Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1864-01-28
Msst6arb tbs COURSE Of empire takes its aatap."

dreary winters OF coming time.
Contemplating the condition and al
fairs OF our own State, let rs not b,
unmindful that our common countr,
is still involved in cruel and relent
less war. The god of ambition is We
unappeased, and the demon Of civi
strife is making sad havoc in the land
The great struggle for the integrit,
OF the Union and the preservation @
the National Government, is yet to b.
decided. After trial of nearly eigh
ty years, embracing the most compre
hensive experience, and affording am
pie proofs of its power, utility aud be
neficence, the existence of its unri
vailed Government is committed to 8
bloody conflict between its own citi
zens. .-.
The constitutional right of State
or any number of States, to withdraw
from the Union, is no longer a prac
tical question for discussion. If tha,
right be conceded, the action of the
Federal Government, in compelling
obedience to its laws, is indefensible
and the war, on our part, clearly
wrong. The determination of that
question was preliminary to war, and
to any effort by the Government to re,
duce the seeding States to submis
sion. ...'.. .....,. ..s
In the absence of a constitutions al
right to dismember the Union, by Sc.
cession, the attempt was treason and
insurrection, which the President OF
the United States, under the solemn
obligations of his oath, was as much
bound to suppress, as he would have
been to repel an invasion of our sol
by a foreign enemy. Existing laws
adopted in the early years of the Re
public, clothed him with ample au
thority over the subject, and made
his duty imperative. In promptly
meeting the aggressions of treason,
and placing the Government in a
state of defence against this long pro.
jected, and wicked rebellion, he fulfil
led the just demands of the Nation,
and entitled himself to the lasting
gratitude of mankind.
For nearly three years, this deplo.
rable war, inaugurated 10y the mad
ambition, and treason, of Southern
men, has progressed with its varied
results. Though disasters have some
times overtaken our advancing COL
umns, the triumphs which have crown.
ed their heroic efforts, in the glorious
cause Of the country, have far ont.
weighed all the reverses they have
sustained. We have penetrated the
insurgent country from almost every
point, by land and sea. and rescued
from their grasp the most productive
and populous States of the South. To-
day the ancient Flag of the Union
floats triumphantly over the soil of
every rebel State, and waves from the
battered walls of Sumter, back as far
as the serpent of rebellion can be
traced.
The rebel armies, defeated and de-
moralized, are being rapidly driven
to a common centre their currency
worthless, and their credit gone ;
their pretended jurisdiction reduced
to nearly onc-third of its original lin
its, and surplus population crowded
within them to subsist upon their
meagre harvcsts impending death,
or exile, to the leaders, ruined fortunes
and desolated homes to the unwilling
masscs-this is the end Of treason,
and the doom Of traitors . H..-a
Supported, and elected by the 10y
al and patriotic people of Iowa, in a
contest presenting the grave ques-
tons which here, as elsewhere through
the loyal States, alone pervaded the
public mind and determined the result
of the recent elections, but discharge
a plain duty to them, when l express
the convictions of my own mind, up
on the portentous issues yet to be de-
cided by the valor of our arms. While
entertaining a profound respect for
the opinions of all loyal men, in what
ever locality they may be found. am
aware of no rule requiring Difference
to the opinions of their enemies, or
of any obligation l AM under to con-
suit their views, or wishes, in the dis
charge Of my official duties. s
There is no longer any middle
ground where loyal men can stand,
and find refuge from the stern, and
positive obligations of the hour. The
times are fraught with mighty events,
involving the welfare of the present
and future generations, and impose
the most solemn duties upon every
patriot in the land. 1t is not the
mere domination of political party,
nor territory, nor empire but liberty,
and the eternal principles of natural
justice, born of God and, under Him,
established on this Continent by our
fathers, which are staked upon the is.
sue Of the struggle.
1t needs no words Of mine to show
that the vigorous and successful pres.
ecution Of this war is Il ifs to the Re.
public, while to hesitate for single
hour, upon any pretext whatever, OF
stop short Of the unconditional recog.
uition Of Federal authority by all the
revolted States, would be but hollow
truce, and death to our unity and Ma
tionality.
Great and holy interests are invol.
we'd in the contest. There is no long
er any hope Of their preservation by
the ordinary modes Of adjustment
They are therefore, TO be saved or lost
by the arbitrament Of battle. In the
terrible ordeal through which we are
passing, many old conditions are like
ly to be rejected, and some thing,
which have been, may not be again
but the patriotic heart may find rea
sons for its faith, that all such as ar,
good and substantial will be retained
and consecrated in the new life of tn,
Nation. Let us hope that enemies il
the disguise of friends, will neve
again occupy the high places of pow
er \; that the peoples Treasury will
not again be robbed by official hands
their arIus, their arsenals and fortiii
cations turned against their own Gov
ernment that the blighting curse. q
1 Human Slavery will no longer receiv,