Litchfield enquirer., 1862-10-30
Our Duty.

| Our Duty.
 While our brothers in arms are sacrificing much and periliug their all in defense of our rights and liberties, there devolves upon us who remain behind certain duties which are none the | less imperative because less a-duous and dan gerous. Sealing with blood their claim to our grati tu''e they may justly ask of us:
 First, Itat tee zealously support tas wa''.- Most of our soldiers know what they are fight ing for, and believe that upon their success de- peDds the most immense results for our country and the world. They have left their business incurred great hardships, risked their ilves and thrown all their energies toward the rescue of the Union from it's present hazard. May they not ius,ly claim our support so far as we give lit? How can any honorable man by his voice or vote seek to weaken their cause? How can auy pa,ty take advantange of their absence to turn the tide of public sentiment CT the weight of official authority against them
 Secondly, our soldiers have right to claim that so far as in us lies. VIC try to saerg'se ana accelerate the war Their blood is too precious to be poured out in vain, their suderings too great to be needlessly prolonged. Therefore since as soldiers they may not criticize their ofh cers or campaigns. they may fairly look to those in civil life for sandid, careful, and searehin9 investigations of the capacity and conduct of those who are placed in command.
 And this responsibility is subject to s t"ofoid limitation. On the one hand we may not con ceal our we'll grounded conviction of the incom' potency or disloyalty of any leader; and on the other, we have no right clamorously to demand the removal of any officer for partiEan reasons' or without certain knowledge that better nigh be substituted. Accordingly We exceedingly regret to ace the press extolling or abusing com manders, apparently more with reference to their political affinities than to aught else
 By one class of journals Gen. Fremont was bounded through what seems to us to have been brilliant and successful campaign, and at last driven from his position, through the relentless hate of former political opponents. By another class Gen. Mcclellan is daily arraignsd on vague and indefinite charges. by editors who cannot sufficiently understand the circumstances of his position to warrant their harsh judgment l agalnst leader who has the confidence of the army and of the administration. For ourselves we feel bound to pursue mid dle course, derogating nothing from an officers just merits because of his opinions, making all due allowance for inexperence and fer facts un- known to us and at the same time expressing free criticisms upon past and palpable blunders, and upon incurable lmbecility by whomsoever exhibited.
 | But towards MT. Lincoln's Administration and support, the people ought to give unequivo cal proofs of their ardor and zeal in this war; If he seems to doubt or halt, it is because he is not sur. of the peoples support and zoe are re- we express through every channel our stern DE- xAND that he shall use every means to crush the rebellion speedily and effectually. Such expres- sions, universally given, would be worth 2 rein forccmont of one hundred thousand men to our brothers ill the field.
 Lastly we owe it to them to ,cait patiently and hopefmly We are free to express our dis. gust at the conduct of those doleful unbelievers who go about with countenances long as jack ais, disheartening every one by their lugubrious predictions, It is not right nor reasonable to speak 30 of our cause, Not right because such prophecies go for to bring about their. own ful. filment, and because we must resolce that ,ce eriA succeed. To concede the possibility of failure is unworthy any true patriot. To talk as if we had already failed, is wanton insult to our soldier brethren, and a shameful betrayal of the cause for which they are ready to lay down their lives. In the days of ancient Rome it was crime to despair of the Republic" Is it no " a mark either of n'agnimity or ,0isdom' l Unless paralyzed by unreasonable desponden. cy we may and must succeed. True the South I has held out longer than we expected, but there is an end to it's resources, and that cannot be 1 far off. Shut out from Commerce, devastated by invasion. beleaguered on every side, menaced by servile instructions, and soon to be deprived of it's productive labor, the Rebellion is making its last desperate stand as bid for foreign as sistunce.
 For the moment, our prospects arc gloomy, but night is darkest just before day." The oak that has withstood hundred strokes of the axe, yields suddenly at last to single blow.-- Patience then, fellow citizens. patiencs and eourage Within month oar army will have been trebled and our iron fleet finished With h three months we believe that tho Confsder- acy" will be 80 battsrsi as not to bs "reco ogniz. jed by it's ueare friend (England)
 Relief for the Soldiers. Letters are being received by the ladies assoc iations in the county from the " Womans Central Association of Relief" under the auspices of the Il