New-York daily tribune., 1863-12-30
ysFECyE WAN E

y hen the ionB-ucNlbB COlSPH "Of 4'' ="
southern Rebellion eliminated in the secession
of eleven States from tho Union, backed by the
svmpalhes, conscls and positive efforts, OF the
ruling caste in four moro States, encouraged hy
thc more or less openly ayowod sympathetic
demonstrations of the political, commercial
and social allies of that caste Throughout
the LOYAL Satos, there were four possible re-
suits oftbe fearful struggle thus inangurated-
namely:
I. A complctc ultimate triumph and res'ora-
lion Of tie Union through The discontinue and
overthrow of the Rebellion and is parent,
Slavery;
. 4 reconstruction OF tho Union through
new concessions, assurances and guarantees to
the slave Power. such as were stipulated in the
Crittenden Compromise, with an understanding
that hostility TO Slavery, no matter how exhb-
tied. should bonccforth bcprohbtcd throughout
. the whole country;
3. A complete triumph OF the Rebellion
dividing the country permanently on The line Of
the Potomac. the Ohio and the Missouri, or
such other as the yiCtors should sec fit to pre-
scribe; or
1. Such a defeat and discourogcmcnt OF the
Rebels that they y ould finally be willing to re-
/ turn 20 "thc Union as it was, asking no guar
antics. or at least receiving none, hut accepting
an amnesty and oct of oblivion: their MaSons'
SGdells. Jef. Dayi,es, &C., resumine their seats
in Congress, and beginning again where they
saw 1T to leave of early in l@0l.
We have set forth this last as a possible issue
of our contest. in Difference TO the Judgment Of
Others, without intending tc present it as either
probable or practicable. For either the alleged
Right of Secession is a hight or il j. not; end
either Slavery is or il is not entitled TO protec-
tion wherever within the Federal Territories
STAKEHOLDER shall see ft to make hi habitation.
/ This alternative would leave unsolycd every one
of the great problems which were thc grounds
of the War, and render our three years OF de-
ivastation and carnage ~ useless aimlc,s. fruit
/ less a, any war that insane folly or criminal
ambition ever melted. The Rebel chiefs, who
were NJ all events in earnest, would never con-
sent to forcgo their hopes of Independent en-
pire for such a "lame andimpoient conclusion.
/ Ii beaten at all they would at all events per-
,ist until beaten too far to make " rcconstruc-
tiou" on ths basis admissible.
! Rebel triumph Wa at one time possible,
but for the embarrassing commitrals and pledges
v hith the cxiccnces Of their pos ion had forced
upon Tho Rebel chiefs AT the outset. Baltimore
had done very much for them and the hearty
+ sgmp.tlf end essential aid OF her commercial
isnl -oc'm arirtouacy had been secured by
plc1.-. That their city should DE the New-Nork
/ Of t. Cont deracy-iis shiphuldng, importing,
Idrv-eoods iobhing emporium. But, 10 fulfill
I these pledge, Washington mu.thc grc-tcd ON
,ho Union. and The boundary Of thC ConedcIacy
carried uorthward from The Potomac to tho sus-
qrelauna. Tha was big job" added to the
already Herculcan enterprise of The Confcdcr-
ate,, aud two ill--'aucd attempts TO iuhll its
requirement., have eXpored It's best Gencral and
army TO most damaging staggering dicom-
futures.
But again: IL order 20 induce a Convention
elected unioni-l 20 plunge Ni-giua into Tie
Iabys, Of Secession, il become necessary 10
pledge iho faith Of the Conlederacy To maintain
he iytcgr.ly Of fh0tordtory--that is, 10 keep thc
lpra, ideally Free third al hcI territory which llc-
westward Of the crcats OF the Allcchenics, and i
drained by ailments Of the Ohio, in dciestcd,
Mezent;1u union with the or.tocrotc,
/ .lavery.curscd deal-alige 'old-Gclds' ol tide
water and piedmont Virginia. That j. to Say
/ in order 10 procure the adhesion Of the
'Old Dominion TO their ricAety concern,
JEFF. Davis q Co. had TO pledge them
selves 20 insist 10 The last on running
10 thin wedge Of foreign and hostile territory be-.
tween Western Pennsy lyania and Northern Ohio
/ (,ee The map) 50 as almost to sever the Wesi
from the East, and enable on invading amy 10
occupy Pittsburgh or Cleveland ihe week after
q declaration of war. il was not possible that
/ The loyal states should submit TO this until
practically conquered; and We believed then,
a, we do now, that, if our Government bad last
Winter expressed o willingness 10 receive,
through a friendly third party, definite PROPOSE
lions from tho Rebels. setting forth precisely the
terms, with specific demonstrations Of boundary
if Disunion should be insisted on, on which they
would he at peace with US, we could then have
practically united the loyal States in hearty
support Of the war, and thus shortened it by at
least o campaign.
But all this is now bygone. The Rebellion is
manifest future. So writes (n eaecQ the
shrewd and vehenently anti-Union correspond
e. N 4