The Morgantown monitor. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1863-1864, 1863-06-20
A Genuine Republican-His Views Of
The War--He will not Consent to the
Restoration of the Union unless Slav-
neSfrovpd

cry is Destroyed.
To tie Editor of the n. 7. Tribune:
SIR The recent avowal of Mr..
Gerrit Smith that he is in favor of a
restoration of the Union, even if such
restoration should involve new power
to slavery, is slight Indication of
that counter-revolutsou in public
sentiment on this subject which the
war is calculated to effect, and which
political leaders seem determined
through it to bring about.
The only period in which there
was a ghost of q chance Of giving
this war an anti-slave7y result was
the first two years Of it's existence.
If it had been taken hold of at the
outset as an instrument of revolution
to dissolve tie Union and constitute
tie North the nation-- thus liberatlng
the Government from all constltu-
tional obligations to shareholders,
aud then been rushed through with
skill and energy, under wise Minis
ters aud competent Generals, in
manner to give full effect to the pow
er of the North, Slavery would have
been swept out Of existence, and the
seeded States conquered to the
authority Of the Union, and held as
subject provinces.
But this was not done. On the
contrary, the war was employed as
a means to prevent revolution and to
maintain the Union. The object
was to force upon the slaveholders
the rights guaranteed to them by the
Constitution they dscdraed. For
nearly two years the most jealous
regard was paid to these "rights, .
ana military operations, conducted
: in a manner to inducs the Southern
people to return voluntarily to their
Federal allegiance. Inconsequence Of
this policy, the golden opportunity
slipped away-the South became u
settled and determined Power-the
North lost the prestige of victory,
and it's morale was broken.
Thus the war became a failure and
utterly ceased to bear upon the ques-
tion Of the subjugation Of the Sonth
in any manner whatsoever and now
whatever may be said to the contrary
there are few reflective minds which
have not come to the conclusion that
the independence of the South is an
established fact, whether recognized
or not.
! The war for the future, therefore,
! becomes simply an instrument in the
hands Of political managers to effect
results favorable to their own person
al ends, and unfavorable to the cause
of freedom.
What matters it that few regl-
ments of negroes, more or less under
white officers, are sent into the field?
What matters it that the Presidents
edict Of Emancipation is printed in
Little &. Brow's edition Of the L. S.
Statutes at Large? Is Richmond
ours, or even Vicksburgh? Does not
the Confederacy still stand firm and
defiant, and does it not promise to
stand SO in the future ?-And above
all, is not the Presidential election
approaching?
! 1t is now assumed that the Unio2
is an object paramount over all other
considerations, and we are told that
it must never be relinquished. We
are asked to adhere to the war, net
because tgives us successful achieve
ments in the field, but for the reason
simply that otherwise we give up
the Union. We are told also that
the institution of Slavery, like all
other institutions, (vide New York,
Times of to-day, } is Of minor impor-
tance, one way or the other, compar-
ed with the Union: that t must give