The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1863-01-28
Where are We---And Where Drifting?

From the Albany Republican, Journal, Jan. IL.
In 1860, when only distant mutterings
of rebellion were heard, we were among
the few who recognized, in those events,
the certainty of war, and who in meas
ure, comprehended both its magnitude
and its horrors. 1t is always an offense,
in an individual, to foresee evils, and es-
pecially so to attempt TO avert, or even be
prepared for them. For an article then
written, asking the President, Congress,
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
friendly censure of most of the republi-
can journals.
Subsequently, when rebellion was ram
pant in the extreme Southern States, a
question whether North Carolina and
Tennessee should remain 10 the Union or
90 out of il, arose. We all remember
the " border State proposition" upon the
adoption of which, by Congress, rebell-
ion, from the Mississippi to the Atlantic,
would have been bounded by the southern
line of Tennessee and North Carolina.
With modification which the border
State representatives offered to accept, we
advocated that "compromisc." And Cor
this, also, we we're severely denounced.
In the Peace Congress" where the
Legislature honored us with seat which
we resigned in favor Of distinguished
citizen, the border State proposition "
was again rejected, and, consequently,
two States, majority of citizens yearned
to remain in the Union, were lost. With
North Carolina and Tennessee in the Un-
ion, Virginia would not have gone out Of
it. We should, therefore, instead of sac.
rficing hundreds of millions of treasure
in North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee,
and Kentucky, have reserved those troops
and that treasure to crush out rebellion
in the cotton States.
This rebellion-as wanton and wicked
as any that stains the pages of history
thus embracing more States than was
necessary, has been nearly two years in
progress, with what measure and with
what promise of termination we can
Judge, one rs well rs another. Its les
sons teach us that il requires all the
strength Of n united North to preserve
the Union and uphold the government.
We had, at the commencement of the
war, a united North. The elimination
of treason, in its attack on Fort Sumpter
kinded blaze of indignant patriotism
over the whole North, East, and West.
All merely partisan feeling was merged
in higher and nobler impulses. All good
aud true men, in imitation of their ances-
tors at Concord and Lexington, in l776,
rushed TO arms or contributed money.
Then we were, in the language of Mr..
Jefferson, "all republicans-all federal
ists," or in other language, "all republi-
cans-all democrats" For the first year
the war had, with few exceptions, the
hearty support of both and all political
parties. IL was prosecuted earnestly,
but with Indifferent success--with more
heart than head-more zeal than knowl-
edge. We had gallant troops command
ed by incapable Generals, made so prob
ably by newspaper and other interference.
AT any rate the illsuccess of our armies
caused popular impatience, of which those
whose ultra anti-slavery views enabled
the secession leaders to mass the senti.
ment of the cotton States, ayailed them.
selves to impart an abolition character tc
the war.
The evidence before us-in the rivers
Of blood shed and the millions of treas.