The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-11-28


petcut TO secure them, worthy to be main
tanned at whatever cost ; Lot it be ad.
mittcd that thrrU is unworthy aud criminal
management by military leaders. and
waste Of Ito aud property that ought to
have been avoided, yet looking at the grand .
issue before the nation. can we fcol that
this vase is to no purpose Who can
measure he analchy, the descriptions, the .
fierce conflicts of ambition aud sectional .
Jealousy. aud Tho rivers Of blood that In all
probability would how, and tho multiplied .
sorrows of desolatcd households, which
would bO the almost inevitable result os tho +.
destruction Of tho national unity and lifu :
We may view the question from another
standpoint. Ii is a law Of heaven, sure OF
execution, as well as just, that social and
national errors must be expated by social
and national suffering. In dne time, the
I fruit Of the transgressor will ripen, and
/ then lie must pluck and eat it, in all is
bitterness. This law Of relribuion takes
hold Of the principals in sin uol only, but
also of their social accessories. By a
strange anomaly, under Constitution
whose declared aim is 80 establish justice
and secure the blessings Of liberty to our
selves and our postorily," "A system Of
slavery-of human challelsm, the most
ab.o'ue, complete and oppressive ever
known on earlh--has existed, and grown
up in'o gigantic power, which has ar
toganlIy and crafty plotted to assume the
/ right 10 shape national legislation, and or.
| gan ze The national territories in its own
interest, and thus surround i'eif with mu
nj nI 81, nj fl.t.
cry effort OF philanthropy for its cufIail-
mcnt and removal. Fooled in the effort,
and maddened by defeat in its cherished
plans, it has instigaled and brought upon
itself, and upon the Free States Of the
North, the dine and desperate conflict
which convulses the land. All the sac,i-
Iice and suffering that have come upon the
nallonIn this war, are the outgrowth ot
Slavery, its retrlbutive reaction upon those
by whose counenaDce, direct or indirect,
it has been permitted 10 have its pesti-
lcniial being and growth. A just view Of
the enormous wrong and crime involved
, in, and perpGtuated under the system of
) American Slavery, will lead To full con-
vic'ion that the cxpiation Of suffering and
blood thus far cXacted is light, compared
!, with the measure OF guilt which has &c
cumula'ed through It's sullerance upon
d, tie nations.
II we suffer only what we deserve, and
, less than We deserve, shall we complain
| And, ii the cxpialion shall prove to be
4 Gods chosen way 10 remove from the
' nation the very cause of judgment, if its
! result shall be to exat lour millions o
= human chatiels to the dignity and privi
legGs Ci ireemen, and make liberty univer.
. sal in The Republic, can we have the face
d to ask : "To what purpose is this waste?''
Y To this result he finger Of God, from the
+ beginning Of the Rebellion, has evidently
n been pointing. Al the mistakes and
: treachelies and reverses Of the war on
y the Federal side seem to have been per
f miued and ordered expressly to prepare
O The Government and the people Tor it
VI and not less effective for the same end
J have been the madness and desperation
Of the South. That which at first was re
q garGcd as simply contest for nalona
'' existence with armed treason, is now seeI
h to be, in truth, a conflict between Libert,
nj and Slavery. One or the other must fall
So and the necessities Of the war and the in
S. sinct of self preservation have force
N from the nation, through its constitutions
a head, the edict which dooms the latter.
'e That edct is already bearing preciou
" " fruit. and. by virtue OF j., we may hope
= after few more blood sacrifices 10 tn,
Z. Moloch Of aristocralc caste and oppress
$ ion, TO see the Rebellion broken, anC
ir Freedom triumphan; ard universal.
g, Furthermore, this war is not without it
II, moral compensaions. In itself war is
y stupendous evil, one OF the most balefu
W :" oulgrowtEs Of human depravity. Olfens
In i've or aggressive war is huge Grim
~ against God anC Imam. Se(.defcnse, s.
il the contrary, is a law Of nature, the i'm
t, pulsive working OF nm instinct implanted
I'd by the Creator ; and the rightness of it
o. exercise finds no disclaimer in His in
p spired word. When life, and interest
:. more precious than life, are assailed, wa
So for defense and protection becomes
Ii, sacred duty, very dictate even of tina
III gospel whose burden is "pcace on earlf
ds good will 10 men," Such, on the part {
At The North, we believe TO be the preser
H. war. 1t is not with us a contest begoGe
III of ambition or revenge, but contest 70
=" sell-preservation for the continuance
rh ourselves and poserly Of those guaran
b, tees of freedom and justice under whic
W. we have hitherto enjoyed peace and pros
nd perity. That, even in such a war, de
to moralizing influences should exist, is in
a evirabe. But, so far as, in the minds {
ne ne the people, it is prosecuted from principle
nn ,n it exer,s an elevatng influence on the geu
ho m cra tone OF moral feeling. Tine sense {
40 Justice as well as the love Of country
It, strengthened human rights are MOI
it appreciated and respected and the ser
Iot timent of universe! brotherhood kindle
into a warmer glow. Moreover,it is pre-
'er ducing, believe, in instances not few
uI ut a more believing and hearty rccognitiO
nu nu Of God and His overrulng providence
,oi Many a mind, heretofore thoughlless {
ed skeptcal, has been led TO confess an
he study with earnest interest the working
hc Of Divine hand and purpose in the NOV
Do ments of his war. Many, who hav
as. thought little Of the privilege and bles
so 'n' ings of prayer, have.by the force Of event
~ been awakened tod lust estimate OF