Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-02-22

was authOTltatVsly announced 10 be founded
on the idea that Slavery is the natural and
normal condition Of the negro race The
issue was made up whether the grcat Re.
public was to maintain It's provi1ental place
in the history Of mankind, or rebellion
founded on Negro Slavery gain a recogni.
ton of its principle throughout the civilized
world. To the dissffectei Lincoln had said:
You can have no conflict without being
yourselves the aRgressors; to FIRE the pas.
sions Of the Southern portion Of the peopls,
the Confederate GoveInneDtchose to become
aggressOrs and on the morning Of the 18th
Of April began the bombardment Of Fort
Sumter, and compelled its evacuation.
UPRISING OF THE PEOPLE.
II is the glory of the late President that
he had perfect faith in the perpetuIty Of the
Union. Supported in advance by Douglas,
who spoke as with the voice Of million, he
instantly called meeting of Congress, and
summoned the people to come up and re.
possess the forts, places and property which
had been seized from the Union. The men
Of the NORTH we're tralped IN schools; in
dustrious and frugal; many Of them deli
cately bred, their minds teeming with ideas
and fertile in plans Of enterprise given To
the culture of arts eager in the pursuit Of
wealth, yet employing wealth less for osten
tatioD than for developing the resources Of
their country seeking happiness in the
calm Of domestic life; and such lovers Of
peace that for generations they had been
reputcd unwarlike. Now, at the cry Of
their country in its distress, they rose up
with unappeasaGle patriotism not hire.
lings-the purest and of the best blood in
the land ,nS of pious ancestry, with
clear perception of duty, unclouded faith
and fixed resolve to succeed, they throngcd
round the President, to support the wronged
and beautiful flag Of The nation. The halls
of theological seminaries sent forth their
young men, whose lips were touched with
eloquencc, whose hearts kindled with devo-
ton, to serve in the ranks, and make their
way to command only as they learned the
art of war. StriplinRs in the colleges, as
well as the most gentle and the most stu
dious /; those Of sweetest temper and love
lest character and brightest gems passed
from their classes to the camp. The lum-
herman sprlrg forward FROM the forests, the
mechanics from their benches, where they
had been trained by the exercise of political
right to share the life and hope Of the Re-
public, to feel their responsibility to their
forefathers, their posteri;y and mankind,
went forth, resolved that their dignity as
constituent part Of this Republic should not
be impaired Farmers and sons of farmers
left the land but hall ploughed, the grain
but half planted, and taking up their mus
ket, learned to face without fear the pres
ence Of peril and the coming of death in the
shocks of war, while their hearts were still
attracted to the charms of their rural life
and all the tender affections OF home.
Whatever there was of truth. and faith, aud
Il L.. Al, hrHt
with one expression. The mighty winds
blew from every quarter to fan the flame OF
the sacred and unquenchable tire.
THE WAR A WORLDWIDE WAR.
/ For time the war was thought to be con.
fined to ou own domestic affairs, but it was
! soon seen involved the destinies ofman.
kind, and its principles and causes shonk the
politics of Europe to the center, and from
Lisbon topeka di, ided the Governments of
the world.
GREAT BRITAIN.
There was kingdom whose people had
in an EN- n mt degree attain ID to freedom
of indu 'try AMI the sec irity Of person aud
properly Its mi Idle class rose t. great
ness. Out of that class sprung the nohest
poets and philosophers, whose words built
up the intellect of its people; skiilful nayi-
gators to find out the many paths OF the
oceans; discoveries in natural science,
whose inventions guided its industry to
wealth, till it equaled any nation Of the
world in letters, and exceiled all in trade
and commerce. But its Government was
become government of land, and not of
men; every blade of grass wasrepresented
but only a small minority of the people. ln
the transition from the feulal forms, the
heads of the social OF ganization freed them
selves from the military services which
were the conditions of their tenure, and,
throwing the burden on the industrial classes
kept all the soil to themselves. Vast estates
that had been managed by molasteries as
endowments for religion and charity were
! appropriated to swell the wealth of courticrs
and fayorites and the commons where the
poor man once had his right OF pasture
were taken away, and, under forms Of law.
inclosed distributively within their own do
mains. Although no law forbade any in
habtant from purchasing land. the costli-
ness of the transfer constituted prohlb-
| ton; so that it was the rule Of that country
that the plow should not be in the hands OF
its owner. The Chnrch was rested on a
contradiction, claiming to be an embodi-
ment Of absolute truth, and yet was crea-
ture Of the statute book.
The progress of time increased the terri.
Bile contrast between wealth and poverty
in their years of strength the laboring peo
ple, cut off from ell share in governing the
State, derived scanty support from the
s,verest toll, and had no hope for old age
but in public charity or death. A graspini
ambition had dotted the world with military
posts, kept watch ever our borders on the
Northeast, at the Berurudas, in the Wes,
Indies, held the gates of the Pacific, OF the
Southern and of the Indian Oceans, hover
ed on our Northwest at Vancouver, held the
whole of the newest continent, aud the en-
frances to- the old Mediterranean and Red
Sea; and garrisoned forts all the way from
Madras to China. That ariStoerncy hat
gazed with terror on the growth OF a com
monwealth where ireeholds existed by tht
million, and religion was not in bondage t.
the State; and now they eou.d not reprcs
their joy at its perils. They had not ont
word Of sympathy for the kind hearted
poor mans son whom America had chn'ef
for chief they jeered at hi, large hands
aud long feet, aud unpainly stature; anC
the British Secretary of State for foreigI
Affairs made haste to send word thronsi
the palaces of Europe that the great lie
public was in its agony-that the Rspubli
| -, ~ .oa.a-fhat haad-stoua Waa A.