, 1862-04-23
Ghe GrihWW&.


OF THE DISTRICT
In the general uproar Of sieges, battles, |
marches, disaste1s, Munders, and t11umphs,
the most important event since the war
commenced has been nearly overlooked
For three score years the Federal capital
vas disg1aced BY slavery. There 1t thrived,
and ruled, and rioted, and deded the Re
public. No Administration had the nerve
to touch it. That little patch Of terri
tory was the very bulwark Of the slave
power--the key to the position which COM
mands it's whole domain It was the for
tress which had to be taken before any ad-
vance could be made towards final seHle-
ment Of our national difficulties but which,
once overcome. opens the way to universal
emancipation
For the first time since its organization,
the Federal Government has exercised its
constitutional authority to emancipate
slaves; and for the first time since the re-
be1non broke out, it has fairly met the issue
forced upon the country by the slave
power. We recognize in this event some
thing more than the capture Of an outpost
Of the enemy; it is the breaking Of bis line
Of defense-the carrying OF his strongest
and most important position. What Lex
ington and Bunker Hill were in the great
struggle which freed this country from the
rule Of fmonarchy,-sccha are President Lin
coins emancipation message and the abo-
1itiou Of slavery in the District, in the
greater struggle which is to rid the conti-
nent Of slavery and restore lasting peace to
the Republic. The second Declaration Of
independence cannot long be postponed.
The physical power Of the nation, guided
by the moral force Of great century, will
crush treason. and at the same time regen-
erate the South Rebellion, bereft Of It's
support, like one Of those creeping plants
which must lean on something, Will It'll
down in utter helplessness, and be trodden
under foot.
From the effects of every battle hereto
fore lost BY the rebels, they have recovered
and returned to the conflict more hard
ened. more obstinate, and more dangerous
than before. But the ground lost by this
f st blow Of emancipation they can never
recover. They cannot even poster US with
guerilla warfare They have been driven
out forever. The rebound hiss staggered
slavery in Maryland. B slight shock
would cast it down PROSTATE in the dirt
It could never rise again 1t IS tottering
to It's fan in Missouri. Western Virginia
has decrced its death. These States, once
liberated, would insist on universal email
cipation; and Kentucky, outhanked By
freedom, would probably come along one
day too late and offer to sell out.
Our Government has at last found ou'
the weak part Of the rebellion II has al
last found out system of warfare which
will increase the strength Of our armies az
they advance southwark, and leave no en-
envy lurking in the rear, To suppose that
this system will not be adopted, is TO sup
nose that our Government does not deslrt
TO crush treason aud secure to the country
a lasting and honorable peace. Ofscarce
Iy1ess importance is the effect which thl:
emancipation in the District will product
on foreign powers. They will measure l
by the principle inrolNd, not by the mum
bcr OF slaves liberated. They will take
for granted that slavery is to be abolishe'
wherever the Federal authority is restored
and that not only the arm Of the CIV
power, but the rules Of war, will b
brought to bear against the accursed syE
TEN, They will no longer estimate til
cost, duration, and chances Of the war b
the force required to conquer Stcessia br
they will simply take into account til
ability Of the rebels to defend slavery, an
Of the uation to strike it down. The yer
day On which they learn that We Aay
struck a square blow at the cause of our dl
fculties, they will pronounce the rebel]io
dead: but if VIC do not follow up the blo'
their admiration will turn into contcmI
and they viii moro seriously than ever co
slider the propriety Of forcibly stopping
contest which can accomplish no bencdci
result. aud which will disturb the COL
mcrce Of the world while it lasts.