Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1863-10-21
win the People Consider :

Judgment There are thousands to-day
who have acted with the Republican party,
and who are now convinced that that party
is unworthy support, but who have not
the courage TO tear themselves from its en-
brace. They fear they will be twitted for
Inconsistency, or that they will be called
ugly names. Many others desire to pre-
serve the reputation of being consistent,
which is all well enough when the convic-
ton of right accompanies it, but an eyre
grious error when one has to do violence TO
his own conscience, to his convictions of
right and justice. These classes Of per-
sons are all pursuing a very mistaken and
ruinous course. Every man should be a
patriot. He should love his country and
render implicit obedience to its constitu-
ton. No one will deny this proposition.
How necessary it is, then, for each citizen
10 inform himself so that he may act un
derstandiugly, and that he should be gov
erned in his action by the purest dictates of
his sober and unbiased Judgment. There
are too many dangerous and designing
men who are ever ready to take advantage
OF the prejudices of the people, or who
would resort to any expedient to arouse
passions, in order to carry any favorite
measures They should be Stunned as Vi
pers They are the banc of any country,
whether they are found in the hallsof Con-
gress, in the sanctum, in the pulpit, in
public or private life, Ours is a popular
government. Its glory, its honor, its
prosperity, and, indeed, its perpetuity is
dependent upon the intelligence and homes
ty of the people The masses are honest,
and many of them are intelligent. They
desire to do right, but unfortunately they
are too frequently deceived and begCiled
into erroneous action by the ingenuity of
the class of men above described. When
the error is discovered there is a DISPOSE
ton to repair it, bnt unfortunately great
mischief is too frequently done before rea-
son resumes its sway. In our present un-
fortunate difficulties the people have been
governed more by passion than reason.
All the demagogues in the country availed
themselves of the excitingj events, which
were transpiring, to arouse the fercest and
worst passions of which human nature is
capable. Earnest, dispassionate men, who
desired reason and justice to control, were
cried and hunted down as enemies to the
country. A regular system of deception
has been practiced from the beginning and
the people have been the unfortunate vic
tins. Hundreds and thousands of oul
kith and kin are now bleaching their bones
on the many battle fields Of this war
Many more drag their manned limbs IA,
round the country to daily remind us O
the horrors of war. Thousands Of hearth
stones are desolate, and cries of widows
and orphans arise in every neigbborhooC
and on every side. The country is strain
ing under the weight of an enormous debt
and the people groan beneath the oppres
sion of gleivous taxation. Have we no
paid enough for our folly to make III
pause and reflect What have we ac
complished 10 compensate for the misery
and distress which has been brought ol
the country? Let him answer who can
What have we to compensate us for tn
vast expenditure of life and treasure |
the Union any nearer restored than whel
we began the struggle? The answe
comes back from the South "that bottom
less gulf of uniathomed blood now sepa
rates us from the people of the Unite
States, and that we will maintain tha
separation, either to recognition of ou
independent nationality, or our extennina
ton as a free people" And why thi
answer Because we offer them no in
ducements to return to their allegiance an
the old Union. The sword, emancipatio
and confscation is kept hanging ov,
their heads. Hatred and revenge is IL
actuating spirit OF the men in power. The
have no words of forgiveness, no chart
for the eTing people of the South. III
sword, the bayone and bomb, devastatio
ruin and destruction is hurled against the