North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-08-19


now addressing you upon the political issues
of the times, we assume that the institutions
Of our country are destined to endure.
The approaching election derives further
impor lance from the influence it will exercise
upon the policy of the Government. The
aim of men not blinded by fanaticism and
party spirit would be to reap the bost fruit
from the victories achieved by our gallant
armes--the best fruit would be peace and
restoration of the Union. Such is not the
aim of the party in power. Dominated by
its most bigoted members, it urges a war
for the negro and not for the Union. 1t
avows the design to protract the war till sla-
very shall be abolished in all the States i'll
the language of one Of its pamphleteers
"hox can man, hoping and praying for the
destruction Of slavery, desire that the war
shall be short one?" Mr.. Thaddeus Stew
ems, the Republican leader in the last House
of Representatives, declared, "The Union
shall never, with my consent, be restored
under the Constitution as it is, with slavery
to be protected by it," The same spirit ap-
pears in Mr.. Lincoln'S late answer to citizens
of Louisiana who desired the return of that
State under its present Constitution, Mr..
Lincoln postponed them till that Consttu-
ton shall be amended. The Aboltionists
desire the war to last till freedom is secured
to all the slaves. Hordes of politicians, and
contractors, and purveyors, who fatten on
the war, desire it to last forever. When the
slaves are all enancipated by the Federal
arms, a constant military intervention will
be needed to keep them above or equal with
the white race in the Southern States
Peace has no place in their platform. 1t
proclams contiscation ard abolition as the
objects Of the war, and the Southern leader
catches up the words TO stimulate bis follow
ers to fight to the last. 1t is not the inter
tercst of Pennsylvania that q ianatical fac
ton shall pervert aud protract the war, for
ruinous, perhaps unattainrble ends. What
the North needs is the return of the South
with its people, its territory, its staples, to
complete the integrity of our common coun-
try. This, and not mere devastation and So
caI confusion, would be the aim of patriots
and statesmen. The Abolition policy prom
ises us nothing better than Southern Po-
land, ruled by Northern despotism. But
history is full OF examples how wise rulers
have assuaged civil discord by moderation
and justice, while bigots and despots, relying
sosly on force, have been baified by feeble
opponents. That temperate constitutional
policy will fail, in our case, t. reap the fruit
Of success in arms, Cannot be known till 1t be
tried. The times are critical. France, I'M
der powerful and ambitious monarch, is
entering on the scene, willing again to play
al important part in am American revolution.
The English Government is hostile to US
it has got all it wanted from abolition, and
will have nothing more to do with it, The
secession leaders, and tho presses under their
control, oppose reunion, prelerring, perhaps,
even an humble dependence upon European
powers. But from many parts Of the South,
and across the picket lines, and from the
prisoners and the wounded, has come the
proof of desire among the people of the
South to return to constitutional relations
with the people of the North. Early in the
lima, one of the old thirteen associated with
Pennsylvania on the page of Revolutionary
history. But the majority in Congress made
haste to show that Abolition, not reunion
H., e
on the 22d of July, 1861, being the day af-
ter the battle of Bull Run, they allowed the
passage oc a resolution, offered by Crit ten
den, defining policy for the restoration Of
the Union. But they soon rallied, and filled,
the statute book with acts of confiscation
abolition. aud emancipation, against the re-
monstrances of eminent jursts and conserv-
ative men of al parties. Mr.. Lin coin, too,
yielding, he said, "to pressure" put his
proclamation in place Of the Constitution
and the laws. Thus every interest SEN
timent of the Southern people were enlisted
on the side OF resistance by the policy Of a
party which, as Mr.. Stevens said, will not
consent to a restoration Of the Union with
" the Constitution as it is." 1t is this poll
cy that has protracted the war, and Is now
the greatest obstacle to its termination.
The reunion of the States can alone give
them their old security at home and power
and dignity abroad. This end can never be
reached upon the principles Of the party now
in power. Their principles are radically
false. and can never lead to good conclusion
Their hope of setting up the negro in the
place of the white man runs counter to the
laws of race, the laws of nature. Their
craftsmanship has been weighed in the bal
ance and found wanting their little blood
letting" has proved deluge. Their inter-
ference with our armies has often frustrated
and never aided their success, till it has be-
come military proverb that the best thing
for a General il To he out of reach from,