Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-01-22
For the Evansville Journal.
Letters from Center Township.
Editors Journal

Editors Journal E.-es.a-~ g
tits certainly indispensable in this
great national crisis that tries mems
souls" thet we should, as far as possible,
give expression to our sentiments, and
add weight and depth, and volume to the
grand current of public opinion and pub.
lie influence. The sword would be
welded in vain without the cooperation
of public opinion, and in the present
juncture public opinion and influence
have proved unavailing without the
sword
Allow me to make a few remarks and
give expression to few sentiments, on
/ Governor Seymour's position in his Mes
/ sage to the New York Legislature; also
upon the war itself and on the approach
ing Presidential election; concluding
with few general remarks Some will
say that the Governors Message was a
grand peace document. would not
risk much in saying that it would have
done tolerably well in times Of
peace, and it would have been
good for the country and credit to him
self had he enforced such peace mea-
sures in his own State as would have
prevented the riots in New York, which
he could have done without encroaching
upon National rights. He is now de-
cidedly behind the times. Has he not
felt the great pulse of the nation beat in
unison with every movement of the Pres
ident and of Congress, as they advance,
step by step, in works of reform towards
our redemption as people and gov
ernment2 Does he not hear the soldiers
indignant voice against rebellion South
and treason North? Does he not hear
of their patriotic re-enlistments, with the
determination to subdus both treason
and rebellion? Surely he has seen or
heard of our great sanitary movements,
the most magnificent, the most patriotic
the world ever saw, and also of female
presentations and addresses. Patriot
ism, in the bosoms of Americans, lies
hid in times of peace like fire in sIum=
befing volcano; but OIL if it were not
for the sacrifice of human life, who
would not willingly sacrifice almost
everything else to get to witness such
glorious manifestations of devotedness TO
country as greet US everywhere
at present. Why does he speak of
pledges being redeemed? Have they
notall been redeemed with Union citi-
zens to the letter? What does he mean
by overtures of peace? Has he not read
OR heard of the Presidents Proclama-
ton, including one hundred days prior
to the lst of January, 1868, inviting the
| South to return and meet the North in
council and in peace? Has he not read
or heard of his late Proclamation of
pardon and Of reconstruction of States2
/ There should be no side issues raised at
/ the present time. No croaking about
the 9 Constitution as it was but let us
be for the Government as IL Is, and aid
in sustaining it. 1t is a SLY way for
treason to conceal itself by raising the
cry of law, Constitution and peace
words sacred in the heart of every pat
riotic American, ,,,but their sheep-covering
has for some time been falling off, and
the wolf, which has been concealed un-
der it, has long since became apparent
The result of our late elections is good
proof of this. They must be badly post
ed up in the policy of the Administra-
ton, who has not yet discovered that
the efforts of the Government since the
commencement of the war have been to
restore peace, and to maintain and en-
force the observance of the laws and the
Constitution, and to compel rebels
South and traitors North to be amena-
Bile to both; but how can they expect the
protection of either, with an armed force
in the field for the destruction of both,
and also with Government, Constitu.
ton and laws of their own, set up in op-
position to ours?
AS regards the war, it is folly to tall
of the "North against the South 1t il
the Government against treason and re
bellion wherever it finds them. Tht
free States were never more prosperou!
than at the present time. The import
anee of the war at present, next to tht
preservation Of the Union, is not for tn
! y benefit of the, North; it is for the benef
of the South. 1t is to protect Uniol
men and to save their hard earning
from pillage and wanton destruction B
: an armed force. Ny own opinion il
that majority of the South are in favo
of reunion, and it is the duty Of the Coz
ernment to protect and assist them
J their efforts.
As to the choice of our next PresideT
| think it is impolitic for the Union pre-.
to speculate on what General is mo-
F likely to be brought forward as cand
date. / consider that no Union man {
patriot win allow himself, in the presel
state of the nation, to be brought out I
a candidate against President Lincoln
Il Who can avoid seeing that he was i
t. tended by Providence for the presel
crisis, and let the Union press, all ov
the land, keep it before the people, tn
any man who comes out in opposition
, the President is not lover of the Unio
butts either Butternut or Cope
. head. Let him be reelected by una
imous vote. One thing would be almo
certain, that two Union Candidates wou
result in .Buttsrnut or Copperhei
IS President; then all the sacrifice of bio,
: and treasury would be naught a
o have always been of the opinion tn
there is but little danger of foreign
tervention. A large majority in En-
or land are sanguine for Southern intert
X and victory, but the Government is fiji
ds and no doubt will continue so; so tt
D. whatever aid may be rendered to
: South, will be by contributions and Fl
clustering. There are scenes transpiri
's, in the midst of Europe which at q
'el moment may burst into a flame, so Il
they will not readily jeopardize the
c., selves by any obligation abroad. I
most likely intervention that would ta
- place would be indirectly through I
~ young aspirant in Mexico; for who {
- make any calculations upon the d.
ho laid strategems of Bonapare; 1t i
Ta be hoped, however, that our fiidieult