Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-09-26
Gaatcbman Y stair 0uurnal.
MONTPELIER. SEPTEMBER 10, 1862.
A COMMON PLATFORM.

A COMMON PLATFORM.
There are now two opinions or theories
concerning the conduct Of the war that can
not be defined by any party lines, but run
through aud divide all parties There are
among The democrats and among the repub-
licans those who believe that this war, to be
successful, must be made against the political
and social institutions Of the South, and they
are pressing on the President to issue a pro-
clamation Of emancipation. They tell him
that slavery is she cause Of the war. and
therefore if we strike at slavery, we shall
bring an end at once to the war. They do
not tell us how proclamation Of this sort is
to effect this result, how It is to weaken the
South or strengthen rse NORTH They say it
is a military necessity" and yet they do not
show how any military ends are to be gained
by it. They fail to tell us how, if twenty
millions Of Anglo-Saxons with heir vast re-
sources cannot conquer this rebellion, four
million Of blacks with no resources at all can
do 1t. They admit it TO be unconstitutional.
but declare that the laws are silent in war
and that the military power must override the
civil. There is another view the war taken
both by republicans and democrats; they be-
lieye that the war was forced upon the Gov
ernment by the South for the purpose o! es-
tablishing an independent Southern Confed-
eracy,thus dividing and destroying the United
States and its General Government With
the motives of the South we have nothing to
do. They may be as various as are the mo-
tives Of the North. But with the great fact
Of rebellion for the purpose Of dividing this
nation, we have something to do. 1t is for
the United States to see to il, that this does
not become fixed fact. that the conledcracy
is never established. To this end they are
now engaged in war They have declared
their purpose to be that another Government
shall never be established within the limits
Of this Government, that the rebellion shall
be suppressed, the Constitution supreme
through the whole land and the Union shall
be preserved To secure this object our ar
mics go forth to meet the Southern armies
and if possible to conquer them. 1t is not a
question whether we shall save slavery or
destroy slavery, not a question Of policy,
but a question Of life and death TO American
Nationality.
To reach the object of the suppression OF
the rebellion they count no sacrifices in time.
treasure or blood too great. They believe
that proclamation Of emancipation would
make the dissolution final and perpetual, that
At would secure the triumph OF the rebellion
10y arming 1t with every conceivable motive
to succeed lhey oei'eVe that 1t would ials-
iiy the former and present positions OF the
Government overthrow the Constitution oy
making u suOofdlna'e 10 mlil'ary Jaw that ]"
would hopeiessiy DIVIDE the North ana oe
'ne pioneer oi 'hls nation through tne reo-
oe't sea oil olooo 'hat was ever ''a'erseu oy
any people ana 'ha' theh tho only end we
Shouiu reach wooIu De wilderness ol an
archy ana desolauon' hey oeleNe that such
pohcy would protFact the war' load us under
taxes that could not be paid ana be OF meal
cuIablo evil to the suffering slaves OF our land
Inc President OF the United states has ap-
Pealea 70 portion oil the representatives %
save HIM from the pressure that would drive
him TO policy that must produce these re-
suits.
The question Is Is there a common plat
FORM that IS right where We can stand or
must we duit to a bitter division on ques-
ton not OF right but OF oliey and so lose
our Government The radicals says we
will push the matter to the end :; the con-
Servaiives, says I've will not yield an inch.
Now we propose to let each side hold Its
the, side shall fo-co its oninio, into ac,ion
"Unitv Of action we can have. but unity Of
oninion ia innossible We pronose then.