North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1862-11-19
Voice From the Grave.


During the last few months of Mr.. Buchan-
ans Administration our noble old party labor
for compromise aud peace with an energy and
perseverancsthat was never before witnessed.
And during the time that the whole weight
Of the Administration was cast into our side
of the scale, it appeared aE.ost certain that
we must, in the end, succeed. But time tiew
rapidly on, and we witnessed the close OF Mr..
Buchanan's term without the accomplishment
of a single object for which we had contended.
Mr.. Lincoln came upon the stage, called
about him corps of radical, partizan coun-
cilors. and war became inevitable true to
their fanatical instincts, they disregarded the
wise and Cody teachings Of our Saviour IN
the mount, that, " Blessed are the peace-ma-
kcrs for they shall be called the children OF
God" they shut their eyes to the lessons OF
history, they would not see the crumollns
ruins Of once imperial Rome, the red blood
tnat once flowed in the cutters OF Paris, or
crimsoned the soil of South America from the
ISlhmus to the Cape, they were deaf to the
warnings of Washington, of Jackson, of Clay,
of Webster, and Of all the noble army OF pat
riots. from Washinglonto Douglas, whose dy-
inr declaration that " war is, disunion, inevl-
cable and irreparable dissolution will he re-
peated as household maxim by generations
vet unborn-repeated i'll tones OF sorrow
{. No compramise no concession !" but war
bloody and sanguinary war-became the or
der of the day. And who SO bold as to ralse
his voice against 1t? A mob, rope, OF
Rastie were at hand to close his traitor"
Inns forever. either within the cold embrace oil
death'or the damp walls ofa prison Fort! The
very letters now passing through our hands
were scattered in confusion, by midnight ma
rauders. because they dared to represent the
truth Liberty, even of thought, was all but
denied to this people, who had SO long ENJOY
ed the fruits of self-government.
For nineteen months the party OF no com
promisen have unlimited sway in the admin
istration of the government Both branches ol
Congress have been entirely subservient to
the executive will. No measure proposed,
or adopted, by the Administration has yet
bean defeated, in either House. Men ana
credit have been commanded by the tXeculVe
DEPARTMENT without limit. And what has
been accomplished Let US see lst, they
proclaimed, at the outset, the purpose speed
i, to drive the rebel armies out II lrG'nIa ;
t.rv have hammered away for eighteen
n,ontss sGd now 1t is heraided as great VIC
tory when they succeed in driving them into
Virginia I'd, they are responsible Tor The
death of two hundred thousond betray ed and
heated soldiers, who enlisted ia fight for the
Union. But were made to shed blood for
scbemes'Upto ian. 3rd, every hospital ech-
oes with the groans Of dying sacrifices to the
black God. Abolition. 4th, the hundreds OF
thousands of crippled and manned men, seen
from one end Of the land to the other, are
eloquent Of the progress. 9Th, the sentiment
of inveterate hate that anlmltc5 the people OF
one section against ths other, is eQnlly elo-
quent of the progress made towards recon
struction of broken Union. Gth, national
debt of two thousand millions, will stand as
an enduring monument to the memory OF civ
il war, and upon It's broad base will be insert
bed these words:
Beneath this obolisk repOse
Two Hundred Thousand friends and foes
TVe meant to vindicate our laws,
But battled for the negro cause
To satisfy spirit fell
Born less Of Hea ven than of Hell !
We died. sacrifice, wcen,
To Abolition hate and spleen"
This will represent the profits arising from
our investments in no compromise" Those
who SOW the wind shall reap the whltlwnd
We have witnessed the flow of Blood till the
people have become surfeited, and turn away
| from the horrid spectacle with sickening
heart It IS abundantly demonstrated by
the events Of the past year that the bayonet
and the sword bring little love, less Union
Indeed. il is no longer union for which we
are compelled to fight, the dusky visage of
the almighty Efrican-not the Stars and
Sripes-it is that now marshals our armies
| to battle Cur Lrave boys no longer see
| that silvery sheen flashing forth its bright
rays of promise from the smoke and fame Of
battle, but the black cloud of Emancipation,
big with ruin and destruction, hangs moodily
over the vanguard. While ringing in the
ears of the rear-guard come the demonac
shouts of a relentless and vndictive foe to
constitutional liberty, and white mems rights.
How little has been accomplished by war!
| How much might have been accomplished by
peace and compromise Nay, how much
may still be done, # the mad-men who hold
our destenies in their hands would but pause
and listen. If they would but hear the
words that are waited upward from the
tombs of the great dead. II they would but
listen to the tones of Douglas as they mingle
! in the ceaseless ripple of the waters that roll