The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1862-04-23
Conservative Men.

is, With what mad speed the nation
would rush into perdition, if all the
people, or if a majority of them were
willing to follow the lead of these fa-
natical spirits. Take the illustration
afforded by the proclamation of free
dom to slaves made in Missouri, and
which the anti-slavery men desired and
demanded should be made universal
Had their counsels prevailed, says the
Journal of Commerce, Missouri would
now have been convulsed with internal
war, bitter and enduring, instead of
the present quiet which begins to pre-
vail in her borders, but Kentucky
would have been made the theatre of a
long, fierce and devastating conflict;
the hope of bringing Tennessee back
to her loyalty would have been chimer-
ical, would indeed not have been en-
tertained, and the future of the nation
would have been enveloped in the
blackness of darkness. Or take the
new and pressing illustration now af-
forded by the anxiety Of some radical
nen and papers to declare the seeded
States dead by suicide, and erect ter
ritorial governments in them. Were
the President, Congress and the people
to join in this wild notion, subversive
of Constitution, law, and order, it
once plunge us into a revolution that
would shortly surpass in its results all
the horrors of all the revolutions which
history has recorded. We should erect
governments without authority, tribu-
nails having no superiors, and therefore
absolute and autocratic; we should
make tyranny the substitute for law,
and anarchy the resulting effect of an
attempt to erect a quasi-democratic
government, which would be an auto
cracy, sustained by force of bayonets
and cannon. The men who favor this
scheme will not see it in this light now.
But there must be times in which they
do see it, and at such times, we doubt
not, they shudder at the idea Of the
whole nation becoming like them, and
Joining them in their unbridled notions
of government. The very opposition
that they meet with, encourages and
inspirits them, but if the opposition
were to become cooperation, can any
one doubt that the facilis descensus
Averni would be reached, and that
those who led the descent would shrink
appalled, at the flaming prospect? How
long would Western Virginia, now
peaceful under the loyal government
established there, be permitted to rest
without new occupation and new
government? Already We hear the
Virginia Senators told that they are il
Congress only on suferance. How
long would Delaware, Maryland, Ken
lucky, Missouri; nay, how long woul(
the loyal States of the North continue
to be free and Independent States, i
this scheme Of assuming powers abso
lutely forbidden by the Constitution
were to be adopted at Washington b,
the voice Of the people? The centra
government would of course be- driver
on by the frenzy of a nation gone mad
and constitutions wonld become, as on,
of our radical neighbors already call
them, waste paper.
It is not bad plan, once in a while
to test radical plan by the question
what would become of it if no ont
should oppose it? Many give theil
"aid and comfort to schemes of re
form, and plans of radicalism, on tho
theory that there is strong opposition
that will preserve the nation from los'
and damage If things 60 wrong. Bu
if these same persons should assume
the responsibility of the schemes tt
which they give countenance, or shoulc
contemplate the possibility of thei
becoming facts accomplished, for lacl
of opposition, they would hesitate long
and would probably oppose instead Q
approving them.
In the conservatism Of the people o
all political parties, and now more thai
ever in the conservatism of the Presi
dent Of the President of the United
States, rests the hope of peace anC
unity. We are impressed with tht
conviction that the President desires
to see the abolition element converted
into a sound Union loving party. His
emancipation message produced a grear
effect IN bringing vast numbers, wht
were inclined to radicalism, to look al
the higher value Of the old and favor
iteeonseryatiye plans Of gradual eman
elPation with just compensation. Mei
remember the ideas which Webster
Clay and Marcy, among Northerl
politicians, and many whom we coult
name among Southerners, used to tall