The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-07-28
COMMUNICATIONS.
From our Regular Correspondent.
Letter from Skowhegan.


Enthusiastic war meefimg-A delusion-aa
Imaginary .fear-Prdudices must be sac
rifced-A stirring appeai.
sKowHEeAS, July cath, 1852
To The Editors Of the Portland Press:
A large and enthusiastic meeting was held
here, ON Friday last, 10 consider the exigencies
Of the country In the present crisis, and 10 take
measures for promptly raising the quota of
men now required BY the government. The
meeting was held in the open air, there being
no building Of sufficient sire 90 accommodate
the vast crowd assembled. A band Of music
was In attendance, and enIivened the occasion
with stirring national airs. The Hon. Abner
Coburn was chosen President, and patriotic
speeches were made BY Rev. Mr.. Bullen, and
Messrs. Webster and Merrill Of ofNorridgewock
General Howard who wa present. was then
called to the stand. and spoke for more than
an hour in that strain Of lohy and ardent pat
riotism by which the addresses Of this heroic
soldier, aud noble Christian man are every
where characterized. He called on all. Of
every age and sect and class, man and wo-
man and little child. to put on the spirit ofre-
nuneiation and sacrifice. and give themselves
20 the sacred cause Of the country. He said
that our business to-day was 10 bury the past
with Its traditions, its mistakes, and its differ
ences, remembering only the lessons IL had
taught us, and realizing the peril and the duty
Of the present, 10 come up In the strength OF
Union, and conquer in the name of liberty and
law. The empty sleeve at the speakers side,a
silent, but eloquent witness, bespoke the sin
cerity Of his devotion to the cause; and his
stirring call found an answering echo in the
heart Of every listener. 1t will be answered in
acts also. i have no fear that the country
viii not meet the call on its courage, devotion
and patriotism. These are qualities in which
this people is solvent. 1t has always honored
every draft of that kind; and it will continue
to do so.
But there is one danger into which we are
liable TO fall, which, it seems to me, is not suf-
ficiently felt. i mean the danger of divided
councils. 1t cannot be denied that there is in
the words Of many of our public men, and in
the tone of some of the leading points, a great
degree of bitterness toward those who differ
from them in their idea of policy. / am glad
to perceive that the the DAILY PRESS has
avoided the error which is so calculated to
work mischief to the loyal cause. The conf
dence of the unthinking is shaken, and enlist
ments discouraged TO an extent of which these
fault-finders can hardly be aware All this
shows that there is one sacrifice which is more
difficult than all others, and that is the immo-
lation of prejudice. When we are ready 10
bring up our cherished prejudices, pre-conceiv-
ed opinions, and personal preferences, and lay
them on the altar of patriotism, then indeed.
is our country saved. The sooner we can
bring ourselves to this point, the better it will
be for us. No man has a right, in time like
this, to be merely Democrat, Republican,
or an Abolitionist. He is called on to be a
Patriot; and to be that, he must, if the public
exigencies demand it, submit, and submit
cheerfully to see policy pursued which may
run counter to the cherished traditions of his
party. OF course, no one will be so stupid as
to suppose that am urging any to keep 81
lence and let wrong be done. This is not the
danger. On the great question of the day, all
are united. To put down this diabolical rebel
lion, and restore our bleeding country TO peace
and prosperity. is the object Of US all. Ii is
only with regard to means and measures. that
We differ; only in the matter of details. that
we are In danger of disagreement. Can we
not put ourselves beyond the reach of this dan
ger? Can we not fling from us this last relic
Of natural selflshness, and make our selfabne-
CATION in this most holy cause complete?
The fact Is, we are putting trust not in prin-
ciples, but In measures, and In men. One man
shouts for Fremont; another pins his faith TO
Mcclellan; a third believes In the gospel ac-
cording TO Secretary Stanton. This is all
mistake. IL carried too far, il may be mis-
take fatal 10 the welfare of the country.
mean nothing derogatory to either of these
men, when say that not one of them can
stand as the Representative man of the coun-
try. No man is so broad, SO grand, SO ''myri-
ad-minded" as to be the adequate exponent of
the idea of our time. That class-and it in
cludes many true and earnest souls--who are
waiting and hoping for the advent of the "Man
of the Age" as they believe in him. to arise
and deliver the nation, trusting in a delu-
sion, and wasting precious time, which should
be spent in action. He has not arisen; he is
not likely to arise. Nor, in the light of history
and the past, is it desirable that he should