Year: 1865

War with France OF EnBlah".


General Lee has surrendered That is the
news of the hour-the supreme news OF our
century; and we have now moment to think
seriously and calmly on the duties devolved
upon us by the termination Of the rebellion.
II is not only the privilege but the duty OF VIC
tors TO be generous, "a by such a course fresn
laurels are added to their fame and their
ascendency is more firmly established. pow
erful people, who have so gloriously attested
strength more than adequate for every need,
can well afford 10 treat their vanquished do
mestic enemies with the splendid lenency ex-
hibited in the terms Of surrender proposed by
General Grant and accepted by General Lee,
while regarding with silent derision, or ignor-
ing altogether, the foiled efforts and
hopes Of all their foreign foes. Our
great popular struggle, now virtually closed,
finds us with vast interests in both
sections Of our reunited country demanding
prompt attention; but with no revenges to be
gratiaed, nor any inclination to squander time
in the costly luxury Of obtaining rctribution for
bygone injuries. Over the errors of the South
let veil be thrown forever; while for the
wrongs inflicted on US during the past four
years by the governments Of France and Eng
land we can best obtain satisfaction by show
ing to the oppressed populations of those
countries how superbly contemptuous of for
eign interference-how grandly magnanimous
to the misled and chastened children Of our
own household--the ruling democracy of this
continent can prove in their hour OF trl-
umph. 1t Is by an example OF The ever
increasing prosperity and grandeur of our
reunited country, acting on the aspira. ions,
English masses, that the unwisc and unj,,st
policy of their respective governments il f.go-
of the now almost extnguishcd "cor!edcracy'
can be most eifectually punished-!hcso gov
ernmcnts in their blind hatred and jealousy Of
our free democratic system, having estlblished
a precedent in granting belligerent rights to
rebellious States which mus hereafter, and
before long, prove fatal to their own exia ence
They, surely, of all others-only existing by
legitimacy and divine right-should have been
the last to recognize and abet any insurrcetion
against organized national authority; and,
least oil all, an insurrection against govern
ment so absolutely free and equal TO all Sec
tions and classes as was, and shall here
after be, our own. If, for alleged wrongs
Of anticipation or frivolous theories of
pride, certain States of our Union were
justified in rebelling against government
under which all had equal right and
protection-their action receiving the approval
of the French Emperor and the active sympathy
of the British arstooracy-how will the 40
count stand when the oppressed French and
British populations rise up against the in
tolerable political expressions and physical
privations under which they now groan, and
from which their only present hope Of. escape ID
by emigration to this generous landf


The struggle we have just brought to an end
has not been in the least understood abroad;
nor, indeed, has its full purport been revealed
to any but the most thoughtful and farseeing
of our own people Earl Russell declared II to
be ga contest for independence by the
South, and for empire on the part of
the North"-than which 1t Is impossible
to conceive or frame any statement of equal
brevity containing errors 80 gigantic. Our





even--in any strict sense-for the constitution;
nor will It be found, when closely scrutinized,
war declared or carried on by tho regu-
lar machinery Of our government for the vindi-
cation of its national authority. This war has
boen peoples war for the maintenance and
supremacy of the peoples right TO govern them
selves--a war as much for the true, ultimate
;vxo ~ - H.
people; and having for its main object to re-,
affirm and establish once and forevermore that
the will of the majority, peacefully and legally
expressed, must and shall be the supreme and
irresistible power Of our whole country, to
which tho minority must peacefully and legally
submit, or be prepared to take the con-
sequences All will remember that in the
early days of Mr. Lincoln's previous
term his Secretary Of State and other
Cabinet Officers held grave question as to the
expediency or even "constitutionality" of
attempting to prevent by military force the
secession Of any sovereign State" from the
Union. They fused and dawdlcd over this
for more than month, many prominent repub-
licans being openly in favor Of ON unresis.ed
separation. But ut last by the mad folly Of
some few Southern leaders, Fort Sumter was
fred upon; and then at once, with magnif-
cent unanimity, our whole people arose in
their might, brushing aside as cobwebs oil
technical opposition TO their will, aud herooly
demanding Of the authorities they had placed
in power arms and organization for the
reasssrtion Of the supremacy Of the ballot
over every square mile, and foot, and inch
Of their indlvisible country. How little The
regular machinery OF our government appreci-
ated the gravity Of that crisis, or the intense
earnestness Of our people In their resolve 10
maintain popular authority In all sections, the
FIRST Ridiculous call for "scventy-fve thousand