Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1863-01-17

national Union, the sectional prejudiccs
and passions were active in destroying
fraterual affections and generous love Of
our country. While we boasted most of
our intelligence, there were those persist
emily and laboriously engaged, through
the press and in legislative halls, in teach.
ing the people of the North and South to
undervalue and despise each other. Hos
tile legislation and the division of our
churches impaired religions and social in
tercourse. If the North and the South
had understood the power and purposes of
each other, our contentious would have
been adjusted. This misrepresentation so
bloody aud terrible in its effects, was sys.
tematcaIly aud laboriousIy incucated.
CAUSES OF TIE WAR.
Affrightcd at the ruin they have wrought
! the authors of our calamitics at the North
and South insist that this war was caused
by an unavoidable contest about slavery
This has been the subject, not The cause of
controversy We are to look for the eau
ses of this war in perSadng disregard Of
the obligations of laws and constitutions,
in disrespect for constituted authorities;
and, above all, in the local prcjudices
which have grown up in two portions Of
the Atlantic States the two extremes of our
country, whose remote positions have made
them less well informed and whose inter
erts have made them less considcrate, with
regard to the condition aud character of
our whole people, than those living in the
great central and western sections OF our
Union. There is no honest statement Of
our difficulties which does not teach that
our people must reform themselves, as well
as the conduct of the government and the
policy of our rulers. There is not cal
amity we are suffering which was not
clearly forto!d by our fathers, as he result
Of the passions and local prcjudiccs which
have grown up during the past fifteen
years.
1t is not too late 10 save our country if
we will enter upon the sacred duty in the
right spirit and in the right way. When
we do so, the effect will be seen and felt
throughout our land aud by the civilized
world. We shall then strengthen our gov.
erement; we shall waaken the rebellion {;
we shall unite our people; and the world
will recognize our capacity for solf-gov
ernment when we show that we are capa
Bile of self-reform.
RESPECT FOR LAWS AND RULERS.
In the fr,t place we mast emulate the
conduct of our fathers, and show obedience
to constituted authorities, and respect for
legal and constitutional obligations "Iho
very idea Of the power and right Of the
the people to establish government pre-
supposeS the duty of every individual to
obey the established government Yet a
spirit of disobedicnce has sapped the foun
datious Of municipal, state, aud national
authority in every part of our land. 1t
is not only tie underlying and prevailing
cause OF the war; it is also the immediate
occasion Of our calamiiics.
When the leaders oil the insurrecticn at
the extreme South say that free and slave
states cannot exist together i'll the Union
and when this is echoed from the extreme
North by the enemies of our Constitution
both parties simply say they cannot, be-
cause they will not, respect the laws and
the Constitution. This spirit of disloyalty
must be put down. 1t is inconsistent with
/
safety of persons and property.
In order TO uphold our government it is
also necessary that We should show respect
to the authority of our rulers. While
acting within the limis of their jurisdic-
tions, and repre-, cntIng the Interests, the
honor, and the dignity Of our people, they
are entitled tq delercnce. Where it is
their right to decide upon measures and
policy, it IS our duty to obey and to give a
ready support to their decisions his is
a vital maxim of liberty. Without this
loyalty no government can conduct public
affairs with success, no people can be safe
in the enjoyment of their rigths. This
duty is peculiarly strong under our system
which gives the people the right at their
elections to sit in judgment upon their
rulers, to commend or condemn, them, to
keep them in or cxpel them from official
stations.
This war should have been ayerted bu'
when its flood gates were opened, the ad-
ministraton could not grasp its dimensions
not control its sweep. Government was
borne along by the current, and struggl led
as it best {, ud with the re,istless tide
Few seemed able to comprehend its mill
tary or financial problems Hence we arc
not to sit in harsh Judgment upon errors
in conduct or policy.
But while we concede all these excuses
for mistakes, we are not to adopt errors
nor sanction violations of principle. The
same causes which extenuatc their faults IN
Judgment must make us more vigilant to
guard against their influences Unusual
dangers demanded unusual vigilance.
ECONOMY AND INTEGRITY.
Economy and integrity in the admins
tration of affairs are essential at all times
they are vital in periods of war. If the
power of the people to sustain the expen-
ses of war is broken down,it is vain that we
have sent our citizens into the field, and
that they have shed their blood in unsup-
ported efforts to save our country
TLa onnortunifiaS which n state of war