The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-01-29

u K. DREW ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Where the Responshbillty belongs.
A certain class of newspapers in the coun-
try are continually charging that the Abe
litionists and Republicans are responsible
for this war; that upon their heads rest the
gnilt of this rebellion. 1t is neither pleas
ant or profitable at this time to divert the
public mind from the great issue of the
hour-the preservation of the Union and
the maintenance of the Oonstitution-to
the causes which led to the contest. It is
enough for the patriot to know that armed
rebels are endeavoring to destroy the gov
eminent, and that before peace and order
can be restored, the insurrection must be
crushed by an overwhelming physical
power. But it is we'll to correct the
sophisms Of quasi traitors, and rebuke the
attempt now being made to place the guilt
OF melting this rebellion where it does not
belong We have never been great adj
mirers Of the Abolitionists. They were at
most noisy faction, confined to the Eastern
States, whera year after year they met and
passed resolutions, to which the country
gave little heed. To charge this clique of
strong minded women, fanatical preachers
and madmen, with being the cause of the
war, is in the highest degree absurd and
preposterous. The Republican party is
guiltless. L, only sought to eonfne slavery
where it is, but were willing to accord to
the STAKEHOLDER and to the slave States all
their constitutional rights.
Mr.. Davis Of Kentucky, in his speech in
the Senate last Thursday, truly remarked
that slavery was "pretty pnwerf~l canaa, ?,
OF Tue feDeIfIOD. IL IS one OF the causes, be-
cause the anti-slaVery sentiment of the..Nort
owing to the divisions in the Democratic
party, elected Mr.. Lincoln, and Rebellion
followed upon his Inauguration as President
The right Of anti-slsvery men to elect Mr..
Lincoln, is not questioned any here, and if
the Sontherners had acquiesced in the legal
election of man opposed to the extension
of slavery, all would have been well, and
the country, to-day, would be at peace and
the South would be secure in the possession
of all her Constitutional rights To charge
Abolitionists, or the Republican party, with
being the cause Of the war, is as ungenerous
as it is untrue. The pride and insolence
and ambition of the Southern leaders is the
primary ca1se of our trouble. They had
monopolized the Government in its honors
for forty or fifty years, with few Interrupt
tons. When they saw the scepter about to
s., 81
sooner than give up Office, and the spoils OF
office, in their mad and wicked ambition
they determined to disrupt the old Confed-
GRAFTON and to erect new one, where they
would have undisputed power
The people of the South, blinded by pre-
ludiee and maddened by the misrepresenta-
tons of these wicked men, blindly followed
in their wake, and the election of Mr.. Lin
coin was followed by the seizure of United
States forts, arsenals and minis, and the dis
arming and capture OF United States troaps.
The Republican party nor any other orgal.i-
zation or faction, in the North, is RESPONSE
BILE for the results which followed the cleo
ton of Mr.. Lincoln. The South struck the
fare of the Government; they captured Fort
Sumter, menReed the Capital, murdered
Northern troops in the streets of Baltimore
and first brought dishonor upon the cause
and flag of the Constitution and Union. The
crime is theirs, and impartial history win
80 record it.
Although the abolitionists are not re-
sponsible for this war, it is evident that
their prayers in regard to slavery are to be
answered-if not by an abolition of the In
stitution, by its arrangement and the es-
cape Of thousands, who otherwise would
have died in bondage. Thus has an over
ruling Providence made the Southern Con-
federacy the instrument by which the power
of slavery is to be overthrown. So long as
the South remained in the Union, her cher
ished institution was safe. The conserva-
tive men of the North would have been
their sure defence against the fanatics. who
for years impotentIy agitated the abolition
of slavery. All was well for them, and for
us, until with parricidal hands they laid
hold upon the Constitution. From tina.
hour the influence of slavery in the leeisla-
ton of the country was gone and the North
united to crush the rebellion at all hazards
And yet the Administration has over and
over again announced, that we are not wa
ring upon slavery, and if the institution is
in danger, il is because the rebels will not
lay down their arms and submit to the gov
eminent Until they do this, the war will
be carried on, although its continuance
should result 10 the freedom of every slave