Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-07-23


band of bloated aristecracy, must rise up
and lead us at lasts l cannot believe that
such is to be the verdict of the people.
cannot believe that this government is now to
be broken up and destroyed, while single
strong arm is left that can be raised in its
defense. The struggle is now going on that
is to determine finally and forever, what the
Judgment Of the country will be upon these
questions, and by that judgment, once record
ed, ourselves and posterity must abide. There
is but one way in which they can be detcrm-
ined consistently with the triumph of those
principles which we all desire to see perpetu-
al, and that is by firm, determined, fisor-
Gus and united support of the government IN
the prosecution of the war. No government
whose life was imperlled, ever met with a
more generous and patriotic response, than was
the one which greeted the call of the Presi-
dent for volunteers, upon the breaking out of
the rebellion. To the undyiug honor of the
country, be it said, that Men by the thousand,
and by the hundred thousand, and without
distinction of party, offered their services, to
fight under the old starry flag. The report of
the first gun upon Fort Sumter, awakened the
Nation as by an earthquake, from the false
feeling of security that pcrvaded the public
mind, to a knowledge that the threat of dis
union, which had so long and Familiarity greet
ed the ear, was about to be put into execution,
or its authors to fail in the attempt Then,
for the first time, it was aseertaineG that the
rebellion was in earnest, and must triumph or
be subdued by force of arms. The new atf-
ministration had but just taken the reins,
while the master spirits of the preceding one,
were leading the revolt The army of the
country at best but weak, had been purposly
scattered to the winds, and many of its Off
GERS, educated by the government and nur-
tured at IT'S breast. were in arms against it
Traitors infested the various departments, and
treason stalked, with bloody hands, unpublished
and unrebuked in the streets of the Capital Of
the Nation. The President called for troops,
and more offered than the War Depart
ment could feed and clothe. But time and
means were necessary to arm, equip and disci-
pline an army of men, and no means was pro-
vided, while the government was already bur-
dened with an enormous public debt Delays
necessarily made, strengthened the rebellion,
while the people, enthusiastic and inpatient
controlled, through public opinion, the armies
in the fell. The public Glamour precipitated
the first important blow, which ended in dis
aster and defeat, and apprize! the country of
the power extent, and organization of the en-
emy with which it was engaged. Then for the
first time the truth became apparent, which
has since been abundantlv demonstrated, that
the revolution was as powerful and determined
as it was wicked and unprovoked. Long years
had been consumed in maturing it, and long
months, if not years would be reqired to con-
quer and subdue it, But the cofdence of the
people abated not. Men and means have been
furnished without number or estimate-all
and more than we believed could be used
and yet the rebellion is not subdued and more
are required. Let them be furnished No
man doubts the integrity of the President,
or hi desire for peace as soon as it can be
had, upon such terms as honor demands and
while the opinion may be correct, that the
war might have been more vigorously prose
cuted, and the rebellion conquered before
this-while it may be tue that prominent
Generals in the army, and prominent civilians
holding influential positions, near the Presi-
dent, have been rccreant to their trusts, and
in sympathy with the reyolt-while it may be
that grand Presidential game has been play
ing at the expense of the country, and the
prolongation Of the war, yet, if SO, nothing
is more certain than that all political parties
have had their champions in the game, and
that all that are guilty, will, when the truth
shall be known, go down to infamy together.
The man Who in time of peril to his country
like the present, would deliberately sacrifice
a single life, or unnecessarily prolong the war
single day, is too base and unworthy to
share the society of men. And equally Grim
inal and degraded is he who would precipi-
tate peace upon any other terms than the
unconditional restoration Of the Federal au-
thority, over every square inch Of our domin-
ions, and the speedy, thorough and effectual
punishment of every recognized leader of the
revelt But, the President, whose facilities
for Judging are better than ours, aud in whom
we all have confidence, relies in the integri-
ty, ability and patriotism Of his civil and mil
itary advisers, or he would, ere this have
banisbed them from his councils We must
remember, too that we were all mistaken as
to the extent und power of the rebellion
1t proved no idle holiday task to subdue it.
This war is the natural and necessary pen
atty of long series of national transgress-
ions, and no permanent peace can be estab-
hshed until It's causes are removed 1t is idle,
as it would be unmanly to conclude rotten
and hollow peace, leaving the cancer still
gnawing at the vitals Of the government, and
sapping its foundations. Other revolutions
would follow, for future generations to COM
bat, and upon US would rest the responsible
ity should the government prove too weak for
the emergency. The rebellion NAV be de-
teated, but 1T can never be crushed, until those
causes which impelled it are uprooted and de-
stroycd We may as well meet the question
squarely now, as to wait for the q inexorable
logic of events" to force it upon us. The
time has arrived when the question is to be
settled, whether aristocracy or democracy
must rule-whether free labor and free men
are to lead the way, or whether under the
unbridled reign of modern conservatism, ~
the rich are to ensiave the souls, as well as
own all that is mortal of the humble and the
poor. 1t we desire, then, that the right shall
be triumphant, if we would rear up here no
favored classes, to usurp and monopolize those
privileges that under our form of government.
are the eommoa inheritance of al-if we
would preserve and transmit unimpaired to fl-
ture generations a government worthy of
their support-the champion of the moral and
political elevation of mankind-we should
stand by the government in this struggle with
its foes. 1t is no time to hesitate or to dis
tinguish between the government and the ad-
ministration. When dealing with traitors
there is no distinction between them. The
present administration may have erred-it
would be strange, indeed if it had not, for no
other has ever been surrounded with as many
grave trials and responsibilities, since the
birth of the Republic, and all have erred
but this one is in charge of the ship, angry
billows are beating against it, and we are all
on board. We cannot djsplace it if we would
until the arrival of the time DESIGNATED by
law, and he is no friend to his country who
talks about attempting it before. Nor is this
any time for those who never read the FEEDER
al Constitution, in time of peace. to search
that instrument, with the hope of finding some
provision that may seem to justify opnositior
to the present war policy, and thus embarras: