The National tribune., 1894-02-15
WHAT ARE THE FACTS ?

tion was confronted with the most awful
peril that has threatened any country il
modern times.
Other nations have had to face the pros
pect of utter defeat, of disruption of terri
tory, and of heavy burdens of tribute and
taxation from the conquerors. We had to
confront the calamity of entire extinction as
Nation
One-third OF the country had risen in
active rebellion, which meant the loss of
one-third of our territory and people at the
outset, and still worse to follow. Had the
seeding States succeeded in maintaining
their independence they would not only
have soon broken up into Earring sections,
but the rest of the country would have done
the same. To-day there would have been
not merely two Governments in the present
territory of the United States, but at least
! five, aud probably double that number. The
Southern CoDfederacy would have at once
divided on the line Of the Mississippi, then
the eastern portion would have separated
along the line of the Allegany Mountains,
with the Seaboard States in one Confederacy,
and Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee, Mis-
sissippi, and Louisiana in another. West of
| the Mississippi Texas would have drawn
away from Arkansas and Missouri, and
! fought them for the possession of the Indian
Territory. Virginia, North and South
Carolina, Florida and Georgia would never
have staid under one Government and
probably each State would have set up for
itself The same would have happened
| with the Confederacy east of the Mississippi.
Tennessee and Kentucky might have
united against Alabama and Louisiana, TO
fight for the possession of Mississippi.
In the loyal portion of the country the
first step would have been the formation of
a Pacific Coast Confederation, which would
have fought Texas for the possession of
Arizona and New Mexico. Next, New Eng
land would have formed an independent
Government, leaving New York, Pennsyl-
vania, New Jersey, and Delaware to form
another, and fight Virginia for the possession
of Maryland.
Then Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois,
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, and
Nebraska would have formed the North
western Confederacy," which was the plan
of Vallandigham and his fellow-conspira-
tors, and warred with Kentucky, Missouri,
and Texas for boundaries.
The whole country would to-day have
been great camp and series of battlefelds,
with millions of young men constantly
under arms; Notifications everywhere; from
tiers, customhouses, and passports every
where with manufactures Frustrated, bust
ness paralyzed, and the substance of the
people eaten up by soldiers, officials, and
destructive wars.
All the resources, wealth and physical
force of 100000 people were at the disposal
of The leaders of the rebellion to maket his
program success. They boosted that they
entered the struggle with !, 064,O00 fighting
men within their borders ready TO carry out
their plans, and that they could not be con-
quered.
What could be done against such a plot,
backed by resources far greater than those
which time and again have changed the
whole history of Nations and the world?
The only answer that could be made must
be made by the young manhood of the loyal
portion of the country. If 100000 young
men in the South could be counted on to do
all that was possible to destroy the country,
they must be met by at least an equal num-
Der of equally resolute young men deter
mined 10 Illustrate their efforts and save the
swered most gloriously. Though the rebel
leaders made good their boast of 1,0O0, 900
thousands more, they were met, man for
man, musket for musket, and resolute, pa
triotic courage for passionate determination
in wrong-doing. If they would fight four
years and die by tens of thousands to de-
stroy the Government, we would fight just
as long and die just as devotedly to save it.
They could not aim blow at the Nations
life that did not find sufficiency of gallant
souls to resist and return it, We did more.
We invaded their country, met them on
their own ground, drove them out of their
strongest Businesses, crushed the mgbtiest
armies they could put into the field and
hunted down the remnants, until there was
no spot in the great territory they called
theirs where a rebel flag dared be hosted
or shot fired against the Government.
| Never i'll the history of the world was
! there victory moro complete. Never be-
fore were 100000 brave people, intrenched
on their own soil and supplied with all the
/ resources of modern civilization an corp