M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1864-03-24

fire bell in the night" With mora
or less vigpr that fire bell has been
sounding ever since, announcing here
a conhagation and there a condaga-
ton, until at last, mid the din Of fall
ing structures, the dense columns OF
smoke and the sweeping sheets of
lame announcing general condaga-
ion, we seem to hear it no !Ongor.-
The mad fana,icism that now rules
the hour would extinguisII this tire by
feed;ngi it with more fuel. They would
pour fire upon the conaagation instead
Of water. They would save the Uu on
through the worry agencies by which
the Union has been destroyed, or most
seriously endangered, They would
strengthen the fabric OF the Constitu
ton by repeated assaults upon the
foundation. They would instruct men
how to ampliiy and preserve Their own
liberties by sanctiVning the annihila-
tion OF the liberties of their neighbors
They would violate one part or the
Constitution in order to preserve
another. Many Of them, in their pat
riolic zeal, are very much like Sir
Boyl Roche, ii tho British Paria-
ment, "who was willing to give up
not only part bnt, If necessary, the
whole OF the Constitution in order to
save the remainder" '''1 .I
We doubt whether il all the mad
houses were Yet loose, there could be
mustered such a collection OF lncon-.
prehensible'and mad theorists as now
have control and are shaping the pol
Iicy Of this unfortunate Government
II these men think they can calcine-
ice out Of gunpowder and make silk
out Of cobwebs, OF bottle mp sunlight
to let on: upon their gardens in hinclem
ent seasons, | have the right of call
ing in question tho system Of reason
ing by which they have brough: theil
minds 70 such absurd conclusions.
| know tina! the question is tim,
and sgain propounded, through wha
} avenue can we arrive at a settlemen
of tho grave issues Of the hour, say,
through a'9igorous a prosecution Of th,
, war3 | answer, not through the agel
cies of continued war, certainly neve
through war embittered by the exas-
perating and insane legislation OF thu
: North. The plan of concilliation o
J the ruling powers seem to be that o
, the infamous Duke of Alva towart
the unhappy Netherlanders, to max
! every Southerner feel as he lays dow
at night or rises in the morning tina
C his house at any hour may fall ant
| crush him. 1t would seem to fea
= the debates in the Senate and Hous
-. at Washington, as if these bodie
! wero endeavoring to revive the spiri
J and transactions of Alva's "Oounci
= of blood" The experience of thre
7 years of this species Of policy stil
= finds, as ever sane man knew it woulC
7 the Southern armies in the fell
> strengthened in numbers, more effect
i've by discipline and breathing hat
and defiance embittered by polio.
, pursued toward them that has n
warrant except in the practice Of tn
. most barbarous nations. A continu
ance of such a war and such a polio
must only widen the breach, and rel
Q der separation certain, and reconstru
: tion impossible. If asked how woul
9 propose to settle the issues Of the hou
j. my answer would be that of Burke
r in the House OF Commons in l775.-
t From the commencement of the brea
s ing out of the rebellion in the colon
= les against the mother country, MI
Burke directed most diligent atten
n tion to plan of concilliation, as in
d volving the primary interests Of
great empire. By maintaining a CO..
slant intercourse with mauy Of the O.
# lightened characters of the differen
d colonial provinces, he acquired a NOR
g extensive and intimate knowledge c
It the physical and moral condition c
e the colonists, with their real views
Il disposition and resources, than wa
= attained by any Of his contemporaries
e The result of this investigation was
g decided conviction that lie boldly an
IS nounced through everystage of tn
controversy, that the exasperate,
feeling which existed in the colonie
could only be allayed, and their a
ienated attachment revived and fluid
amenttally secured by placing ther
h exactly on the footing they stood pre-
Q vious to the rebellion. II the me
g who now clamor for peace, and prt
l. dict separation if not granted, wer
70 traitors, so was Mr.. Burke. The nj
d tional lie OF the mother country WI
8, Just as much endangered there by til
10 existence of the rebellion, as it is DO
= And vet no man In England who ha
ID any reputation dared to charge Burl
10 and such statesmen as Fox, Chatham
10 Pitt, Barre, Lutterell, Ponnall, az
y others, who sustained his views, |