Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-10-13
POLITICS AND PATRIOTISM

else to enlist their sympathies and to alb.
sorb their attention, If not of more i'm.
portanee certainly of more immediate
interest, that it is difficult to become en-
thusiastic in what cannot be determined
for months to come. a The war is the great
subject of thought; and only what relates
directly to it can stir the public heart.
There is both good and evil IN thus. II
is well that the public mind Is alive TO
what so Immediately concerns the LIE OF
the Republic, but it is not so well that
public attention should be wholly directed
from the discussion of the principles in
voIxed in the war and the character Of the
mon 70 whom are to be confded the task
of carrying out those principles.
There are radical differences of opinion
among the people as to what should con-
stitute the basis of peace. There are those
"whose god is their belly" who are as
Indifferent to the terms of peace as if the
war was in China-their only single
thought being their personal interests and
convenience. All such will instinctively
crowd into the ranks of the Peace Democ-
racy.. There are others who would prefer
peace upon the basis of reconstruction,
but who are in such close sympathy with
the rebels that any peace which they pre-
fer will be approved. These are the Peace
Democrats, par excellence. Another class
wish peace only on the basis of reconstruc-
ton; but, in every thing else, Shey will
be as pliable as any man in Richmond
could desire. Those of this mind are War
Democrats, in full communion with the
Democratic party; and are likely to be
absorbed by the peace-on-any terms |"
section of that organization.
These several classes will instinctively
combine at the polls; and the Chicago
Platform is so drawn as to present a
plank for each to stand upon. If they
had no other bond of sympathy, their
mutual hatred of the Administration, and
their not yet forgotten love of slavery,
would draw them together.
Opposed to these will be the mass of
the Northern people, whose love for the
Union and the old Flag grows more and
more earnest with every drop of blood
shed in their vindication; and whose ha-
tired of Slavery is intensified with every
battle fought to close this war, which it
instigated and wased. These are for the
Union as sincerely as those who would
be content TO close the war with no other
end gained than its reconstruction and
the reinauguratlon of Slavery and the
Slave Power. But with reconstructed
Union they would have Slavery forever
driven from its soil, politics and councils
NOT because the death of Slavery is
more to be desired than the life of the
Union. but because they 6eliere the Union
can hare no permanent life until S'arery is
dead.
The Administration is in sympathy
with those who love the Union for its
own sake. and hate Slavery because of
its inherent antagonism to the Union.
The position which the Administration
has assumed, has compelled the distinct
issue rhsther, at the termination Of this
,cGr, Slarery shall die or be perpet"ated.
And this issue will be involved in the
coming political contest, even though the
Democracy shall declare its purpose to
fight out this war until those in Rebel
lion shall be compelled, BY force of arms,
to submit. For this is an issue to be set
teld after the ,ear is closed.
The present Administration will have
achieved but half its mission when it shall
end the war. The consummation or
abandonment of the principle which is to
constitute the glory or shame of the Re
public, will follow, not precede, the COM
pulsory submission of those in arms. The
glory or the shame, therefore, will depend,
not so much upon how the war shall end
as upon the disposition of those who may
be in power nhes the end shall come.
Those now in power are no more
pledged to Freedom than those who seek
to supersede them are pledged to Slavery.
If peace comes under the auspices of the
former, Freedom will come with it; if
with the latter, Slavery will be given its
ancient status, and this element of discord
viii remain to disturb the nations peace
and plague coming generations as it has
the generations of the past and the pres
ent.
In fine, it will be in the power of those
having control Of the government, when
the war shall end, to forever destroy slavery,
and thus give new glory and enduring
peace to the Union, or to perpet"ate 1t, to
the eternal shame and perpetual discord
of the nation.
Is not this an issue which should enlist
the zeal and arouse the enthusiasm OF the
people, even in the midst of this terrible
war: 1T is an issue which elevates poll
tbs into the sublime heights of patriotism,
and makes it akin to that Christianity
which only justifes war when waged to
achieve the highest good of the human
race. ....
Looking at the pending political contest
in this light, to work for the party of the
Union is to work for the war, for an hon
orable and enduring peace, for the highest
good of the race, and for the perpetuity
and true glory of the nation. Whether
those who are for the Union and Freedom
shall work or not, to secure the result
ANEww