The Portland daily press., 1864-01-02


ed concerning Slavery at the election in the au-
tumn 1850, was a pledge of their honor, good
! faith aud wise conservatism.
4 But events were new, and rising higher and
higher Opinions well formed in the past were
modified by the light of the present, in all minds
accustomed to consider an opinion as guide or
life, and not fixed and unalterable conclusion,
occupying the whoearea ofpossible knowledge.
1t was manifest again on an imposing scale of
grandeur in human affairs that conduct must
rise with occasion. The Instruction had risen
to rebellion, and the rebellion had risen to a
revolutions the ostensible object of which was to
Ie-organize or destroy the government. The
issue was distinctly made, and it was this:-
4 Shall the country in mortal struggle for exist
ence, be bound in all the emergencies of war, by
the calm, deliberate, peaceful, forbearlng prin-
cples affirmed in the will of the people at the
| ballot-boxg Shall the war be carried on in such
methods as to protect the resources of the enemy?
| Shall the government, threatened itself with rev
olution, guard and preserve the social order OF
the power that threatens it, shall it meet rev.
olution with revolution, and thus destroy by re-
organization the rebellious power itselfY
1t was momentous issue! Foreseen indeed
| by many as inevitable if the war continued, but
| yet on the brink of which the mind instinctiyely
hesitates and reconsders. 1t was an issue in
| which were Joined not only the fortunes of SER
| vile race, but the nature OF that race, when the
| low embers of an inextinguishable sentiment in
| the human breast, were famed by the gentle
breeze of liberty. At this stage it was natural
for the government to review its steps and as
certain well the position to which affairs had
| come.
Thus far, for a period of more than fifteen
| months, the war had been carried on with in
| credible patience and forbearance; the army ev
erywhere protecting the territory it had invaded,
| defending existing institutions, and executing
the laws: the restorer of peace, the defender OF
| property even to the masters claim. II went
| forth for the restoration of law, for the defence
| of existing institutions, civil order and peace.
| This was the natural and yet the wonderful ex-
| preston of the law-abiding spirit of the Ameri-
can People. The army fought for established
| iatc throughout the land, and proclaimed that
| all rights would be religiously respected. All
coercion, conquest or subjugation was most em-
| phatically disolaimsd The government assumed
the existence of established laws, and proposed
to protect society from an Infatuated mob. The
| policy was not to conquer, but to win by per-
| suasive power of clemency and law.
| That patience, that mild persuasion vested in
armed hosts, drew forth at length the scorn of
(, ~. ..e consprators themselves. 1t was hurled
back upon the government IN .:.cc::sptuous de-
| fiance, that such spirit was born of ignobe
| blood, covering and iawning as was its nature
| in the presence of a superior race. With con-
| summate cffrontery they used the protection
which the flag afforded. but utterly despising
| and trampliugs under foot the spirit which
| prompted it. They saw their houses and plan
tations guarded by national troops; their slaves
left to till the soil and gather the haryests, in
care Of women and children. protected by the
strong of the Union; and with mingled
| dignity of claim and suayity of manner they
| begged back from our officers the negroes that
had escaped and took the oath of allegiance
| it suited their purpose to mature the plans of
| treason.
The government, the American people had
misconceived the spirit of the rebellion. They
| ,tc ronlipnifx- ne AZ mi
| ton and dark designs. The war, carried on
| by the rebellious power, was deadly strife, not
against the Union merely, but between two an
| tagonstic forms of society, one or the other Of
which must be obliterated! In the leading or
| gan of Southern sentiment appeared these re-
markable words, perhaps the most condensed
and comprehensive statement of the spirit and
| intent of the rebellion that has ever been made
THO opposite and conflicting forms Of society
| cannot among eipiiized men coerist and endure.
| The one must gire ray and cease 10 erist; The
other becomes unipersai. U.Jree society be an
| natural, immoral, unchrisfian, ii must fall and
gire icay 10 STARE society, social system old as
the rorld, universal man In these re-
| markable words the rebellion in its length and
breath and height and depth is contained And
to face that conclusion the American people and
| the government are broughtl Shall the gov
eminent meet the rebellion on its own ground
and oppose revolution to revolution, or con-
tinue TO treat the Instruction as q mere dis
turbance amid established laws, Shall the gov
| eminent touch the rebel power with liberty, the
poison of its life, and dissolve into its prim-
tive elements the social order on which 1t is
oased' anu Wnieh ~ proposes 10 erect on the
runs OF the Republic or shaii IT continue 10
guaru anu protect that SOCIAL system whieh aims
aea.n-pipw al " oHn
no man VINO ulspassiohaIeiy reviews the con,
oac , " 'he government can a,i 10 pe impressed
| win 'ne soienl'. .ne careiuihess, ,he nouera-
non, .he mas"Innhny WIN when inc great
ISSUE mas met. l's appIoaeh had peeh ihalcal-
ea ~ .le lepiesel.aslsss aploaa. n chanse III
Tue orsanlza'iou VI sosie's ~ the N'Suiree'i1h-
ary e'a.es wa ,heNn , !. was inahiies' 'nat
tne eoserInslt cuuiu NJ iohser pro.ect .he
onioh anu sla'ery 'oo. lnfrs was sprihging
Up ;,'ss;,o. ~ 'e snose pun. a'ls
simply issi.1.s ~ eoion seilsc any eoinhion
,nspisence ing cohscrsa'ors Vi Tree states, ana
peore oy,su'asioAs' u,a ASKING now iohg, anu
why snail our sons, anu nthefs, anu hasnaads,
aI h.,, baa aa,,,,aS ,,a la y tnoai ~,
Mhlvh ms ueilsea w AMY " ploou' arm .ne
olacN man, anu 'caen nm wa, is Wy ilas iiuer-
~. country anu race s 20 ngn. ior, = ,Ie prop,
ep " sasehous.s ueaiyI ~ n.nk'o ',iah me
osuuu " wv st.iiieA Ee's ilsn. siIen .na'
pr"perty EVER pae anueI wy eunsti'q1ipi y Ior
iei'eu now. lhese WIZ Pae-.,9hs anu "ilfi ma
uohs Whlcn any Myu'an couia asks OF liake
VINO had received pack nsf son meek ana io WI.
IRON 'ne War' anu hisseu asaih ,hose coia ups
mn'Sh once ln 'lle', plrele-s anm peaQsy sue 30
t;ons wyh;eh NO man aould aasws.. y" and t5ev
were aff;rmat;ons wh,ch No maj, conld deny
| 49, "sN - .'-'f SN"'N 'N"''