The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1864-08-11
From HarperS Weekly.
1--WE Can,t snbaue the Rabels.w


To tho dOspoDding or Oxuling eKcla.
nation '0h, we can't subduo the robelsH
there Is but one reply. Ifit bO indeed
true. then the Government is at an end:
Union Is dissolved; aud every State Is
again an individual community, for the
bond which holds New York to Penn
sylvania is exactly the same that unilss
New York and Georgia, and II is bro.
ken any where il is broken everywhere.
If /, be true, our national flag has disap'
pearOd, tho national honor iSgons; aud
most Of tho States of tho American Un.
ion are separate powers Of smaller popu.
lation than the cities Of London or Par
Is, There is no navy, no army, no COM
mon force, no collective glory. The
work Of a hundred years is undono, aud
what Sials.. section, party, or individual
is the gamer OF the loael real pdvantagel
If We cant EIbd0e tho EObsls,' the
rebels have subdued US. Ia that case
Jefferson Davis will be content, bsoBdse
his pride will be satisfied. Fernando
Wood and his followers, the copperheads
will be content, because they will hope
to prostitute the character Of tho North
to o new Union upon terms dictated by
slavery. The foreign enemies Of the
Union will BE- content; for they hated to
sec a republic which might one day vim.
dicato the great truth Of equal human
rights as the only sure foundation Of
government. But there can be no real
advantage gained by any of these. Da-
Wis will have founded kingdom which
civilization will abhor. Wood will
share the fate, o thousand fold moro ter
rible, Of Benedict Arnold and Aaron
Burr; whilo the foreign poweswiIl soon
bo in worse straits from iLcir qusucls
ever our remains than they would have
ever been from our united policy Of peace.
The Goyernment Of the United SIatos
will be ovsrthrown: them will bs uai-
vsrsal anarchy upon its late domain;
there will be universal hopelessness OF
any new Union upon any honorable
tsrms; each State prey to passionate
party spirit, will fall into civil war, aud
those who so triumphOnIy assert that
I'VE can't subduO the rebels, will learn
what It 10 TO be the citizen Of a nation Ut
tcriy shattered. degraded, Ond despiscd.
The alternative, as we have already
said, is very clear. Either the people
must conquer, or the rebellion will
Either the authority Of the government
must bo maintained Internationally, or
tin ust be overlhrown; for Government
which allows citizens to dictate the terms
upon which they obey the laws has
ceased to be Government Tho talk
about negotiation and settlement is idlo
and unworthy sensible men. The mo-
ment We tolerate tho thought OF rego'
tiatiou we begin to yield the Govern
msnt. Mr. Wood aud his followers in
sisl that the war must eud 10 compton,
ise, because they know that 10 tho victo-
ry Of tho rebellion, aud they wish the
rebellion to succeed, For whou they
insist that the war is wicked and ought
TO stop, aud propose to send commission
ors to Richmond to arrange terms. 'hon'
orablo to the South, they propose the
destruction Of the Government which is
the SUCCESS Of the rebellion.
Whsn such men say, We oSDt sub
duo tho rebels thsir meaning is as clear
as their patriotism. But when the same
phrase Is used merely in dependency
by those who sincerely wish the nation,
al honor to be maintained, they should
bo asked 10 remember whaithe prospects
Of the war was one year ago, and what
they arc now. Gold is higher but 80 80
tho spirit Of the people. The army tha'
drogc LOe from Gettysburg nov threat
ems both his supplies aud his eScsps
from his own caPi.ul. Gold may 90 ut'll
higher, but 20 will The national de'srmi.
uS,iop, aud there is no reason TO NpPte
! L,oJ Jisast,r until lherN "a d cry rom