Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-06-01


political complexion of a future con-
gress might be, the old land mark that
had really held in leash the dogs of
war for "a years had been swept away
and it's restoration forbidden. Slavery
might now be extended over the
whole domain and be protected, and
Congress was powerless to decree 9TH
erwise. The slave interests had won
a signal triumph, but at a fearful cost
as the future revealed.
The bred Scot decision was received
in the North with scorn and indigna-
ton, and entered at once into the
political discussions of the people and
caused an acute division upon the
question of slavery as nothing else had
done. 1t invaded the political par
ties of that time resulting in new af-
filiations and alignments until 1t
crystalized into pro-slavery on the one
side, and anti slavery on the other.
The conditions might be likened unto
a volcano that had given but faint
signs of life for "a years but had now
suddenly burst into flame.
Before the Revolutionary War, Vir-
ginia had petitioned King George to
prohibit the importation of slaves
from Africa, but long since then the
qeustion had become an economic one
of large Importance by reason of the
introduction of the cotton gin. At the
time of the adoption of our constitu-
ton, the South exported only about
300 bales of cotton, but her export of
cotton at the time of the Missouri
compromise had reached the total of
100000 bales and at the outbreak of
the rebellion cotton was king.
The only viewpoint of the South
therefore upon this question, was a
financial instead of moral one, while
the North only saw the moral side of
it, The question could not be logical
ly argued with premises so widely di-
vergent. The South defended slavery
as one of it's industrial institutions,
the North attacked it as a colossal
sin, and when the only restraint
against the institution had been swept
away by the repeal of the Missouri
compromise, the North we'll knew that
1t must submit to the slave holding
power or resist its insiduous advance.
Events crowded rapidly upon each
other the attempt to force pro-
slavery constitution upon bleeding
Kansas and it's rejection by the people
of that territory; the raid of the
fanatical John Brown at Harper's
Ferry in 1853, and when in 1860 the
South found itself defeated in the
Presidential election. it realized for the
first time that the North had risen in
its strength to dispute the further ad-
vance of the slavery system and in flu
ture must be reckoned with.
The closing of the political struggle
of 1860 was marked by intense heat
and bitterness. Hatred for the North
had year after year deepened in the
South until the boundary between
free and slave states was as marked
as a line of fire, until at last the ten
sion o'erwrought parted, the Southern
states one after another seeded from
the Union, their members in Congress
delivered their valedictories, and that
more perfect union" formed 10 years
before was sundered.
l do not intend at this time, half
century removed from that awful
struggle, to say aught which may seem
to appeal to the sectionalism of that
time nor resurrect the bitter passions
that swayed men in those days OF
peril and war History hath recorded
the acts of those responsible for, and
who took part in that great struggle
for personal liberty, and by that his
tory will men be judged for all time
to come.
In February, 81 the North was con-
fronted with the solemn fact that
seven states had gone out of the
Union, and that the forts, arsenals,
custom houses and other government
property in those states had been
seized by Confederate: that large sums
of money had been voted for arming
state troops, Georgia leading with
81, 000. 900; that on January 9th the
Star of the West carrying provisions
to Fort Sumpter had been fired upon;
that after a demand for the surrender
of Fort Sumpter on April 11th by Gen
Beauregard and Maj. Anderson's re-
fusal. Confederate batteries had open
ed fire compelling its surrender on the
14th. The South no longer attempted
to conceal her designs. She had
opened hostilities by firing on the flag
of a hitherto united country, and now
stood in open revolt with an armed
force. For the moment the North
stood aghast at the enormity of the
crime, but there was never doubt as
to the loyalty of her people. When
news of the attack and surrender OF
Fort Sumpter was received, the
President called for $4,000 volunteers
and Congress was summoned to meet
on July 4th.
All fruitless discussion was brushed
aside, the predominating sentiment be-
ing the preservation Of the Union
When the call for volunteers came, the
cry rang back, We're coming Father
Abraham and from the farm, and
forge, and the counter, ay from every
walk in life the loyal sons of the North
FASTENED TO enroll themselves in that
grandest army that ever went forth
to do battle in humanity's cause, un-
til more than two millions donned the
blue and went to the front and for
four awful years fought for the pres
ervation of the Union. One of the
great mistakes of the South was in
believing that the North-men were
lacking in courage and those other
qualities that make good soldiers. The
South in a large sense was politically
and intellectually isolated from the
rest of the Union. 1t had built up an