the late rupture and present revolution. JEFF
ferson, In his forecast, had anticipated this as
the .'rock upon which the old Union would
split" He was right. The prevailing ideas
entertained by him and most of the leading
Statesmen of his time, were that the enslave-
ment of the African race was in violation of
the laws of nature. y - Those ideas,
however, were fundamentally false. They
rested upon the assumption Of the equality of
races This was an error. 1t was q sandy
foundation. = = Our new government
is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its
foundations are laid, Its corner stone rests up
on the great truth, that the negro il not equal
TO the white man; that slavery, subordination
To the superior race in his natural and normal
condition. This, our new government, is the
first In the history of the world based upon
this great physical, philosophical and moral
truth. - The negro by nature or the
curse against Canaan, is fitted for that condi-
ton which he occupies in our system. This
stone, which was rejected by the builders, is
become the headstone of the corner in our
new edifice
Itwas meet that such declarations should
have been clenched by such quotation and
such an application as this. The poor rejected
negro may take comfort from the thought that
even Vice President Stephens saw some rela-
tion betwixt his degradation and sufferings and
those Of the adorable Redeemer-and that, in
sense little dreampt of by the bold blasphem-
er, the negro may yet become an honored inte-
gral part of the social edfice. To this issue all
things now are verging The progress ofevents
has indeed been slow! In our impatience we
would have had the rebellion crushed at once.
Had our wills been powerful enough to put
themselves into execution, we would, in a few
months at least, have brought the rebels to our
terms and forced them to reenter the Union
they had fprswOrn and abandoned. We have
complained; and not unjustly, of the sordid
cupidty of contractors of the divided counsels
Of the Cabinet, of the dilatoriness of our Com
manders, and Of the consequently tardy move
ments and ineffective operations of our large,
loyal, and well appointed armies. We have
gained advantages, and lost them by culpable
neglect. Our victories have been succeeded
by renewed languor and inaction. Europe has
looked on in amazement at the abortiveness of
efforts which, if conducted with any suitable
degree of energy and prudence, ought to have
been crowned with magificentresults. All this,
and much more, is true, and the history of this
war, brief though it has been, furnished many
lessons fitted to lower the haughtiness of hui
man wisdom and teach our nation, as others have
been taught, that human policy and power are
in themselves, but feeble safeguards and very
doubtful auguries for good.
But has there not even here been more than
an ample compensation?
Had the rebels succumbed at once--had the
march Of our armies been ever prompt, on
ward, and triumphant, so as, within the time
once deemed sufficient for the purpose, tc
bring about the re-establishment of the Union
on its old basis-when, or how then could
have arisen the happiest of all military neces
sites that has led the noble President OF these
States, ,constitutionally, as sCommander-in-c chief
TO decree the unconditional emancipation o
the slaves of the rebels, being such on the frs
day Of January next, and TO offer compensa
tion for the liberty of those belonging to 10y
al citizens of the Republic? That gracious
necessity-this glorious proclamation, still re
verberating, In its multiplied echoes, through
the civilized world, have sealed the doom o