Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-08-05
The Policy of The War.

We all remember Mr. Lincoln's letter
in which he stated, essentially, that the
question of slavery was considered en-
tirely subordinate and subsidiary TO the
question of the Union. If th Union
could be saved by saving slavery, then
he would save slavery. IF il could be
saved by destroying slavery, then slave
ry should be destroyed IN the largest
and widest sense, we do not regard his
late letter, brought I by the bogus
peace negotiations at Niagara, to be at
all antagonistic with this declaration
In this he declared that be would enter
upon negotiation for peace which con-
templated restoration Of the complete
Union, and the destruction Of slavery
This on its face seems TO widen the pol
icy and objects of the war, but, in real
ity, it only shows that the president has
settled upon the conviction that the I'm
ion is only to be saved by the desruc-
ton of slavery, and that he means TO
destroy it in order to accomplish h e
original purpose of the war. This con-
viction of the president is widely shared
by the people Of the country, and,
though demagogsm will pervert ii, the
conviction must be maintained and prac-
tically enforced.
Any settlement Of b questions at
issue between the government and the
leaders of the rebellion which does not
cover the abolition Of slavery will be, in
the nature Of the case, only a temporaN
ry compromise of the slavery question.
1t has been the sole important bone OF
contention between the two sections for
years. Ii is on h j s question that all
4 differences of opinion and policy and in
terest have been based. Without it, the
rebellion would never have taken place.
With slavery left untouched, the Union
will never be more than a rope of sand.
A Union restored with slavery intact, is
a Union restored with ruffianism in the
halls Of Congress, free speech denied in
the District of Columbia, freedom Of ac-
ton a opinion interdicted wherever
slavery exists, the old element of discord
revivilied and triumphant, and the old,
shameful order of things re-establiShed.
1t is Union restored with premium Of
fered TO every northern party to COM
pound with villainy for the sake of pow '
err. 1t is Union restored W b all the l
animosities which ever grew out of the "
slavery question intensified a thousand e
times by what it has cost of fraternal q
blood, Of prosperity sacrificed, of treasure e
expended, Of disgrace and debt entailed. ;
1t is Union restored which would bring |
down upon US the distrust and contempt /
of the nations. P
SIS it peace or war Better war, loud war, by
land and sea o
War with thousand battles, and shaking a
hundred thrones"
The truth is that peace is impossible
without the destruction of slavery and
for once we thank God that humanity '
and Christianity join Il cir claims plainly {
with the selfish interests of the American q
people. The people of the South have
taken pains to demonstrate to US that we
cannot live in peace with slavery that it
is an element of discord so powerful as
to be irreconcileable with the national
safety. They e shown us by all
possible means that its entire spirit is
hostile to republican institutions. They
have brow-bea:en our representatives. in
Congress, have corrupted our legislation,
have fought free labor in our virgin ter
ritories, have destroyed the rights of free
speech wherever they have had the pow
err, have imprisoned cur free seamen and
driven those away who went to defend
them, have drowned the nation in blood
all on behalf Of slavery. What more
could they do to show us is Internal
spirit and its utter hostility to peace If
the past teaches US anything,-and if it
does not, it is not its fault, but our own,
it teaches US that there is no such thing
as peace with slavery, d never has
been.
We shall find in this case, as in so
many others, that the most direct way
out of difficulties is through them. The
moment we turn aside, or try to flank
them, we find them in our rear, with
tenfold power for mischief; and we may
as well make up our minds to this policy
and stand by it, We are told by New
York paper that did not survive the state
ment-rather suggestive iact-that "if
the opposition go before the people with
the promise of an honorable settlement of
the war, and partial or complete resto-
ration of the Union in the event Of its
success at the polls, { h ere can be no |