Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-03-18

the ~forebodings of evil with which the
secession of South Carolina had been
viewed; the fear then entertained that
rebellion might bring the slaveholding
States into armed collision with the Fed
eral Government, which fear was still not
so strong as TO quench the hope that II
vigor would be shown by the Buchanan
Administration, which, like that of Jack
son in 1881, might squelch the rebellion
before it should assume formidable di-
mansions.
He then briefly traced the course OF
events by which our hopes of escaping
civil war were blasted, and pictured the
stirring scenes of the first great uprising
of the Northern people in defence of the
Constitution and the Government, the
rush of volunteers to the Capital of the
State, the unceasing din Of drum and
fife which echoed through the Capitol
halls, and the enthusiasm, ~partaking of a
religious earnestness, which animated all
loyal men. The spirit of the people 50
aroused, completely cowed the few trail
tors at the North, who had prepared to
welcome the shareholders rebellion as a
couD d stat which should, 10y the mere
threat of war, drive from power the law
fully chosen administration, and recon
struct " the Union upon the basis of the
| Montgomery Constitution. Rebel flags
which had been prepared to he thrown to
the breeze in Northern cities, were hid
den in the Utmost editorial sanctums OF
disloyal papers, which then made haste
to publish hypocritical professions. Of ar
dent support of the war, waiting till the
first storm of popular feeling should blow
by, before v%enturing to renew their trea-
sonable teachings and celebrations.
Since then, taking advantage of the
seasons of depression which naturally
followed disasters or delays in the field,
these disloyal men have put off the mask,
and openly proclaimed their sympathy
with the rebellion, or given it equally
good aid and comfort by dishonesty
preaching peace at any price, and en-
deavoring to rally a strong party in oppO-
sition to the war by advocating armistices
which would give our enemies the means
of recovering their strength, whilst we
should be growing weaker by u delays,
and by the discussions which such Il state
of things would engender. The compro-
misses these men profess to believe posi-
bic, they well know are spurned with
contempt by jeff. Davis and his follow
ers. They well know that the leaders OF
the rebellion have staked all upon the
issue of this contest, and that their motto
is full success or complete ruin. Yet he
cry of peace" and compromise Is
used with as unblushing an assurance as
if our enemies had not shut the door to
all accommodation, or as if compromise
in itself would not be the destruction of
the Government, by establishing the
principle that armed rebellion might
give success to desperate politicians
whenever they had met defeat in fair
and peaceful political contests.
1t is then after two years of war, check
cred with glorious victories and sadden-
ing defeats, at a time when the hope has
departed that a very brief struggle was
to end the conflict, when insidious enc
mics in our midst use the sweet word of
peace to lure us from duty and honor,
and to give victory to the foes they dare
not openly side with, that we are met to
declare that we should not despair of the
Republic.
1t has been the fashion with the old
world 10 represent a sordid lust for gain
as the ruling characteristic of the Ameri-
can people; to think the Almighty
Dollar the sole God of our worship; but
the events we have been witnessing have
given the lie TO the SANDER, and forced
the most Jealous of our rivals to admit
that there burns in the heart of the
American people a patriotism as pure
and earnest as that of a Tell Il love of
country which does not hesitate to throw
all the wealth and resources Of the land
upon the altar, and which makes it easy
and sweet TO die for the Republic which
L. 49, o,, ,.Io a,I ,n,- E,ra,.a L.
been astounded to see q commercial peO-
pie raising voluntary armies surprising
in number and power even those which
rallied to overthrow the Colossus of
France. in the days when Germany boast
ed that her people gave gold for iron
to provide the material means of war for
that gigantic contest.
Loyal patriotism has become a word of
deep meaning TO US. 1t stands for Il SEN
timent more powerful than the love of
gold, of home, of friends, of family, of
life event 1t contains all our hope of
good for our posterity, and implies that
to us the-ruin of our country would be
the destruction of all dearest hopes and
the loss of all we hold most valuable in
the present. We are forced to recognize
the contest as one which shall decide
whether the controlling genius of this
continent shall be the free, intelligent,
truly American spirit which has been the
cause of our magnificent progress in the
past, or the despotism of the slave mas.
ter, hating all free things, opposing all
free progress, and tending avowedly to
monarchical forms of government. Such
being the strife, who can doubt the ulti-
mate result whilstGo rules the universe,
and a hope of a brighter destiny remains
for the human race? Ultimate defeat is
impossible A noble patriotism, co-ope-
rating with the great law of human prog
ress. is the strongest possible guaranty
hat the right must triumph, and that
the hopes not only of this people, but of
all nations in the successful solution of
the problem of mans capacity for self
government, are not now to be de-
stroyed.
Treason at home, errors of administra-
ton, or military blunders, may retard
the result, but ooner or later it must be
reached Our zeal or our lukewarmness.
our unanimity or our dissensions, NAV
make the struggle less or more protract-
ed, less or more costly, but all History
calls upon us TO nave a faith firm as the
everlasting hills that in this fiery ordeal
our national greatness is to be purified
and made lasting. and oppressed people
everywhere to see a great step taken to-
ward the good time coming.
The greatest obstacle in the way of our
success, is the effort of disloyal men at
the North to organize Il party to oppose
the war, and by artfully acting upon the
hopes and fears of tinid or selfish men,
destroy the unanimity and earnestness
which is the first requisite to secure a
speedy triumph. In this disloyal move
ment the leaders are the only ones who
see with any clearness whittier they are
tending. The mass of their followers
may have no distinct purpose of destroy
ing the Government or of yielding sub
mission to Jefferson Davis but all such
men must be held responsible not merely
for their professions but for the practical
effects of their doctrine If we find