Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-07-21
THE REBELLION.

THE REBELLION.
War, even when conducted according
70 the most civilized usages and principles,
is accompanied by bat too many scenes
and incidents which revolt and shock hui
man instinct aud sensibility, and horrify
human reason. Although war seems to
be an inevitable means Of arbitrament in
the affairs of nations, it is but too FIRE.
gucntly the consequence Of individual.
passion Or prejudice resulting from mo-
tivss debasing to Christian civilization.
AZ an abstract principle, we are opposed
to war in any of its phases, as an ira
tional and brutal exhibition of the want
Of reason. which after blood letting has
at last to resort to reason and be settled
by the tribunal Of negotiation The war
now devastating our country can perhaps
plead less cause of justification for its Or
igin than any other recorded in the his
tory of modern and Christian nations.
1t has in 4 very great degree resulted
from the struggles of wcpolitical parties
contending through 4 series of years for
party ascendancy, the possession of pow
er, and the acquisition of the spoils of
Office. The contest for principles had
long before passed, and the principles
settled by the repeated apparent verdict
of the people, and was only struggle
for spoils. A disappointed and discon-
tented section of the dominant party see
ing the devotion of the majority of that
party to power and spoils, as well as to 4
name hateful to that section, rcpugnant
to their feelings, their education, and
their practices, but believing in the pop
ularity of the name, identified themselves
WITH that party, and for term after term
dictated the policy of that party until at
last they had secured in their hands and
tho hands Of their tools the purse of the
purse of the nation, and dictated policy
in the National Legislation revolving to
Tho reason of the honest masses of the
people of all parties. 1t was becoming
apparent that the dictation was too CALLING
and would not much longer be borne by
the people, who were arousing themselves
TO the necessity of divesting themselves
therefrom. Section was being arrayed
against section; the heart was being fired
and the mind intlaned for the domination
Of true aristocracy over trme democracy
The masses OF the people broke to great
degree the shackles Of party and proved
true to principles. The Charleston and
Baltimore Conventions terminated, as
wss intended by the oligarchs, in the dis
ruption of the heretofore Democratic party
in the hope that enough of division might
exist in both parties North to secure the
election of their special candidate; the
power of the West, however, decided un-
favorably for them. They then seized
the other horn of the dilemma, and through
the treachery of James Buchanan and
his Cabinet, depleted the National Treas
ury,s appropriated to the South nearly all
the munitions Of war in the possession of
the Government, and had its small navy
scattered over the other three quarters of
the Globe. Having accomplished this
work Mr.. Lincoln came into power, and
they went out only to complete their plans
Of going out of the Union. having, as
they supposed, sufficiently " fred the
Southern heart and inAamed the Southern
mind" Six weeks after Mr.. Lncoln's
Inauguration they commenced the war BY
assaulting Fort Sumter.
Such, in short, is the history of the
origin of the rebellion in which we are
now involved. 1t has progressed with
. ficrceness and formidableness, with an
obstinacy, a magnitude and expenditure
Of blood aud treasure unparalleled in the
history of the world and yet we have
here in our midst, under our very noses,
men SO strongly welded to old party
names that they have stepped their souls
(if they have such thing) as deep into
fha mire of treason as Benedict Arnold,
and With much less excuse or provocation.
Nay, more, as if they had not sounded
the depths Of degradation and infamy,
z0hen their homes and fresides and those
= their neighbors and friends are threat
ed with plumber and the desolation Of
Is torch, nay, when the lives of those
tho have sustained and cherished them
be also placed at the hazard some of
kese sneaktng. snirelling reptiles. have
S impudence to worm their shiny way
nong The loyal, and insinuate into their
7.rs Inducements the most unbecoming
xeinst arming themselves against the
xened attack. And yet these vile,
6temptible creatures are not only toler-
q aud protected, but they are noticed.
- Ifzgsed, associated with, and set them
- up az the upper teadem, the rure