Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-04-02
The Result OF Present Policy,


Rebellion can only be stincd by subduing
the spirit of the people. The inhabitants of
the evolted territory must be brought into
such state OF subsection that they are more
willing TO accept the terms Of the Govern.
ment than to carry on resistance by force,-
Whatever means may be employed, lis with
all Governments, in dealing witt, revolutions
is the end sought. Whctt,cr this rcsplt bo
attained by force or ty cancellation, 1t must
be reached before the insurrection can be
quellsd.
The terms, therefore offered by the GOV.
ernmsnt are the considerations that protract
OF shorten the contest, unless the rebellious
party is. so weak in numbers and resources,
that the Government can instantly vindicatc
Its authority, as would bn the case between
ono Of the seeded States and the whole I'm.
tied States, or between single county and a
State. When revelation assumes such pro
portions as to render the issue doubtful, it is
obviously the policy Of the Government, II ii |
wishes to maintain its integrity, to offer the
most advantageous terms possible to the in
surgeuts.
IL we Judge the policies OF the Administra.
tion by these propostions-al OF which are
demonstrated truths--it will be seen that'the
legislation Of Congress, and the action Of the
President and the Cabinet, have been in direct
contravention of them all. History cannot
furnish paraliel--if We assume that the
maintenance OF the Government was the oh.
ject OF the war-to the weakness and wicked.
ness which have changed the issues in the
contest by policies that have rendered the or.
iginal purpose impossible Of attainment.
The Administration knew the rebellion
would assume fearful proport ions. Its Sec
oud call for troops, asking half a million, is
ample evidence that il deemed the contest
ono OF immense magnitude. But force alone
was relied on to decide it. The people of the
South were eXasperatcd by the conhscation
law. This was one Of the measures invented
to subdUe their spirit. Gen. Pope's order to
our troops to forage on the enemy, which led
to such disgraceful lcence that he was com
PEELED in effect to recind it, was another NJ.
temptto discourage the Southern peoplc, The
license Of our armies elsewhere was still An.
other. The vengeance breathcd by tho An.
lilion press another. The transactions Of HIM.
ter In the Caroliuas another, The endorso.
mont Of Buffers attrocity at New Orleans
another. The enlistment and arming Of ne
grocs another. While tho whole was |
crowned with the proclamations Of Septem.
D9r 22d aud January 1st.
As the spirit of the southern people became
moro uuitrd and defiant thn tpru,s ,I tLo al
minisration became more exaspcrating and
humiIiatug. This, too, when the issue " as
doubtful, when there were eleven States and
nine millions Of people to subdue, and the
progress had brought us only debt and defeat |
II cannot be denied that the measures we
have rccitcd have reused tho Southern peo'
pie to desperate resistance. II the Admin |
istration did not know that such would bo
their effect, they wcro more Ignorant than nu |
merous Of their own party who predicted
such tcsults. Then why were these perni.
cious policies introduced, and why are they
continued They have been and arc destruc.
tive Of tho object of the contest IL the oh
Ject is to iestore the GoycrAment. To assert |
that they are maintained for tho purpose Of
restoring the Union is an insult to all ordip !
ary Intelligence.
We can only explain their Introduction and
continuance upon tho supposition that the
war has dcgcnemted to mere contest for ro.
yengej or else it in hoped its progress will so |
Increase tho hatred between the North and !
South that disunon shall bo not only It's i'm
mediate but abiding result