Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1863-02-11

give, IN plain phrase, Ne real sentiments
and feelings Of large majority Of the sol
diers with Vhoet thp wsitss h associated.
1t is valualA bna;df Ml tlls indications Il
gives of thS lselin b o. ths common sol
diers whOysda, AndyfSssd and il Would
be we'll il proper heed were givc{sto such
unmistakable signs Of ,dieeOate1,r Itmay
not be too late for the President to turn
baek'the Abolition hordes who are surely
bringing the country to destruction.
The volunteers were told, at the outse,
Of This struggle, that thpir, peryices were
wanted to compel a return Of the insurgent
States 10 their proper places under the
Constitution and Government Of the Uni
tsd States:s' The Jkaft y thAt tis purpose
was, or even WOULD be, for the general
erhaheipatioh Of slaves in the 'sohth was
repelled with the strongest indignation
The Democratic papers that forctold the
Abolitioniked condition Which has been
brought about were suppressed, and their
conductors irAprisoneds -AIen who dared
to speak their fears that the war was tend
ing towards a crusade Tor the general free
dom of the slaves, were arrested without
knowing With what they were 'chafpsd,
and without due processsof law, were in.
carcerated in Bastiles established by the
Government. 1t was no wonder, then,
that tens Of thousands of honest patriots
entered the Service, on these solemn as
ssrys,iOns Of the Administration backed
by the most unmistakable acts of displeas.
ure at those who dared to make counter
statements-that the war was to be waged
only for restoration of the Union.
Now, that what the Democratic press
predicted---and more too-has come to
pass, it is folly longer to attempt to hide
the main purpose Of the fanatics who have
control Of the Government. 1t is painful
ly evident that reconstruction of the
Union, as it was, is the last thing the
Abolitionists desire. They are in the
same category with the imprscticable FIRE
eaters, who would not return to the Union
on any terms. They will not be satisfied
until every slave in the South is freed and
the country utterly ruined, and they have
given assurance that they do not intend to
stop the war on any other terms. Is it
any wonder, then, that the common SOL
diers, knowing these things, are tired Of
longer being made the victims of policy
which is destroying them by thousands,
mainly for the elevation of the negro?
We repeat, that feeling of the deepest
discomfort is evidently growing among
the soldiers in the army, and the Admin
istration will do wisely to heed it. II
won't do to deny its existence any longer,
and treat the convictions of eight tenths
Of the people, in and out of the army with
contempt, or threats of suppression. y This
sort of treatment will only aggravate the
trouble. A radical change of policy must
be inaugurated pery soon, or reconstruc-
ton of the Union on any basis will be i'm
possible. We are drifting to anarchy
about as fast as il were possible, while the
incspables and fanatics who are controll-
ing the Government and the army are up
on the verge of the abyss, jollifying over
the progress they are making in negro
equality ~ q >
Intelligent people can no longer say
that the honest expression of apprehensiohs
for the country is evidence of sympathy
with the Rebellion. III were so, nine.
tenths of the loyal people of the North
are rebel sympatizes.