Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1864-08-25

/ un6e erssood , IN E public mind should
/ be inbued with the idea OF 9 com
pact and stable government, which
win protect those who adhere to it,
and punish those who resist its
authority.
This decisive vindicstion of the
government is essentialto our future
happiness and welfare. Men will
not love . government whichHfhey
can not respect. nor win -thd pay
due regard to laws unless thse is
/ power to enforce them Our In
ereasing wealth and population. the
! multiplicity of our oecppstiens and
Interests, the yastaess % o6f rl,Fsi
cal resources. and the numerous fields
for skill things need the protection
and restraint Of good government.
We could never live in the future
with the loose and disjolneed notions
which prevailed in the past. There
must be a general political reform or
our ponderous machinery will fly to
pieces. This government has long
been passing through the valley Of
humiliation Men who owe to. II
every thing they possess have attempt
ed to destroy it. Its own materials
of defence have been seized and used
by its enemies. A portion Of its
citizens have risen in rebellion and
war. Theirbloy have been hard
and heavy, and the nation has stag
gered beneath them. Bitter indeed
is the cup of humiliation We have
had to drink, and fearful are the
sacrifices we have made to preserve
our national name and honor, Can
we be satisfied after going through
so great struggle TO make it q
'draw game? Ought we not look
for a result which will atone for all
our injuries, and bring confusion
upon our enemies2 Ourarms should
be successful; our flag should wave
in triumph over all the rebel territory
the honor of the government should
vindicated, and its authority and su-
premacy put beyond all dispute, and
all 1rur. .-r.- !;-,-.0
The original question of right and
wrong in this war will be affected
in no small degree by the way in
which the war is carried on and en-
ded. II is important that History
should record correct verdict upon
this question. Men will Judge our
cause in a great measure by the de-.
votlon to it which we exhibit and the
frmness with which we prosecute
it to tie end. The result eff the war
shonld not be such that meu will
consider treason as good as patriot
ism, rebellion as good as loyalty.
and a war against the Union as good
us a war for the Union,
Therefore we should not compro-
mise. We could not compromise if
we would. Parties who compromise
must haye common basis to stand
upon. Some common interest or
object to bring them together, before
points OF difference can be reconcil
cd. To render the compromise
effective and binding they. should
have the same leading object in view
and an equal interest in. observing
the terms as the compromise. How
could we compromise with the rebel
leaders? Our object would be peace
and union; theirs would be war for
the sake of disunion. We might
speak of our former relations. of our
common history and territory, Of our
ii IS of blood. aud of the many bonds
of interest by which we were once
united. They would care for none
of these things. ..--
The difference between those who
are. seeking to scve the government
and thvse who are in arms against
it, is so wide that it can not be got
over. Between the rebels and us
there is great gulf which no one
can. cross. The issue is so direct
that neither party can evade it. The
rebels would accept no compromise
that was not based on an acknowl.
edgement of their right to secede
and take up arms against the govern
ment; and we could not with honor
accept any which would involve the
sacrifice of single part of our orig
inal object There is nothing for us
to sacrifice but our country and our
honor Are We ready for such a
sacrificeS
No compromise could be ma 1e
which would be binding. The only
common feeling between the two
parties would be desire to get rid
of the burdens ofwar. There would
be no permanent adjustment of our
difficulties" and the original ele-
ments which brought us into conflict
would still exist, ready at any ! time
to burst forth with new and increas-
ed yioIe ce. The ''irrepressibIe
conflict" would retain its full pro;
portions and strength. The spirit
of war would still be in us and upon
us. No idea Of principle would en-
ter into the compromise. and all the
great moral and political questions
connected with the war would be ig-
nored. Both North and So th would
lose their self-respect in agreeing to-
compromise at all; and the only mo- =
tive of each would be to bring the
other not Up but Soarn to its own lev
el ..t...
The history ofour past cofnpro-
mises shonld prevent ussffon rene~-