The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-01-29

the primary cause which has led to this dis
astrous issue. Althoug there may have
been many minor causes, all tending to the
same end, such as the disappointed ambi-
ton Of bad men, and the lust for power, the
clear common sense Of our people has seen
and accepted the fact that the one great con-
trolling cause of this wicked rebellion, and
Of all the fearful consequences which have
followed and must follow from it, is the sys-
tenn of Human Slavery. Sophistry cannot
disgnise this fact, nor argument illustrate it.
1t is patent, tangible, and sooner or later It
must be accepted by our rulers a. well as by
our people, and acted on by all. This bane-
ful system, which has wrought such terrible
results, was accepted with great reluctance
by our fathers as an existing but most un-
fortunate fact, and its existence recognized
and protected by them as such but sur
roundcdat the same time by influences such,
as they confidently hoped, would soon event
uate in its total and peaceful extinction. That
hope has been sadly disappointed. This
system, so reluctantly admitted into our form
Of Government, and 50 antagonistic to its
vital principles, has, like foreign substance
in the human body, been to the body poll
tic a source Of constant irritation, and has
been the real cause of all the heart t-burnings
and ill-will among our people. Circumstances,
not foreseen at the beginning, have fostered
and encouraged It. It has been defended,
protected, and nourished by its votaries with
a devotion almost unparalleled, until it has
acquired strength and power which en-
abled it, at first by stealthy approaches, and
then by bold attack, to seize the reins Of
Government, and control the policy of our
people. And when peacefully and constitu-
tionally it was driven from its usurped seat
Of empire, and the determination expressed
that for the future it should be kept in the
subordination for which it was originally in
tended, it revealed and by civil war has
sought to destroy the Republic it could no
longer control, and from the remains to
build a new one in which its empire should
be absolute and undisputed.
have said that our people have seen and
accepted these facts, and that the time must
come, sooner or later, when our rulers and
ruled must act upon them. II is not for us
to determine what that action shall be. That
is the right and duty of others. But it is
for us-it is our right and duty-to advise
with others, and to point out to them the
course which in our best jud d,ments, should
be pursued. Understand me rightly I freely
accept and have cordially acted upon the
theory that it is for our rulers to determine
the policy to be pursued, and for us to sus-
tain them, even if that policy should not
meet our appreciation. But it does not fol-
low that we must not advise a change of
policy, if our Judgment teaches, or expert
ence has shown such change to be necessary.
What. then, il anything, have we to ad-
wise !? Let us see where we stand, and what
are our surroundings. More than twelve
months ago this War upon our Government
was begun, and it has been prosecuted up to
this moment on the one side with fierce vim
dictiveness, and terrible earnestness. Moth
ing, literally nothinr, has been allowed to
stand in the way Of the advancement of the
cause for which this war has been waged,
by those who advocate that cause. Officers
of the Army and Navy, to advance that cause
have deserted their flag. Statesmen, to ad-
vance it have betrayed their trusts. Among
all ranks, acts of fraud, words of falsehood
and deeds of violence have been held good
and honorable service. if thereby this cause
might be advanced, and the entire energies
Of its advocates have been directed to that
single end. The sole question they have
asked has been: "What thing can we do
which will most effectually and speedily break
the strength of our adversaries ?" And when
that question has been answered, they have
as one man done that thing. How have they
been met ? Until the 4th day of March last
past, not only were no steps taken to arrest
their progress, but many of those who now
are not of and with them, insisted that CO.
ercion should not be used to arrest it. After
that date, although the new Administration
took prompt and vigorous steps to meet the
crisis, many people III the loyal States still
protested against coercive measures to sup
press Rebellion, and many others sought, as
If expecting to find, some neutral ground on
which to stand, some middle ground be-
tween loyalty and treason, as il . 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 AMI our nation awoke from
what had appeared to be the slumber Of
death. With fiery zeal and generous emu
lation, tho young men Of oil classes and al
parties in the loyal States rallied around the
Government, unit! to-day we have under our
banner the best army the world has ever
seen ready and eager 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
adversaries do. 1t seems to me we do not
ask ourselves what one thing can we do that
viii most effectually and speedily break the
strength of our enemies and when that
question is answered, do that thing. 1t
seems to me the idea still pervades and con-