The mountain Democrat., 1863-09-26
Cause of the War.

Union- D. .mOcrat, two classes of Abolition
lists upon whom arguments would be
wasted: First, the GarrisOnians, and sc
cond, the shoddyites. The former are in
sane, and the latter dishonest There is
another class that insist that slavery ia
the cause Of this war, and that, therefore,
slavery must be ex,irpated.
Slavery is the cause Of the war in the
same sense that money is the cause Of
robbery. When Mcfarland was robbed
Of 10000 in Washington the other day,
be should have been punished for having
the money, and not McCArer for taking
il In no other sense is slavery RESPONSE.
bic for the war. II is emincntly a con-
servative institution. Ii has been content
with the precise status accorded to it by
ahS constitution and laws; it has never
asked anything more, and has often sub
mitted to ltSS. This is the hi>torIcn,
truth; and all the stuff that has been ut.
tered or printed in regard to its ''aGgreSs,
ions" has been invented and Used for po.
litical effect, by insane or dishonest men.
We make this distinct proposition. based
npon careful observation aud reflection:
That, If there had been no Abolition agi-
Gation in the Nnrth, slavery would never
have been thought Of as an element o.
danger TO the Union or any body i'll it,
The planters are necessarily conservative;
all their interests demand peace, uniform.
ity and stabilitv. 7 cir relations To the
blacks impose upon them great re>pousi
bulli,s, which they would not care to h"Ii
one moment longer than they rca ized
compensatory potit>. Having no po,iti
cal motives TO sustain slavery, they WouII
gladly see it recede aS it became |, - re-
munerative and that slavery exists to
day in six or Sc en- slave States, or that it
became political question at all, is due
tn the fact that men have tinkerrd with it
who were not at all Interested in it,
Slavery, then, is not the cause Of the war,
but AbOlilionism is; and il this can be
exterminated. the war may lie ended aud
the Union restored in month. To de-
GtrOy this requires no blood and M mo-
ney, but simply adherence t" the Con>ti-
tuition. as 4 guide Of "ur political action.
A little juiiciU0s voting will d" it; viii e
We may vote an fight till the end Of time,
with the destruction Of slavery in view,
and Gail at last.
A little reflection will make this clear.
Slavery cannot be destroy ed u.til the
constitution is destroyed, for it exists by
virtue Of the constitution. Destroy the
constitution then, do you say! 1t cant
be done. The fighting mcn Of the North
have sworn that it shall not be done. Let
the administration make an open move.
ment in that direction, and the people will
not wait for the slow process of voting il
out Of power, il quicker mode presents
'NcS"' We aIC HUI uiSlhhcH. 1ne aU'
ministratiOn IL slOwly-it thinks covertly
-apprOximating u deSpotiSm. But il is
watched aud understood. Its last steps
involve violence and an appreciaLIe in.
fringement Of the constitutional rights oil
the people. II it dares toe barrass the
rights Of voting, it will encounter power
1t seems to know not OF.
Democrats believe that AbolitioniSm,
not slavery, is the cause Of this ruinous
and desolat ns war. They feel that such
sacrifices as no people ever made before
arc wrung from Us by Charles Summer
and men like him, for an infamous pur.
pose; and they now expect to see that
purpose declared to be the destruction OF
slavery by the destruction of the constitu.
tiOn. They will not submit to it; lst,
because military power shall not make
and unmake constitutions in this country
and I'd, because the business and human
itarIaO interests Of the people, North and
South, slaves not excepted, forbid the
@edltated act 1t is unnecessary to dis.
'eOSs this matter at length. When histo.
~ Demands reasons, they will be found
IN plenty; but the fact is all the admin
lstrAt'OO need to know at present, that
'nls Government shall not be destroyed to
'oOIige Wendell Phillips and Charles
Sumner.