The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-06-07
COMMUNICATIONS.
Canadian Sympathy and Neutrality.


in the light OF the single remark that the
writer received private letter from Cana
dian, ministerial friend, we presume, an ex-
tract from which affords text for the admira-
BILE reply which follows it. ED. PREss.r
SOUTH FREEPoRr, May Is, 1854.
MY DEAR Bro. Your letter of the 23d
came TO hand this day, and while receiving
much pleasure from it in the main, there are
some parts of it which prompt me to mme-
diate reply. 1t is to parts OF the following
passage that / refer:
"Yon talk In your last, of reconstruction
am afraid you will have enough OF it to do.
We neutrals, uninfuenced by feeling, % fear
for you as a nation. While admirlng the
Christian patriotism OF your ministers and
people, we have now no hope OF your sue
cess. ~ The campaign in Virginia will, no
doubt, end this terrible, and thus far nearly
fruitless war. 81 SO far il has been decided
ly against the North, t4) and wild rumors
were afioat last night of disaster to Grant
and the advance of the rebels. God appears
to be fighting against you. But we cannot
judge Him by appearances, t5) He does things
30 oppositely from what men do. 49, Slavery
and other corruptions Of your body polite
are no doubt the cause OF the origin and con-
tinuance Of your national aflictions-and ter
ribe have been his strokes. "a often think
OF the applicability OF part OF the 1st chapter
OF Isaiah TO your national condition" tS)
In replying TO this passage have number
ed the paragraphs to which wish to ask your
attention.
~ You "neutrasn OF Canada are of two
sorts; those whose views are in sympathy
with papers likethe Montreal Gazette, and
those who prefer the Toronto Globe as better
authority. The extract as whole indicates
clearly the coloring of the former.
~ Admiration of our "Christian patriot
ism and despair of our success are a sad COM
mentary upon the divine government We
have no sympathy with that neutrality or
christian patriotism" that despairs OF success
In just cause.
t3l This is by no means certain. We do
not stake the fate Of our country on the sue
cess or failure Of single campaign, nor de-
spair OF the republic because of one or half
dozen disasters. So far from this, our disas-
ters have, thus far, been needful discipline,
preparing our people for nobler views and
achievements. Nor do we regard this war
thus far as "nearly fruitless.' Fearful and
"horrible" indeed it has been, but not "fruit-
less" The germs and "earnests" OF great re-
suits are already such as TO rebuke unbelief
and give full assurance that the sacrifices and
sufferings, great as they have been, will not
be in vain. So far from this, the progress OF
events already assures US that the stern dis
eipline through which we are passing is not
for our destruction, but for our regeneration
and elevation as a nation.
t4) How differently men interpret passing
events You in Canada regard late events as
decidedly against the North. See what Is
said by an intelligent observer at the seat of
war. Orange Judd, Esq, editor of the Amer
lean Agrieulturist, is now with the Army OF
the Potomac aiding the Sanitary Commission
in the care of the wounded. In his paper for
June, just come to hand, he says: "1he re-
cent glorious successes of our armies are well
calculated to strengthen confidence in the
permanence OF the Federal government, If
any doubts could be previously entertained
He says in relation to the men fighting these
battles, part of our force remained at Belle
Plain to supply every man coming in with
first cup OF good, warm coffee, with good
sugar, and condensed milk (of which we
brought down ton in pint cans then with
soft bread and crackers; then with crutches
when needed, cups, clean garments, In the
place of their own blood-soaked, dirt-soiled
habiliments and with stimulants, &C."
"Oh it was blessed work to hand out
those comforts and to have steamboat of 140
tons loaded with them, to go to, and other
loads coming 81 wish every
one could participate in the blessed work OF
giving these things directly into their hands.
How universal was the kindly feeling! Said
one to me as | offered him cup of coffee, Il
am dry and hungry, having walked ten miles
without food or drink, bu. yonder are soldiers
in that wagon worse than me, 90 help them
first; and what he said every one else said
God bless the noble man p
Mr.. Geo. III. Stuart, chairman of the u. S,
Christian Commission, writes May 18th
"Having just returned from weekly visit to
the wounded in the late battles in Virginia
with Bishop McHodine, of Ohio, ii gives me
great pleasure 10 assure the friends Of those
noble heroes throughout the country, that oui
government is doing everything in its power
more than any government ever did before
and that we found the work OF the Chris
tian Commission thoroughly organized witt
an efficient corps of over $50 volunteer dele
gates, s,laboringiincessantly for the temporal ant
spiritual comfort of the soldiers. As result
of one days labor of the headquarters of ths
Commission at Fredericksburg we brought W
5000 letters many of them written for disabled
soldiers by the delegates" All over the coun
try christian hands aud hearts are pouring il
aims baptized in prayer for supplying want
and soothing wounds. Are we 10 despair O
the final issue? Not unless we are Atheists.
Certainly not when you first distort the an
pearances. Is " God fighting against us
while our armies are steadily driving th,
rebels back TO their entrenchments at Rich
mond, successfully resisting every shock o
desperate battalions endeavoring to breal
our lines, and seize on provisions and mum
tions?
But he uses men TO do this work and is ID
spring the very spirit among our soldiers an
citizens necessary 20 success. He Is doin
this both by our successes and our reverse:
When has theheart of the nation been so thoi
oughly lifted to the hope, courage, purpose
and sacrifices needful TO success as since th
late battles, despite the wild rumoTs {
disaster" you speak Of tTl Terrible" as 20
say 'haye been the strokes they have falle
directly upon that Slavery" and the "corruE
tions" which you rightly name as the "caus
of our National Affections" The lightnin
aud thunder Of those strokes have flashed col
yiction upon vast multitudes who were bin
and deaf before as TO those perils to the M
tional life. They have now eyes to see, eal
to hear, hearts to feel, wills 10 purpose, an
strong arms TO give the finishing blows
those "causes" OF ruin. Is this reason wh
we should despair? Is 1t state of things ,
warrant "neutrals uniniuenced by feeling
in despairing OF our success? True, many n,
Bile lives are sacrificed in the process = inn,
cent and pure lives sacrificed by blood-staine
traitors. But this is not the first instanc
purer and nobler life was sacrificed |
wicked hands for a race, all Of whom we
rebels = stepped In corruptions. These pu
men and patriots have exalted example
justify their sacrifices for the National life.
ts). But why part of the 1st chapter
Isaiah instead of the wholes II you apply
the Nortb,--to the National Government al
loyal people the rebukes and threatenings
that chapter why deny them the support al
hone IN ha found In othar rarto yUhx =,