The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-10-07

Down-hiR Progress of the Advertiser.
Tt is not because we find pleasure in obtru-
ding the name of contemporary journa. up
ON the readers of the Press, that we again re-
fer to the Advertiser, but because the doc
trines recently enunciated in that journal are
of such character that we should be guilty Of
derehction of duty, did we fail to expose their
snsidious character, and their tendency to un-
settle all the firm foundations of the republic.
In that paper Of the 9th inst. is an article of
more than two columns in length the author
ship Of which is unmistakeable, upon the "Ten-
denotes Of Aboliuonism to revive party dis
tinctions." To a few brief extracts from that
article we invite careful attention.
1t may be proper to premise in this connec-
ton that, by abolitionisn,, the Advertiser re-
fers to no such doctrines rs those OF Phillips
and Garrison of by-gone days; that Kind of
abolitionism which would lay It's hands upon
the institutions Of loyal states, or The property
of loyal citizens of loyal states, against their
will and In The face Of their proiestations; not
that kind of aboiitienism which, regarding the
Constitution as the bulwark of slavery, would
thrust 10 aside AS "a covenant with death and an
agreement with hell" but by "abolitionism,'
the Advertiser means that feeling Of determi-
nation which, believing slavery to be the great
pillar oil the present rebellion, would direct
itslblows TO undermine and weaken that pillar,
so that in bringing Il to the ground, the rebel
lion which rests upon il may come to the
ground also. In the Advertisers category
every man who is anxious or willing to see
slapery destroyed that the Union may be saw
ed, and Shareholders punished to vindicate
the supremacy of the law, is an abolitionist;
and to Insist upon the enforcement of all
measures needful to uphold the government,
regardless Of their reactionary influence up
on slavery, is abolitionism. We believe all
who have carefully read the leaders In the Ad-
vertiser for the last week or ten days, will
agree that the definitions here given are nei-
Their far-fetched, nor nljnst to the paper re-
ferred to.
Passing over much Of the article in the Adj
vertiser of yesterday, in which is quoted GER
tain resolutions Of Congress passed unani-
mousy more than a year ago, We fluid the fol-
lowing:
Notwithstanding these explicit announce
ments of the national heart, and of the subsi-
dence of all party views and purposes in the
paramount obligations to defend the Union and
the Constitution, it was observable and remark
ed, throughout the free States, and with both
regret and establishment, that when volunteers
TO the war were called for by the Federal and
State governments, to meet tue exigencies of
the Republic, not human dbolitioaist, In anu
he Tnt, be-
The italics in the above are not ours We
have introduced the paragraph only to show
the readiness of this calumniator of the Re-
publican party to adopt, with increased empha-
sis, the stale slang that has been passed from
mouth TO mouth through all the vile sheets of
the land, which have been more anxious to apol-
ogiEe for treason than to subdue it; more
jealous to put down alleged abolitionists than
to overthrow armed rebellion.
First assuming that all who are opposed
10 slavery, or who prefer its downfall to the
downfall of the Republic, are abolititionists,
he then declares that not one Of these, "not
human abolitionist," has entered the army;
that the soldiers are all Democrats; that the
Republicans, having got the country into a
war, refuse to fight for its deliverance; an al
legation which has sometimes assumeda ,aunt-
ing form Of expression, pointing sneeringly to
the wide-awakes OF 1850, aud asking where
they are in the hour of danger; falsely assum-
ing, because they lay aside their party badges,
and because they do not swaggeringly storm
the recruiting Offices with the torch-light and
regalia OF political campaign, that they do
not contribute their full quota to swell the
ranks of the Union army.
Remembering what the Advertiser means by
abolitionism, we ask the readers careful at
tention TO the following:
The President has at length yielded to this
abolition demand for an emancipation war pol
icy, so far as to announce, by proclamation, his
purpose to proclaim all slaves in rebellious
States, on the first of January next, forerer
thereafter free; and that he should then in
struct the military and naval forces thence
forth TO enforce this netc ,cdr policy.
In word, abolitionism has the promise of
domination in the Executive councils of the
nation. AFTER New Years Day, and alike over
the slaves of loyal and disloyal citizens of the
South; and the innocent and the guilty slave
holders are to share one common penalty for
the cure and punishment of Southern rebel
lion!
Here we have the plainly implied declara-
ton that the President has succumbed to ia
Mates, and that henceiorth fanaticism is TO rule
the hour, and to shape the course of the Gov
eminent; and 1t is but few days since the
same writer whispered the foul thought into
the soldiers ear, that he tcds to be Sacrificed
to an oligarchy Of fanaticism'! If the de-
sign Of such language and such dark hints is
not to stir up the soldiery to revolt, and, in
the event Of failure to accomplish his purpose
# through his appeal to the ballot-box, TO invite
the ascendency Of military despotism in
place Of the civil administration now in pow
er, then we utterly fail to comprehend the pur-
poses which now shape the course and give
tone to the goiee OF the Advertiser. We
think Others take the same view. This very
day, even since we commenced to pen this ar
ticle, gentlemen who assured US they had TAX
en- that paper and paid for Tin one instance
twenty-five, in another forty five, and in anoth-
er sirty years,-have said to US substantially,
that, disagreeable as it was to part with such
an old friend,-almost household god,-it
was more disagreeable TO take a daily dose of
reasonable doctrines, and they had made the
sacrifice.