The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-08-02
The Duty Of To-day,
From the New York Indepe nden.

In tne beginning OF this great struggle the
question among loyal men was, How shall we
save this natione One year Of fighting and
the question is. WHETHER we can save it
That is the question of to-day. 4rsa
We do, not write to blame, but to judge.
Unless we are wiser than we have been, we
have outliyed our nation. Look at facts.
The South has had more wisdom, civil
and military : she has had sagacity.
Afker Mr.. LincoIn's election, not ono sin.
gle state, except South Carolina, cast . pop
ular majority for secession. Yet every state
secedsd except Delaware, Maryland, and
Kentucky. There was divided public
mind, large undertone Of Union feeling ia
.he South, even after the war began.
It is absurd to- talas ofany such thing now.
There never was such revolution of popu-
lar feeling on record. Dislike has become
hatred. With Insignificant exceptions. the
South is unit in intense and unchangable
hatred of the North. By volunteers, by
drafting, and by conscription, she has placed
in the field an extraordinary force.
With all her sea-ports sealed, with no inn
portant foundries, straieened for every single
element in the manufacture of munitiuns and
equipments, the South has armed her men
so formidably that our generals would rather
lie behind breastworks than meet them in
the field. Accustomed to import from the
North almost every article living, the South
has in day become manufacturer Of iron,
Of cloth, of wood, of leather, Of chemicals,
enough, at least, for all military purposes
Cumbered with dangerous population Of
four million slaves, whose instincts, interests,
and secret wishes ore wholly, or largely,
adverse, the South has extracted from this
element double power, moral and physical
Plying upon the political superstition Of the
North, she has hindered it's movements at
every step, by interposing the slavery ques-
tion-knowing that for two generations men
had been educated to yield everything
principle, interest, patriotism--rather than
meddle with Southern rights" of slavery.
On the other hand, they have employed
this gigantic force Of faborers TO- raise food
and clothing, so that every able-bodied man
might bear arms. They have organized
them to military labor, so as greatly to re.
rieve tire soldiers Of wasting camp-lsbor.-
Thus, on the one hand, the slave has given
the South tremendous physical force, and
on the other hand, has been so skillfilly
played as to hold our generals and rulers in
miserable pespiexiy. Our armies have been
managed as ifthey were body Of nurses iu
foundling hospital, watching at every ster
lest they should tread on baby. Ithas moi
been supply-trains, baggage, and artillery
that have most numbered our armies, but
"delicate questions, " ''perplexing interests
"intricate relations" We could get seige
trains through the deepest mud. But slave
ry has kept everything in check.
On the other side, the North has had /.
navy yards and foundries sufficient to cper
ate ships and machinery to any extent. Sh'
has the factories Of the nation she has
free and diversified industry without par
allel; her population is three times as grea
as the Southern; her citizens are better edu
cated and more versatile she has public
arnories, foundries, and private manufacto
ries Of arms in numbers she has the mar
kets Of the world in which to buy what sh
canpot manufacture; she has the prestig'
and po xer Of holding the national capital
and the instruments of government food i
abundant. There was never nation whicl
in men, means, munitions, credit, the unit,
Of citizens, the justice Of its cause, resource.
at home and universal opportunities abroad
stood SO aivantageously as the North.
During one year, the Administration ha
attempted to conduct affairs in the spirit o
the old political traditions. It began b.
assuming that war was an incidental and su
perficial matter, and that the business OF tn
Government mainly consisted in mar aginl
delicate civil questions. Mr.. Seward sail
and wrote that the war would end in nine t,
days. Repeatedly, the public were oracularll
told, by those in power, that in four months
or in six months, or within year, the wa
would be ended. In short, the force Of tn
Government has been directed to the ques
tions of state rights to the peculiar delicac,
of the management required in the Border
states; to the necessity Of union in the North
by keeping down an opposition.
Now, what has been the fruit Of this year
conduct ? T 81
We are not SO near q settlement as W,
were at the beginning. The South, with al
her losses, and under difficulties that woul,
have appalled, and disheartened any commo,
people, is more united, has q larger army il
the field, more comfortably provided for
and better managed, than she had yea
aso;,
she was when she beleagucred Washington
held Tennessee, Missouri, and half Of Ken
lucky. She is united !; while every day tn
leaven Of old malignant political parties i
working disaaection, at the bottom, in tn
North. aiat'Hi as ahal e 171s
The South has simplicity and unity q
purpose. The forth is uncertain which sh
wishes most-to subdue the rebellion, I
leave slavery unharmed, or to have the righ
President at the next election
The South adjourns every question ant
postpones every interest in favor Of Arms
Tho North ia busy with conf1ictino scheme