The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1864-02-02
The Dread of Strife.


EF Prior TO the COMMANDMENT Of
Fort Sumpter, we were as a people ex,
tremely divided as to the proper course
to be pursued towards the States in re
bellion. We were nation Of peace
men, devoted to agricultural pursuits,
and the extention Of the arts and sciences,
and naturally looked upon war as one Of
the greatest evils that could afflict ma
ton. The horror of war was so great that
even those who were devoted to the
Union and Constitution, were 10th 10 re
sort to arms to enforce the authority OF
the government. Throughout the year
1861, this feeling was so strong and de
termined that it exerted marked inf1u-
ence upon those in power, and many
were Of opinion that Mr.. LINCOLN would
accept the secession Of the Southern
States as calamity which he could not
avert. The great obstacle which i'm
peded the Administration 10 its move
ments, was the desire to retain and con
cieate the border States. Kentucky.
Tennessee, Missouri and Maryland were
arrogant in their demands, and threat
ened TO throw their influence ard power
with the seeded States, unless their
wishes in regard to Legislation on the
slavery question were complied with.
The resolve to throw the responsibility
of civil war upon the rebels-the hope of
uniting the sentiment of all loyal men
upon the line marked out if the ordeal OF
war was forced, all contributed to influ
ence the course Of the Administration
during the first weeks of its existence,
and although succeeding events seemed
to favor, if not imperatively demand the
sternest resort to force, to suppress the
conspiracy, the President with his well
known character for forbearence, shrank
from the appalling sacrifice of blood and
treasure which the war must entail. and
even after the blow was struck, which
left no alternative but submission 10 the
South or defence of the government
against revolution, hesitated so long that
many were induced 10 believe that the
President was timid, and dare not put
into force those powers delegated TO him
by the Constitution to crush the REBEL
ion. But all this time, Mr. LINCOLN was
silently and cautiously preparing for the
worst. In his Inaugural address, lie
clearly and succinctly stated that the
dignity Of the government was not to be
compromised, and to that end be was
resolved to await the issue ofevents, with
the determination to preserve peace if
possible. but not TO preserve it at the
sacrifice of the prestige and integrity Of
the Union. When the Southern leaders
found that the Federal Cover nment would
hos s'ChA w luEy were
for war. war to the bitter end, a war Of
aggression, war to oyerwhelm with its
mad spirit every vestige of reason relig-
ion and friendship, which drew into its
vortex those more conservative States,
which had halted between two opinions.
The Southern leaders did not expect any
prolonged resistance on the part Of the
North. but supposed that they would
quietly yield TO all of their demands
without coming, to state Of actual war,
and we believe that in their private
judgement. they did not expect or wish
to see it existing between the two sec
tons Of country. This is an important
point 10 establish, since il serves TO fix
The hostiities which followed, upon the
proper parties, The few men Of the con
iederate government, who usurped the