New-York daily tribune., 1862-05-01
TzTE QUESTION OF QUESTIONS.

THE QUESTION OF QUESTIONS.
That those who resist the subsection OF
Slavery to the fate in which it has sought and
still seeks 10 involve the Republic are conscious
of tie unsoundness of their position, is made
evident by the fact that they never dare state
that position fairly. Day after day, they per-
sst in accusing their opponents OF seeking to
p,OiYGc the war by changing its characterize
perren it into war for tue overthrow OF
Slavery, &C., &c. Again and again have they
been set right on this point-aeain and again
have they been assured that the so-called Rad
icals ash only that they consider ,chat as Tie
shorsd end SureSt ioGy TO PIT do,sn The Rebel
lion and restore The iHtegrify Of the Cmoa-
but all in vain. They will not see our true
position, because they cannot afford to see 1t.
They persist in misrepresentiug us because TO
report us truly is TO place themSelves palpably
TO decide the vital issue and terminate the
controversy. Let US add somo further Illus
trations of this truth.
When in November, 1860, South Carolina
led of in the new development of the long
standing conspiracy to dissolve and destroy the
Union, ard other Slave States prepared 10 fol-
low moro or less precipitately III the ratio OF
the intensity of their devotion to Slavery. tie
Nation ought TO have said TO them, in some
iuotIensiyo but authentic and decided manner,
- If you persist in this treason, you viii de-
stroy Slavery" Can any doubt that this inti
al
each State had clearly understood that, If sbe
made war on the Union, the Union would nuke
war on her Slavery, DO you believe that il
would have been easy to induce tho large
slayeholders and property. holders Of the South
10 unite or even to acquiesce in the Rebellion
We answer, No, never. 1t has been the mf-
fortune and the weakness Of the National
cause throughout that 1t he's been SAFER in the
Slave States TO be rebel than 90 be q
Unionist Whoever stood for the Union sub
( 10 tied himself at once to denuDcat0n as aE
AbotiQust, 10 the Vengeance OF the ruilian
mob which assumed to execute public ven
eeance upon all "Iories," and 20 tie conGs.
eaton Of lis property by the traitor authori-
ties; while, if be declared for the Rebellion
he disarlned hostility and daspelled all appre-
hension Of personal danger. All the perils and
penalties have attached to loyalty, while safety
and security were ioGpG' in the camp OF trea-
son. Who can wonder that treason Eourished
under auspices that virtually drove every oosy-
ard, every trimmer, every seif.secker. into its
embracesl
/ Had the Federal Government said promptly
and frankly to the Slave States, Whatever
person, whatever State, adhcres TO ihe Re
beon, forieits thereby all recognition or pro.
lection of its Slavery by this Government we
believe it would have been impractcabie to
plunge half those States into the abyss OF
Secession. Thousands became Secessionists
through mere braysdo, supposing the pro-.
cedure only intended to coerce or bully tho
North into further concessions to Slavery.
/ They did not mean 20 Ggbt--did not believe
there would be any blOodshed-but opposed
there would be furry, conference, aud c
compromise, when all things would 90 on as
before. But the vital fact that the Rebellion
repressed all opposition with strong hand,
while the Union was forbearpg and lenent,
sent thousands after thousands to the side Of
Treason.
1t is now too late to talk OF concation
The Rebels must be beaten-t thoroughly beaten
or the Union is gone. They will not be
coaaed or bribed into loyalty-tbey must be
overthrown. How can they bel
We put aside in this inquiry all abstract
considerations. Though we deem Slavery a
horrible wrong, blunder, nuisance, n
scourge to all interested we ask that it be
considered simply as an element of power in
the tremendous struggle HOW in progress. We
leave offers at perfect liberty to justify and
even idolize it: we only ask every Uuionist to
consider it as an element of strength for one
side or the ether in this contest, and deter
mine whether il shall DO cast into the scnle OF
Union or that Of DisunoD.
So far, Slavery has uDqCestion1hy aided the
Rebels. They own nins-ieDtLs o. the slaves.
The labor OF those slaves tllls their fields and
supplies them with food snd other staples.
S''2y:, g.-k is !sri. fcgn1cr.c,, iec.erics, r.