The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-01-23
WHERE ARE WE .-AND WHERE
DRIFTING?
A Remarkable Article from the Albany
Evening Journal.
BY THURLOW WEED.

In 1860, when only the distant mutter-
ings of rebellion were heard, we were
among the few who recognized in those
threats, the certainty of war, and who, in
a measure, comprehended both its magni-
tude and its horrors. 1t is always an Of
fence, in an individual, to fOresee evils, and
especially so to attempt to avert, or even
to be prepared for them. For an article
then written, asking the President, Con-
gress and our readers, to raise their eyes
and thoughts above the horizon of party,
and contemplate crisis which would tax
the energies of the people, and test the
strength of our Government, we incurred
the denunciations of many, and the friend
ly censure of most of the Republican jour-
mails.
Subsequently, when Rebellion was ram
pant in the extreme Southern States, a
question whether North Carolina and Ten
nessee should remain in the Union or go
out of it arose. We all remember the
'Border State Proposition" upon the
adoption of which by Congress, Rebellion
from the Mississippi to the Atlantic would
have been bounded by the southern lines
of Tennessee and North Carolina. With
a modification which the Border State
representatives offered to accept, we advo-
Gated that compromise. And for this
also we were severely denounced. In the
''Peace Congress, where the Legislature
honored us with a seat which we resigned
in favor of q distinguished citizen, the
''Border State Proposition" was again re-
jected, and consequently two States, a
majority Of whose citizens yearned to re-
main in the Union, were lost With
North Carolina and Tennessee in the Un-
ion, Virginia could not have gone out of
it. We should. therefore, instead of sac
rifcing hundreds of thousands of lives,
and hundreds Of millions OF treasure in
North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and
Kentaoky, Aaec reserved chose troops and
that treasure to crush out Rebellion in the
Cotton States.
The RebelliOn-as WantOn and wicked
as any that stains the pages of history
thus embracing more states than was nee
essary-has been nearly two years in pro-
gress, with what measure of success and
with what promise of a termination we
can judge one as well as another. Its les
sons teach us that it requires all the
strength of united North to preserve the
Union and uphold the Government. We
| hod, at the commencement of the war, a
united North. The elimination of trea-
son, in its attack on Fort Sumter, kindled
blaze of indignant patriotism over the
whole North, East, and West. All merely
partisan feeling was merged in higher and
nobler impulses. All good and true men,
in imitation Of their ancestors at Concord
and Lexington, in 1776, rushed to arms, or
contributed money. Then we were. in
the language Of Mr.. Jefferson, ''all Repub-
licans-all Federalists," or in other Ian
guage, call Repu5l!cans---aii Democrats. "
For the first year the war had, with few
exceptions, the hearty support of both and
all political parties. 1t was prosecuted
earnestly, but with indifferent success
with more heart than head-more zeal
than knowledge. We had gallant troops
commanded by incapable Generals, made
SO, probably, by newspaper and other in
reference. At any rate, the ill-success OF
our armies caused popular impatience, Of
which those whose ultra Auti-Slavery
views enabled the secession leaders to mass
the sentiment of the Cotton States.
availed themselves to impart an Abolition
chara cter to the war.
The evidence before us-in the rivers OF
blood shed, and the millions of treasure ex-
pended-that the preservation of our Union
and Government demands the best ant
united energies and efforts of the whole
people, is valueless. What all united have
SO far failed to accomplish. the abolition
chiefs and journals insist upon undertaking
as a party They demand that the wal
shall be prosecuted under their auspice.
and for their purposes. Mems opinions OF
the slavery question must be heightened o.
shortened, in accordance with Procusteal
example.
These impracticable, one-idea lecturer
and journals, aided by the unfortunat,
son to Richmond " military disasters, hav.
already withdrawn New York, New Jer
sey, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois from the DO
iltical support of the Administration. To,
many of the Democratic leaders in thes'
otates-especially in Ohio and Indiana
are OF the Vallandigham school. This false
dlsioyal man, with shame be it confessed
found sympathizing friends to welcome AM
feast HIM at secession hotel in the city O
New York! Still the masses of the De
mocracy, and most of their prominent men
are truly devoted to the Union, and remain
willing to contribute their money and peri
their lives to sustain the Government. Blu
in this there is no merit, unless they adop
the anti-slavery platform, and accept tn
dormas of the New York T5.iL,,oe