The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1862-10-02

it is right that they should do so.
People differ as to the causes OF
the war; but it is upon us, no
matter what the cause, and we
claim the right as q citizen soldier,
t. .give eur views in relation to the
probable winding up of the war, as
we see it from our stand point.
The object for which we are
fighting is the restoration of the
Union. We are trying to bring
back by force of arms a section Of
the nation that has openly dis
avowet their allegiance to our
country, and who are trying by
the use of the same means to es-
tablish a separate and independent
nationality; and the question arises,
which we propose now to look at f.:
will we or they succeedl will the
Union be restored, or will there be
two separate nations?
No true patriot can for o moment
hesitate to answer the question, as
to how he would rather it should
be-. No lover of his county could
desire a division of the Union (; but
is there not a possibility that, not
withstanding all the efforts we
have made, or may make, we will
fail ? Is it not possible, that owing
to the magnitude of the rebellion,
the desperate determination to sue
coed, the unanimity Of the South,
and the skill and bravery with
which they proceed, all of which
are beyond what we had anticipat'
ed, we may fail. We answer, it is;
and however unwilling we may be
to acknowledge such a possibility,
we can't but think, from our know
ledge of affairs, that failure on our
part to reduce the South to loyalty,
by the present c%oercive policy, is
not only possible but certain. That
we can conquer the South, I have
every reason to believe; that we
can march our army VIGOROUSLY
to the Gulf of Mexico, through ev-
cry seeded State, l have no doubt;
but having conquered their armies,
and overrun all the States, what
reason have we to conclude that
the Union will then be restored, or
the South return to her loyalty.
We have supposed that a strong
Union sentiment still existed in
the South, but union forces have
been marched into the seeded
States, and we see no returning
love for the old Union, but on the
contrary, q spirit of opposition,
and q determination to resist every
attempt at coercion on our part
And, knowing the almostuentire
absence of Union sentiment, car
it be supposed that such a people
will ever be forced to be loyal
Are sabres, muskets, and cannons.
the means of reconciliation anc
friendship? Do they not have the
tendency to madden, to exasperate,
and rouse all the bitter passions o.
the heart to q determination never
to yield.
In view of these facts, is it no
folly to continue our efforts to re
store the South to the Union, whel
we know they must fail. Thel
what is to be done? We see nj
way of causing this deadly struggl'
to cease, except to let the South
depart, be a separate nation, o.
anything else to stop this gloomy
war. In this we know We will b
opposed, but we will try to show
that by letting the South depart
or, if you please, secede, would b
for the best interest OF the nation
In giving our views in favor of a separs
ton, we do not wish to be understood t
argue the right Ct secession. We wonld, b
no means, make a precedent which, if ca
ried out, would result in the destruction {
the entire country. The Constitution give
no State, or number of States, the power t
withdraw at pleasure from the Union; bu'
as a matter of policy under existing circun
stances, we will try to prove, that bein
separate from the South, will be the be'
condition for the North in almost every rel
pect.
The agitation of the slavery question hi
been a source of trouble to the Unite
States, more or less, since VIZ have been
nation 1t has excited the evil passions
fellow citizens; it has produced estrang
ment and alienation of friends; it hi
/, caused some of our wisest and best state