The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-05-22
The Hour and its Lessons.


The Journal Of Commerce has an
able article under the above caption, on
HooKER's disastrous campaign, showing
conclusively that from the hour that Hook
Err crossed the Rappahannock and Rapi-
dan there was no strategy or any evidence
of generalship in his movement, and that
all who are acquainted with the situation
must acknowledge that the failure of the
battle is due to the incompetency of the
commanding General, Notwithstanding the
mourntul Righteousness of the columns of
fulsome praise which have been published
in radical papers about him and his plans.
The whole history, therefore is this:
Hooker had the largest and finest army ever
before under command of an American gener-
al. He placed that army in a most exposed
and dangerous position; SO exposed and un-
skillful in all respects, that the rebels came out
of their entertainments, and but for the despe-
rate valor of our gallant men, the brave old
Army of the Potomac, would have utterly de-
stroyed it. We give all honor to the endur-
ance, the noble conduct of the men of that
brave and fated army. They deserve everlast-
ing remembrance.
The following is the conclusion of the
article referred to, which we commend to
the earnest consideration of all patriotic
citizens:
And now what next? This is no time for
hesitation. The hour is fraught with serious
considerations of duty for every man in the
country, from the President to the humblest
citizen. We cannot be unmindful of the fact
that this is the very date fixed on by the I1ib-
use, and other radicals, for abandoning the
contest and making 1.-THE best attainable peace +"
We have already heard from men of that way
of thinking the utterances of despair, and whis-
pers about settling the matter and dividing the
Union.
We protest against all such suggestion. We
call on conservative men in all parts of the land
to raise their voices now against every proposal
for peace and disunion. It is the time when
lofty patriotism demands the greatest sacrifices;
when the American heart must be reused to
the nOblest actions. We know that the future
is dark with the leadership which we have, and
must have; but we know that the true, the
only, principle of action now is firm unswerv-
ing support of the Constitution and the consti-
| tutional authorities; and if the people speak
| out in their might today their voice will be
heard, and the war will yet be made to result
| in the overthrow of the rebellion, while the
| peaceful contents of the ballot-boX will result
| in the everlasting demolition of the radicalism
| which has plunged us into this new abyss
Of sorrow. Every energy must now be
strengthened and eXerted. What will you
do if you think of disunion? Do you know
what will become of Missouri, of brave. noble,
faithfully old Kentucky, of Maryland, of Wash
ington itself? If you could do nothing more
than stand on the defensive and hold your lines
from the Atlantic to the Pacific against the
hosts of our enemies for two years, until we
can place stronger Administration in power,
you must do that. But you can do more than
that. 1t is not party war, it is not a radical
war it is not an abolition war, strong as the eff
fees have been, of the radical party. to make it
such. 1t is your country's war; and the peace
to be won mast be Union peace. That and
that alone must be the aim the desire, the VOW
| OF every true man.
| Would to God the radical men who have well
nigh ruined us would stand aside now. or that
the President would awake to the solemn as
pect of the nation and thrust them aside forever.
But if that is not done, let us be patient and
| firm. Resist to the last moment every man
who dares council disunion, and the day will
| yet come when the conservative men of Ameri-
ca will re-establish on its old pedestal the old
Statue of Union.