Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-06-28

BY HORACE GREELEY.

Whoever shall write that history of the
great struggle through which our country
is now passing which is to take place among
the worlds classics beside the works OF
Xenophon, Thucydides, aud Livy, will have
much to say of the trying ordeal imposed
on our Executive by the anomalous condi-
tions and complications of our politics. =
Rulers of free nations have often been call.
ed to resist and defeat conspiracies aud
Instructions, but rarely or never before
was the Chief of q Republic compelled to
engage in such contest under the depres-
sing consciousness that the support accord
ed TO him by large portion even of the
loyal citizens was limited and qualified by
mental eservation-that, while the insur
gent element was thorougly and desperate
ly Rebel, large section of the loyal ma
jority, by whose support that element was
to be confronted and overcome, was but
contiDgently and condtionally loyal; and
this, not ftom any sympathy which long
preceded and prepared for the Rebellion.
Mr.. Lincoln was chosen President by q
large majority of the votes cast in the Elec-
toral Colleges (ls0 to 1857 but that ma
jority represented but plurality of the
people. The larger number had vehement
y opposed his election, and had been driven
by the paucity of their numbers in many of
the Free States, to oppose it under COM
mon organization and on substantially com.
mon grounds. There never were three ad.
verse candidates, but in this aud other
important States, their supporters voted a
common Electoral Ticket. Aud the leading
argument by which his election was resisted
in most of the Free States was substantially
ths-y Lincoln is OeLcted, tie South a0iLL
TevOH and break up The Union. And this
argument was often pressed in terms which
virtually implied, if they did mol directly
atfirm, that the South not only toOuLd resist
his rule unto blood but that it would be
justified in SO doing.
lie was elected nevertheless; and at once
before even the electors had cast their votes
the Cotton States commenced the work
10 which they gave the name of Secession,
and the Northern allies and servtOrs of the
Slave Power began to insist vehemently on
concessions, assurances, and guarantees to
Slavery by the Republicans as indispensa
BILE to avert Disunion Again the parties
| "SS'hN w wv 'uNOul'ub Ahth'hioN'o "NS
stantially coalesed to extort from its friends
virtual renunciation of their distinctive
principles as essential to preserve the Union
J and avert Civil War. Not in so many
words, but in substance and effect, this de
mand was made Of those who had just borne
Mr.. Lincoln trumphantly through an ar
duous Presidential contest: "YOu shall
agree to divide the Territories of the Union
between Freedom and Slavery or the South
will dissolve the Union, and shall bold you
accountable therefor" Tue Rebel Chiefs
did not make this exaction-lhe loyal Dem
Gratis and Bell, U nionists of both Free anC
Slave States substantially did; and theil
debaters aud journalists, up to the lombard
ment OF Fort Sumter, held language which
implied that the new Administration wal
making war upon the South, rather thar
the Slave Power making war on the Ma
tion.
The Southern conspirators were woefulI,
deceived by this language. They had beer