The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-12-21
COERCION.


Carolina, in December 1850, the Federal
Government began to take steps towards
coercive measures. Ft. Sumpter was
strengthened, and Maj. ANDERSON with
drew from Fit. Moultrie into it. The
Star of the West attempted to enter
Charleston harbor, bearing the Stars and
Stripes, but was driven back by shot and
shell from the defensive forts. Fire was
opened npon Sumrter, and then was com
menced civil war then did the evil
caused By thirty years, agitation of the
slavery question, like the sleeping earth
quake at last burst forth and begin to pour
out its terrible furies of war, desolation
and blood ; then did the sun of peace
that had SO long shown with splendor up
on the political history of our country,
hide its face amid the dark clouds of re-
bellion and coercion ; then did our pros
perity and happiness disappear to give
! place to the gathering tempest of desola-
ton and misery. The coercive policy
was strongly advocated and urged upon
an excited people,. The cry of "coerce
them" was raised in every village. The
people, at the call of the President flew
to arms, and in a few months civil war
with all its destructive plaques was pour
ing out lis most dreadful walls of wrath
upon the peaceful homes Of American
citizens ,'and those citizens were shedding
their best blood.
But above the howl Of the gathering
storm, and louder than the battle din
could be heard the warning voice of our
wise, patriotic statesmen urging compro
mise instead of coercion. They marked
out the evils that must come in the shape
of bankruptcy, desolation, mourning and
sorrow. They pointed then to the nations
that before had lived and p~Iospered, bat
at last persisted by internal warfare, and
urged if the coercive policy was PERSISTED
in, such must be the fate of our country
also. They expostulated the people, they
entreated the authorities, they plead for
compromise and they prayed for peace,
but they were only heard to be denounced,
and their sayings were spurnedi as false
ones. But however untrue they may
have been considered in 1860 and 1861
they burn brightly as facts upon the re-
cord of 1864. Although they were then
viewed as false, they are now in the light
of history seen as undeniabie truths.
For four years. has this policy been
pursued, and what has been accomplished
byit? Four years ago South Carolina
stood alone. Virginia, that great and
powerful State was then two thirds in ia
vor of Union, but to day she stands one
of the strongest pillars and n of the
most uufinching supporters of the Con-
federacy. Then North Carolina remained
true to the Federal Government, but now
she sends her representatives to the Con-
federate capital, and Tennessee, Mississip-
pi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and other
States have followed her examples
Georgia, Notwithstanding all the terrible
battles that have been fought, and all the
blood that has been poured cut upon her
soil, with the exception of scomparative-
ly small portion occupied by Sherman
scar the coast, remains entirely in the
hands Of the ~Confederates. Then they
we're. unprerared to meet an army, but
now we find them with a large, well armed
and well disciplined army, lead by able
and experienced generals. They are de-
termined in their purpose, they are de-
Tending their homes and their fresides.
Hundreds of thousands have lost their
lives in defence of this coercive policy,
and still three Kindred thousand more
are now called to begin the fifth year of
this murderous crusade. The South may
be laid waste, her towns, sacked and her
cities burned but the American people
can neuer be coercea.