Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-03-25
nELENpA Esr cARrHAGo.

There are signs of the most extraordinary po-
litical freshet ever known. Four years ago It
was dangerous even in many northern cities to
allude warmly to slavery. Public opinion was
opposed to the discussion of the subject. Men
spoke upon it at some peril to their lives. And
now it seems that slavery is about to be swept
away by a torrent of universal reprobatiOD.-
Whoever listens closely can plainly hear the
heart of the country saying, Il Is the public
enemy; let it die the death"
OfcOurse this is not the evidence Of an entire
moral national regeneration. 1t is the proof on
/ ly that the hour has arrived, which always ar
riyes in the progress of civilization and without
| which, indeed. there would be no progressive
! civilization whatever, when it is clearly seen
/ that what is true and good is also polite. 1t is
/ in vain that this is abstractly shown. But when
| it is practically perceived great forward step
/ in civilization is taken. When it is generally
\ felt that morality Gghtens the taxes aeOmmuni-
| ty becomes moral In this country the slave
| despotism held Us bound so long and so hope
| lessly, because we were so prosperous and the
! evil was to US at the North so theoretical that
our sympathies and human instincts pleaded IN
vain against our apparent interests. The argu-
ment against Mr. Lincoln, as against every man
whom the slaVe-lOrds did not support, was, that
if he succeeded grass would grow in the streets
and blood run in the cutters. What was called
the Union party Of the North before the in
VI sldNctl was sin 5aHANoeAtH
of timidity, whose argument was, that it was bet
ter to let the Southern policy rule the country,
because it would otherwise try to ruin 1t. That
was the final philosophy of all such movements
as the Castle Garden meeting, and none more
than those concerned will freely confess it. 1t
was question of policy, and seemed to them to
be the best to pat and pscify. Perhaps COM
promised too long," frankly says Mr.. Everett,
in recent address.
Now great many persons who supported this
policy really hated slavery, and saw the CHASTITY
wounds it was constantly infictiDg upon the
| country but thought that they had 10 right to
say anything about it. They were ready enough
| to send an army of missionaries, under the pro-
lection of huge society, to preach against the
religion and convert the natives of Cochin Chi
| ma and Thibet-H they could get there; but they
were unwilling to say that the industrial system
| ftheir neighbor was wrong. Others declined
| to hear or say anything about it. under the con-
yietiOn that they had no constitutional right to
| think say that 1t was wrong to imbrHte
man, or to sell your own daughter, or whip
woman to death because she pinned when her
child was taken from her. Still others, aud the
larger number, cared nothing about the matter,
except heartily to denounce the AbOlitionists as
incendiaries, and fraternize with @the gentle
manly and high-tOned Southerners meaning
shareholders. The general feeling was that moth
| ing could be done even ifit were bad thing,
| and therefore 1t was fast becoming the fashion
to declare that it was good thing.
! The Kansas troubles opened the eyes of the
great Of the people to the fact that the sys-
tenn the direct rival of every free settler in
the country. ThequestiOn added material ar
gument to its moral appeal and from that mo-
ment the overthrow of slavery was fixed But
under the Union its extinction would be peace
ful. Consequently, as last desperate resource,
its chiefs tried war, counting upon the timidity
of trade and the party Organization of the free
States friendly to slavery. Both failed them.
Every day, from the 18th of April, 1861, it has
been clearer to The American people that slavery
is the enemy OF their industry, of their trade, of
| their peace, and Oftheir Union. Every day we
have been moving nearer TO unaminity in op-
position to it. however we might differ about
| the method of ending it. The most unprinci-
pied newspapers and politicians see the inevita-
be and irresistible current of events Even
James Spence, the rebel agent in England, does
not dare to face civilization aBd plead the cause
for which the rebels are fighting their fellow w-cit-
liens, and massacring the noblest youth. The
war is the fearful death-struggle of the monster,
and whoever would end the war would strike at
the serpent. Men of all parties, of all politics,
of all conviction upon other subjects, repeat the
cry which long and long ago pealed msjestically
from despised lips: 1t is the common enemy.
Let it die the dealhl"-Hdrper's Weekly.