Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-10-04
MORCES TER:
SATURDAY. OCT. 4. Is0=.

1he 1OlloNlnS very suggestive P'os''SN 80
quoted from Macaulay's essay on John
Hampden:-
''The military errors of Essex were proba-
bly, in some degree produced by political u
midity. He was honestly, but not warmly,
attached to the cause of the parliament; and
Wert to a great defeat he dreaded q great 9ac-
tory. Hampden, on the other hand, was for
vigorous and decisive measures.
He had shown that he knew, better than any
other public man Of his time, how to value and
how to practice moderation. BIT he kaels
that The essence Of lcar IS riOIeRce, and that
moderation in arar is inldecility."
Had Essex been lukewarm toward the
cause of the parliament, with strong political
sympathy for the other side, in that civil war,
his influence would have been still more dis
astrous; or, perhaps, the earnest champions
of freedom would have won a speedier tri-
umph over the temporizing policy that de-
nounced them as radicals and sought toput
them under restraint. The hesitating, conserv-
alive supporters of the right side in that quar-
rel embarrassed rather than helped it. There
was in John Hampden tenfold more power to
assert and defend popular rights than in all
the conservatives in Great Britain at that
time, with Essex at their head. He was
troublesome radical then; but what is he in
history?
Among our military leaders, in the war
against the southern slaveholding oligarchs,
there have been many like Essex, and some
far more hostile to the cause for which they
fight. Their policy is clearly described by
-, ILL .,ll- =,
ported thus :-'He supposed our troops did
not fight on the Thursday after the battle. of
Antietam, because battle at that moment
would have resulted in the disgraceful over
throw of the rebels, and he did not believe
that it was desirable to crush the south,
for if it were utterly crushed, the alb
olitionists would have every thing their
own way" That is to say, he and others like
him il the army mean to save the rebels, and
crush nobody but the 'aboltionists." And
Key declares that he heard these sentiments
from some generals of the army who have
not been disgraced." The sorest trouble of
the government, since the war began, has
come from this source. 1t has embarrassed
and weakened the war; and, in conjunction
with secession sympathizers and conpromisers
at the north and in the border states, has OPP
Grated to cause divisions and passionate dis
putes in the loyal states, in order to raise up
political party here to form secret alliance
with the rebellion, and give it victory by
means of a compromise.
There is no middle ground between loyalty
earnestness for great principles, seeks to find
one, thereby betrays the cause of loyalty and
is felt as its enemy. That side is strongest,
ia ,rolr CONNECT, which sternly refuses to toll
crate this temporizing policy and drives its
advocates from all places of influence to si-
lence and obscurity. 1t is the spirit and poll
cy of Hampden, and not those of Essex, that
patriots want in times like these and they
are disloyal in heart and intention who make
it their chief business to assail and denounce
those who believe this. 1t was Mitchell and
not Buell. whom the welfare of the nation de-
manded for our military leader in Tennessee,
during the last summer; and they are enc
mics and assassins Of the republic who hasten
to uphold and glorify Buell. in order to give
the rebels the benefit of his method OF warfare,
which does them as little harm as possible
while exhaustng our means and wasting our
armies 1t is the spirit and counsel of such
southern men as Andrew johnson, Gen. Ros-
seau, and hundreds of others like them, that
should be recognized by the government, and
not those of the disloyal Wicklffe and his
followers
The presidents declared policy on the
slavery question will contribute powerfully to
paralyze the influence of disloyal men in the
army and among those old democratic and
conservative" politicians who care more for
preserving slavery and renewing their politi-
cal alliance with the southern traitors than
for the country. Whata contrast and lessonwe
have in the spectacle of Joseph Holt of Ken
lucky, eulogizng the presidents proclamation
and rejoicing over it, while the Boston Post
denounces it! But the lines are drawn be.
tween treason and loyalty, between those who
prefer slavery to the republic, and those who
mean to sustain the government under all cir
cumstances; and now let the secret allies of
the rebels stand forth and declare themselves
without equivOcation.