The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-12-01


persistently gloried in its Websterian conser-
vatism, and has never had warm side for
any marked or radical reforms, in an editorial
on the oath ult., puts forth some views wor-
thy to be read by every rejecting mind.
They are all the more worthy of consideration
from the fact that they are an extorted con-
cession to the evident tendencies OF the
times, opposed to the personal feelings and
wishes of the writer. To show that we do
not oyerstate the conservative feelings of the
writer from whom we are about to quote at
length, we need only copy the following OPEN
ing sentences from his pen:
We are among those who believe that the
rebellion could have been suppressed before
this day, IL the negroes had been left entirely
out of the question, and no more troubled
than any other property of the rebels; taken
and used, where the army went and could use
them to profit, and let alone in theory, where
practically we could not deal with them.
As regards an act of
general emancipation, Congress has no more
right to pass it, than it has to declare that
sheep shall not be raised in Vermont, or hor-
SEES In New Hampshire
His conservatism also crops out in the con-
clusion Of his article, when he says:
We state the simple facts without regard to
our own views or wishes. We have desired
slavery to be removed in such way as to
benefit the whites and blacks together; and
for us the Constitution as it is, does not admit
of improvement-it is, as Daniel Webster ex-
pressed 1t, the perfection OF human wisdom,
while the Union as it was, appears to us the
best human government that ever did OF ever
can exist approaching nearest to the Divine
government. But our own prejudices or pref
erences do not blind us TO the facts, when
they are so clear that he that runneth may
read, and nobody can fail to understand them.
Having thus shown the status of the wri-
ter whose onvictions-forced upon him by
the unmistakable logic of events - we are
about to present to the reader, we trust that
no one will set down these convictions to the
account of "abolitionism,' or charge that the
editor of the Newburyport Herald has be-
come fanatic, and been carried away by his
sympathy-heretofore pent up and concealed
for the radical measures which he comedies
are to prevail not only in this country but
throughput the world. The truth is, the
world is moving God reigns. His chariot
is making triumphal march among the ma
tons, and the Herald Editor, like wise man,
coafesses to the great result which God has
ordained aud which the people, as His uncon-
scious instruments, are working out. But
here follows the article, of which we have
given above both the beginning and the end
ing, and to which we invite the careful, I'M
prejudiced asmind Of every reader of the
Press:
That person must be blind to the DRIFT OF
affairs = that with little variation here and
there, but not more than in the tide OF any
great river, has set directly towards emaBci-
patton, from the commencement of the war
TO the present-not to see that slavery is TO
be rooted out of this country from the founda-
ton and in all its parts. We met an old man
in New Hampshire the other day, WHO ex-
They do hate It, and they have determined it
shall die; and all the compromises, guaran-
tees, and laws of the past for its protection,
are not worth to the stakeholder the paper
they were written on for the security Of his
human property.
II it is better than the past, we shall be the
gamers; and II worse, We shall only share
the common lot; but better or worse il is
useless to whine and grumble about what the
people have determined shall be and if we
read Alright the signs Of the times the popular
decree runs thus: First that this country
shall be one nation; not an acre or rod of Il
TO be given up, If the war must GO on forever
and eternally for its unity, and though we
shall have to lay waste State after State. i'm a
territory bigger than all Of Western Europe
shall be turned to desert-depcpulated and
denuded-for that end. Second, that slavery
shall be wiped out. THE cause of the WAR,
shall be removed, more completely than was
the human race destroyed BY the great flood,
not eight persons surviving in seryitude to
tell the story of the past. Thirdly, that the
present adlninstration-"th government
Is to continue Ia power, as long as the "
lasts; Abraham Lincoln, who vas cop.,;,a
tionally and properly elected to be Py.s;dant
of all the States, to be pfesident t...I his az
tnority Is recognized in every Site thai was
W WI . .ne uniop at the time of his election.
=, - uls y nor the meaning of present history,
a. - VIA .en in characters that we do not I'M
a ae'' Ind; ii this is not the decision of the
...te elections, we fail to appreciate them: if
this is not the popular voice, then the people
misuse the words they utter.
Slavery Is to be abolished before this war
closes, come what will, oppose it what will, and
cost what IL may; and therefore it makes but
little difference how soon or how late Con-
gress passes its act Of general emancipation.
And this result is to be accomplished as much
by the slave States as by New England Mis-
souri, has declared for this policy, in the cleo
ton OF Gratz Brown for Senator; MARYLAND,
by her recent majority vote of $4,000 for the
emancipation ticket; Delaware, by the cleo
ton of a member Of Congress who was dele
gate to the Chicago Convention; the two
Virginias-Western Virginia, as organized,
and Gov. Pierpont's Virginia, TO be organized
favor it; Gov. johnson in Tennessee and
Parson Browniow In East Tennessee are de-
sirous that the work should go on; and be-
lore long we shall have North Carolina, Flori-
da, Arkansas and Louisiana, seeking the same
end. The political opposition may say that
the people do not have freedom to express
themselves; that does not matter, they will
not stop upon any nice points; an expression
will be had, and recorded. They may tell us
that the Union-as we have understood it
can not SO be restored, or the Constitution
preserved. Let it be so some Union-a
union of territory-can be had from the Lakes
10 the Gulf, and the Constitution will be in
.orce with all the modern improvements"
The past is a closed book, and whatever we
may have wished, or believed, or labored for
we may as well prepare for the present as it is,
and let the future look out for ITSELF
The political ppostion--disorganiz or
more properly, unorgsnized, made up of disa-
greeing factions, without any platform of prin-
ciple or acknowledged leaders, may dream of
reaction In favor of what are termed conserya-
1--WE principles; but il such reactions ever
comes, 1t will be like the old lady's cancer.
winch she SAID would not come to a head in
her day. We are in the throes OF a revolution.
that Is the condition OF the whole world and
from cause which we fail TO recognize on