Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-02-19
TIE SHADOWS OF VICTORY.


February. 1862, will stand in history as the
bright month of this war. The charge at Mill
Spring, the capture Of Fort Henry, the tri-
umph of Gen Burnside, and the supreme vic
tory at Fort Donelson, have altogether filled
the country with rejoicing, and given the first
promise of peace Some months ago, when
the long intervals of apparent inactivity SEEM
ed only to be broken by disasters, ne well re-
member how Old Mortality busted himself in
hunting up the consultations OF defeat. Now,
however, in the fit attitude of repentance, lie
appears with all the rest TO enjoy the ripening
fruits of victory. The good genius of the
country, whatever name history may give to
him, but opened way through the shadows
of defeat TO the high noon of success and prom
Use. Caesar, in one of his great campaigns,
stumbling as he came on shore, which was es-
teemed capital omen of evil, TRANSPORTED its
whole meaning by exclaiming "Thus do l
take possession of thee, o Africa - in that
way giving to an accident the sembance of
symbolic purpose which ripened into actions
of immortal glory. The disgrace and mistor-
tune which seemed to be the fate of our arms
in the beginning of the struggle prove to have
been disguised blessings part OF the hard
discipline which enables them to pluck the
flower of victory from the bloody fields on
which the first reverses befel them.
Who does not share in the joyful exultation
OF the country, that its arms have at length
achieved something worthy of its pretensions
before the world 1t is no longer perpleXed
by delays and uncertain purposes, but breathes
the clear air and treads upon the solid and firm
earth. The long agony of suspense, the fear
full doubt of results the perils of the shock of
battle, are for the time lost, overwhelmed,
swallowed up in the consciousness OF assured
triumph 1t is well enough to rest little on
the exalted satisfaction of knowing that the
rewards of patriotism are greater than all that
patriots are compelled to do and suffer, and
that just cause consecrates and glorities all
the sacrifices made in its behalf. For many
m onths the cons titulional government existed
almost by sufferance, while a faithltss and
perfdious enemy Haunted his flag and erected
his Notifications almost against the walls Of
the capitol. Divisions in the public councils
which to strangers and foreigners seemed to
threaten the republic with destruction. But
the citizens OF the republic have brsvely acted
the part of its army of the reserve, furnishing
at once Its soldiers and its generals, fighting
wherever they have had the chance with the
courage if not the skill OF the disciplined ar
mics of history, and putting the rebellion on
its defence from the Potomac and the head
waters OF the Missouri to the gulf.
Herein is the signal, decisive, and perma-
nent advantage turning-point from which
if fortune is kind, and men remain brave and
true, the Union may advance by rapid march.
es to its former glory, and from which the re.
bellion may find in the words of the heather
poet, ian ca rly descent to hell" But neither
the one nor the other is yet fact accomplish.
ed Il is not within reason to expect that
such widespread and maddened revolt will
Sc elk for peace till it has had sharper expert
ence of the power it has invited and provoked
to desperate and bloody war. Battles are yet
to be fought. Victories are yet to be achieved
equal to, or greater than any that have been
won. Possible reverses are yet to be encoun-
tered and endured. There is an excited and
enraged people, occupying vast extent of
territory, educated by their leaders AID by
their institutions to have government which
cannot permanently be made defence and
pillar of slavery, who to recognize the
government under the constitution as their
government also, either With their consent, or
through their subjugation. 1t is the prayer
OF every patriot, and OF every one who loves
peace and good neighborhood between the
states, that with the just punishment of their
guilty and doomed leaders, the people will
return to the old hearthstone, and consent to
leave all their differences to constitutional ar
bitration which republican government makes
indispensable to unity and peace. But wheth
er peaceably or by the scourge of war, with
the consent OF the reyolted states, or by the
supreme power of the federal government, the
spirit of secession, whatever its cause or pro-
vocation, MUST BE DESTROYED.