Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-07-21
CAN'T sUBDUR 'THE:REaELs


+ Z: from uarues;s ,s,sckly.l
: 1.-The despondiEg or exulting fxcla.
nation "Oh., we can't sabduo the reb-
els!" there is but ons reply If i. h
indeed true. then the Government is o;
end; tn, Union is dissolved and every
State is again an individual community
for the bond which holds New York to
Pennsylvania is exactly the game that
unites New York and Georgia, and if il
is broken anywhere it is broken every
where II it be true. our Rational flag
has disappeared, the national honor is
gone; aud most Of the States Of the
American Union are separate powers OF
smaller population than the cities Of
London or Paris. There is no navy no
army, no common force. no collective
glory. The work of hundred years is
undone, ana what State, section, party,
Or individual is the gamer Of the least
real advantage 49,,
If We cant subdt.o tbs rebels the
rebels have sutdned us. In that case
Jefferson Davis will be content, becaus.
his pride will be satisfied. Fernando
Wood and his followers, the copp3rheads
will be content, because they will hope to
prostitute the character of the North to Il
new Union upon terms DICTATED by slave
ry. The foreign enemies Of the Union
will be content for they have hated to
see republic which might one day COM
pletely Sihdicate the great truth OF equal
human rights as the only secure founda-
ton of government. Bat there can be
no real advantage gained by ally of these
Davis will have founded Kingdom which
civilization will abhor Wood will share
the fate, thousand-foli more terrible, OF
Benedict Arnold and Aaron Burr while
the foreign powers viii soon be in worse
straits from their quarrels over our re-
mains than they would ever have been
from our united policy of peace, The
Government Of the United States will be
ovorihrown; there will be universal su-
archy upon its late domain there will be
universal Ihopelessness Of any new
Union upon any honorable terms; eaci!
state prey to passionate party spirit,
viii fall into civil war, and those who so
sriumphantly assert that We can'tsub-
due the rebels will learn what it is to
be citizen of nation utterly shattered,
degraded. and despised.
The alternative, as we have already
said, is very clear. Either the people
must conquer. or the rebellion will.
Either the authority Of the Government
must be maintained Internationally, or
it must be ovcrthrown; for q Govern
ment which allows citizens to dictate the
terms upon which they obey the laws
has ceased to be Cover ment. The
talk about negotiation and settlement is
idle. and unworthy sensible men. The
moment We tolerate the thought of nego-
tiation we begin to yield the Government.
Mr.. Wood and his followers insist that
the war must end in compromise, be-
cause they know that compromise is tho
victory Of TIE tebeiiio:i to succeed, For
when thev insist that tie war 10 wicked
and ought to stop, and propose to send
commissioners to Richmond t. arrange
terms honorable to the South they
propose the destruction of the Govern
.HSlis, liCi ~ t-lt sbtSHSo u ts,t itLS--
lion.
tYhen such mci, say, q We ca;.'t sub
due the rebels their meaning is as clear
as their patriotism. Bat when the same
phrase is used rcrely in despor l9acy By
thosc who siacGfely wish the national
honc- TO be maintained, they should he
asked 10 remember what prospects of The
war, were ono year ago, and wha!
they are ro,t G0ld is higher, but 50 is
the spirit of tic people. Ths srmy that
drove Lee fro:n Gettysburg now threatens
beth his supplies aht Els escape from his
own capital. Coll MAY Sc still higher,
ut so will the natieital determination,
and there is no reason to apprchend dis
aster until there is cry from the cowed
and breaking heart Of the American
people, 1--WE can't subdua the ,tebels =
When tia. cry is heard the rebels may
subauo us, and welcome, for there will be
nothing left worth fighting for.