Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-12-05
RIST0RATl0N OF TnE AnRRl.
CAN UNION.


IL 10 natural to ask once more what is
the object of 80 tremendous and ex-
hausting . contest. The answer 10
given in single word, "Union," and
we may, perbaps, consider that this re-
ply does really express the predominant
feeling Of the northern people. No
doubt many minor motives are included
and many interests are at work more or
les. perceptibly under cover Of this uni.
versal cry, but in the main an instructive |
craving for the old "American Union"
is probably the ruling passion. We
think that passion natural, but we cam
not regard it as reasonably INDUCED. To
impartial observers it appears that what
ever might have been the character of
the Union, it became political lmpossi-
bility when oue third of its citizens de-
iberatcly refused to continue in it any
longer. That resolution might have
been most destructive and suicidal, but
it could not, to any good purpose, be
overruled. Even if the Unionists coald
crush the seceders, which seems utterly
impossible, the result, as we are assured
BY General Butler himself, would not
bring the Union back again, nor can
even the most complete success on the
part OF the North leave America any
thing but divided and distracted coun-
try.
The Americans OF the old Union
werc bent upon escaping the common
political lot Of mankind. They we're
not in realty quite such people as they
imagined themselves, but their growth
had been 50 prodigiously rapid, and
promised to be so continuous that they
may be almost excused for setting no
bounds TO their .'destinies." They COZ
celvcd, therefore, the idea Of a nation
not only incompar1bly greater, but
ever known. From this ideal
State they banished all the drags
and drawbacks patiently endured
by European States. The world in
which they Iived-that is, the New
World-was to be absolutely their own,
10 undivided and indivsible integrity.
Though they might number hundred
millions of men, these were ell to form
one people under one President, with
one common country. The great Amer
lean continent was to have but one
State, and to be thus exempted from all
the obligations OF political equilibrium,
and all wars, except wars cheerfulIy ac-
cepted for the sake Of conquest or su-
premacy. They were to be not such as
we are in this ssrotten'' Old World and
their happy exemption from the COM
mon burdens of national life would re-
lieve them from debt, taxes, standing
armies, and all those innumerable ad-
instments and sacrifices which the States
of Europe are fain to make for the sake
of peace and qnietncss. That was the
idea Of the Americans. 1t required
whole world for its fulflIment, bat they
were bent on satisfying the condition.
They talked unreservedy of the time
when all the other States Of America
would gravitate to their own mass and
become absorbed in it like comets in the
sun, and in the meantime they elevated
to the dignity Of an indefeasiDle doc
trine" a declaration that no European
power should venture to acquire on the
American continent a particle of power,
privilege, or authority beyond its actual
possessions.
This is the idea which the secession of
the South SO rudely demolished. We
admit that it was an idea worth fighting
for, if fighting could save it, but that re-
suit was impossible, and if the states
men of the North could have looked dis
passionately into the future they must
have seen that civil war would ,nfal-
libby destroy those very things which it
was designed to preserve from destruc-
ton. The founders of the Republic
ioresaw as much, and many persons in
America discern as much now. 1t may
be remarked indeed, that scarcely any
public man, however confidently be
may regard the war pretsuds to speak
of the Union as q thing which, in It's
old shape, will ever be seen again. They
expect to see the South subdued, and
the American nation left without rival.
but nation will not be the nation Of for
mer days. Whatever may bethe rawlings Of
it is impossible that any good fanatics
citizen can either desire or anticipate the
actual determination of nine millions
of people. The South, even If it could
be subdued, would always be rep esenNed
by hostile and vindlctivc population,
and the North would simply become
Rcssia with Poland.
Such a war as this has been, and it is
likely to be, must necessarily leave
memories behind it as Incompatible with
national unity as territorial partitions !;
nor is there any force in the argument OF
the | nionisis that the suppression Of
this rebellion will prevent any secession
in future. On the contrary, this war
has already brought out aud disclosed
the strongest incompa,iblities between
the various States OF the Union, and set
each group meditating secessoa in its
turn. There was a moment when the
Northwestern States were actually ex.
pccted to separate their fortunes from
the States of the Northeast, and the d.
vergence Of their respective interests
has been clearly recognized. Yet, if the
northwestern, as well as the Southern
States, declared for separption, where
would have been the power to put a
fo.ce upon their will! II two confed-
oracies Instead Of one had been formed
in the body Of the old Union, how cou Id
the remaining faction have evaded the.
issue . Does anything at this moment
! hA &c