The Portland daily press., 1864-12-20
The Civil War in America

To the Editor Of she London Inquirer:
SIR-Some Of your correspondents show a
strange forgettulness of the origin OF the
struggle winch the American Republic is now
maintaining tor its very life. They speak OF
IL as though it had been wantOnly begun, and
were nov aggressively carried ON by the ma
tional Government, forgetting that the very
reyerse is the truth, and that the Government
Is only fighting in self defence against the
most causeless and wicked attack ever made
upon a nation by selfish and disafected mi
nori.y OF its people. causeiess attack, be-
cause of no constitutional rights We're the reb-
el party deprived, of no real grievance could
they complain; aud wicked attack, because
their i4ncied grievance was that the majority
Of the people had constitutionally shown, by
the election of Mr.. LINCOLN, a determination
not to let slavery be planted in the unorgan-
ized Territories of the West.
1t was not proposed to abolish slavery
where il was already established. Ardently
rs many of the Republican party wished such
a consummation, it was what they had no
power TO effect Slavery, where existent, was
a State institution, and could be dealt with
only by the State Legislatures. The national
President and Congress had no jurisdiction in
the matter. But the vast Territories, com
prising nearly million and halt OF square
miles, and as yet but little occupied, were the
DrOp6TUY Ol buO udLlOu, hH 0uNAs 0ho NAAOSutJ
under its control; and by its choice Of Mr..
Lincoln, the nation said-sThough we cannot
decree the abolition of slavery where it is now
established, we will prevent the accursed sys-
tenn from extending into any new States here
after to be formed. The territories are ours,
and they shall be forever consecrated to free
dom. Upon no part of their soil shall the
trail of slavery be drawn. Not single slave
State shall be Incorporated into the Union"
Sha eloua ooninn In this
only the reduction of the disproportionate
power they had previously welded over the
majority of the nation, but the ultimate ex-
tinction of slavery itself, which would in time
wirher and die if shut up to the operation Of
its own essentially evil elements, and not al
lowed Fictitious vitality by spreading out on
new soils, determined to lay fratricidal hands
on the national fabric, and bring it down in
Tuins. - Hta
Could the nation be expected to submit to
thisP Mr.. Lincoln had declared In his ina.l-
gural address There shall be no bloDdshed or
violence unless it is forced upon the national
authortty;" and so great was tbs t0rbearance
shown by his administration, that some OF our
papers made merry on the subject, and spoke
contemporary Of his government, because it
did not at Once rush into; conflict with the dis
affected. But when the rebellion had begun
the President and Congress- should quietly
stand by and see the nation destroyed p
Would Queen, Lords and Commons do this in
similar circumstances in Englaudp Nav aid
Eagland do it in the case of the Raneaiers in
Ireland? Did she do it when India rehellad
Would any Government on the face Of the
earth do it? No doubt we may Imagine a
more excellent way than that of meetin q
force by force, but the American Government
never, any more than our own, professed to be
guided by the principles OF peace and non re
sistance; and to apply such principles, in judg
ing of its present course, 1t neither reasonable
nor Just.
There are persons who persist 10 denying
thai slavery has anything to do with the strug
gle. But the leaders of the rebellion tell Vi
otherwise. On this point they have been out
spoken and honest, and have left their friend
in this country no excuse for their blindness
In the secession ordinance of South Carolina,
published to the world in justification of it,
seeking to rend the nation Oh which it formed
a part, tits saId: "A geographical line ba
been drawn across the Union, and all tbs
states north of that line have united In tn,
election of man to the high Office Of Presi
dent of the United States whose opinions and
purposes are hostile 10 slavery. He Is TO b.
uarl sr