The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-01-28


that date, although the new Administra-
ton took prompt and vigorous steps to
meet the crisis, many people in the loyal
States still protested against coercive
measures to suppress rebellion, and many
others sought, AS if expecting to find,
some neutral ground on which TO stand,
some middle ground between loyalty and
treason, as if a citizen could be loyal to
his Government who did not lend his
hand to defend it when rebels sought to
destroy it. But time passed on until
Sumter fell and our nation awoke from
what had appeared to be the slumber of
death. With aory zeal and generous
emulation, the young men of all classes
and all parties in the loyal States rallied
around the Government, until day we
have under our banner the best army
the world has ever seen ready and ca
ger to meet in battle all enemies who
seek the destruction Of the Union. And
yet it seems to me that we do not bring
to this conflict the same directness the
same unity of purpose and action our ad-
versarles do. 1t seems to me we do not
ask ourselves what one thing can we do
that will most effectually and speedily
break the strength of our enemies ? aud
when that question is answered, do that
thing. 1t seems to me the idea still per-
vades and controls the minds of many of
us that our duty requires Of us not only
the preservation and protection of the
Union, but the preservation and protec-
ton of Slavery that we have sometimes
feared to strike an earnest blow against
rebellion. lest that blow should fall on the
head of Slavery that we regard Slavery
as an essential part of the Union itself,
and that the Union would not be worth
preserving, unless Slavery could be pre-
served with and remain part ofit.
If these things be SO, we are yet far
from the path that will lead to success.
Slavery, the leading cause of this rebell-
ion, is an element of strength or Of weak
ness to the rebels, just as we will it shall
be. If we say TO the slaves of rebels, we
are your enemies, they will remain with
their masters and be to them a strength
and support. If we say to them, We are
your friends, come to us and you shall
be free, they will seek to come by thou
sands, and the armies now standing in
battle array against our soldiers, will be
needed at home to restrain them Take
the case of South Carolina. Our soldiers
are to-day upon her soil She has pop
ulation of about 700, 900 souls, more
than one half of whom are slaves. Ex-
perienee, the best Of teachers, has shown
that these slaves want freedom, that they
look upon our soldiers as friends, and
would, if encouraged 50 to do, flock to
our camps By thousands. As the slaves
of rebel masters, their labor in the field
and in the camp. furnishes the rebel
troops with food, and does for them much
Of that severe camp labor which ex.
hausts the energies of the soldiers aud
brings sickness upon them. Thus le-
bellion is strengthened by slavery. Shall
we continue TO leave lis strength !? Shall
we do more than this Shall we continue
10 drive back to their rebel masters these
unfortunates, and compel them 10 be our
enemies, although they wish to be our
friends Shall we continue TO require
Of our brave soldiers, who have gone
forth TO fight our battles, those exhaust.
inc labors that have brought sickness
and death to so many of them, when
these people stand ready and willing to
relieve them if allowed
1t may be said that if we proclaim free
dom to slaves of rebel masters, slavery
must suffer and may be extinguished
reply: So be it. The friends of Slave
ry have in its supposed interest thrust
this war with all its evils upon the coun-
try, aud upon them and upon il be the
consequences. 1t may be said the slaves
of loyal masters will escape and thus loy. .
al men must suffer loss. This may be,
probably will be, SO. But if We shall be
successful in preserving our Government,
and putting down This rebellion, We can
and will make good all losses caused to
them by the acts of the Government for
It's preservation. Besides, il is their mis-.
fortune and not our fault that they live in
sections OF our country in which the war
is carried on. and in which either ma.
jority of the people are rebels, or the 10y
al men in the majority have suffered
themselves to be prostrated and trampled
on by the rebel minority. We regret
their condition. we pity their misfortunes.
we will make good their losses caused by
our acts for the preservation of the Union
but we cannot allow the Union TO be
stricken down because efforts for its pre-
seryation may work them present injury.
War necessarily brings suffering and loss
to the people among whom il is waged.
This war brings suffering aud loss to the
loyal people OF all our States. and we all
must bear as we'll and rs patiently as we
may, until the end, when il will be our
duty 10 repair SO far as we may. the loss.
es sustained by loyal men because of
their devotion TO their country.
1t will not be misunderstood. This
war is wagsd by our Government for the
preservation OF our Union. aud not for
the extinction of slavery, unless the pres
ervation of the one shall require the ex.
tlnction of the other Ii the war were so
prosecuted that on TO morrow the pres.
ervation of the Union were effected and
secured. | would not now wage the war
another day. | would not now spend