Year: 1861




The people Of the North, in respect to their
views of the war, its origin, prosecution, and
the ends to be secured by it, may be classed
as follows:


l. They who hold that slavery is great
national crime which it is the highest duty
of the Government to bring to an end who
urge that the war shall be carried on with an
express view to its eradication-that the
slaves should be invited to assist by insur-
rectiopary movements; and that-whatever
may be the intermediate political condition
it shall not cease until that object is accom-
plished.


2. They who hold that slavery, being the
occasion of the rebellion, the war should be
directed against it, upon the principle of
striking at the root of the evil, as the best
and shortest means to bring it to an end, and
prevent q repetition.


8. They who hold that the duty of the Gov
ernment is to reinstate the authority of the
Constitution and laws, and that, in the per-
formance of this duty, it should act without
reference to the social relations of the rebel
lious communities-leaving them to take the
chances that are incidental to the contest.


4. They who are in favor OF the restoration
of the Union by compromise and a speedy
return to peace; holding that a continued
state of hostility can only operate to in
crease the difficulties of such restoration, and
finally to render it impossible.


8. They who believe that the separate in
dependence of the North, and not the re-
storation of the Union, is the thing to be de-
sired; and that the only rational object Of
the war is to place the North in a position to
dictate such terms of separation as will be
honorable and just for itself.


These classes may be designated as First,
Radical Abolitonists second, Union Abo-
litionists; third, Pure Unionists; fourth,
Peaceable Unionists; fifth, Separationists.
In the heated party discussions of the day,
however, the first three of these classes are
usually found in co operation, claiming the
honor Of being peculiarly the supporters OF
the Union and the Administration while, in
order to give them bad name, they confound
together the members of the last two, and
call them Secessionists. These combinations,
however, are accidental, and may, in the vi
cissitudes of the times, and amid the rapid
changes that are taking place, be succeeded
by others nor is it by any means impossible
that in the progress of events, the radical
ism of one extreme, which now seems to pre-
dominate, may be replaced by the radicalism
of the other, now in great discredit.


Midway between the two extremes is the
Administration holding that its duty is to
restore the Union, without regard to the ef-
feet which its efforts in that behalf may pro-
duce upon the servile relations OF the re-
bellious communities. In point of fact, il
we are to measure by the value Of senti-
ments, the radical AbolitIouists and Union
Abolitionists, are as widely distant from the
pure Unionism of the Administration, upon
one side, as the peaceable Unionists and
| Seperationists are upUn the other and if the
last two classes may be properly charged
with differing from the Government in opin
ion, it would not be easy to show that The
| first two are not liable to the same con
demnation. The difference between thC
condition of the former and that of the latter
in respect to the Government, is part
difference merely; and to denounce ant
persecute upon the ground of party differ
ence, is the last step, and worst stage OF in
tolerance.


There is no reason, 60 far as we are aware
to suppose that the holders, taken as body
of either one Of the five varieties of opinion
we have described are more honest or sin
cere than the holders of any of the others
Ii is the custom-more honored in the breach
than in the obssrvance-among mankind, Il
charge all who differ from US in sentiment
as being willfully in the wrong. We see thu
Justice and the vital importance of our owl
opinions with such exceeding clearness, tha
we are surprised and out of patience will
all those who do not accept them at once a
infallible. This is especially the case wit
men of narrow views and imperfect concep
tions of truth. The cooler wisdom Of a.
ages, however, has decided that intoleranc
is q badge of error-error of which we ar
secretly conscious, but which we do not de
sire to have removed.


The holders of all these different grades
opinion have, from their several points {
view, reasons that no doubt seem plausibl
to themselves for their adoption; and st
mittipg their several premises, there is n
denying the conclusions to which they a
rive. Admitting that slavery is great nj
tionh crime, for which we, as nation, al
responsible to God and mankind, the Rad
| cal AbOhtonist Ia right. IAdmittlag tn
ifs-. --s