“ [69] will undoubtedly receive the approval of the people in all the loyal States.
We dislike to believe that the sole wish of the President is to be supplied with the means of prosecuting a war against the South, and that Congress will be asked to do nothing more than pass force bills and raise money for their execution. A war based upon a spirit of revenge, or a disposition to subjugate the States now assuming an attitude of rebellion, will not long be tolerated by the people. If we have no nobler purposes than to gratify our passions, we shall soon witness a sudden and overwhelming reaction all over the North, and the Governments of Europe will interfere to bring our quarrels to a close. We must not long embarrass the commerce of the country. England looks to the South for cotton, and will not, for any length of time, permit the blockading of Southern ports. The refusal of the Black Republican leaders to yield any thing of their contemptible party creed has weakened, and is still weakening the Government. The Border States would have been as firmly bound to the Union as Rhode Island herself, if Congress had adopted Crittenden's resolutions, or even the proposition of the Peace Conference at its recent session. In the free States there is a population of nearly 20,000,000 of souls. In the seven Confederate States there are less than 3,000,000 of white inhabitants. Even if all the Border Slave States should be against us, the difference in point of numbers would be as two to one. Under these circumstances the Christian world looks to us for a magnanimous, not to say generous policy. We must be liberal toward the South, in all things, where liberality can be deemed a virtue, or we shall become a hissing and by-word in every civilized community. Starting with these reflections, which seem to us true and appropriate, what shall we say of the duty of Congress? Is it not to make such offers to the revolted States as will give reasonable men there assurances of their safety in the Union's keeping? Is it not to do what alone can allay the fears of those thousands who are now ready to fight against us, because dreading their own subjugation and degradation? Is it not to remove, so far as it is in our power, the apprehensions of good men that we mean to wage a sectional warfare which shall end only in the overthrow of their institutions? Is it not to satisfy the world, by generous acts, that we still love forbearance and peace; that we do not willingly array brother against brother. We say, let Congress, on the first day of the session, put the Government right, and put the North right, on the questions which have led to this quarrel. Deny it who may, we began this controversy. We began this interference with State rights. We have been for thirty years the aggressors. We have produced, by our own wilfulness and bigotry, by our exhibitions of hatred and affected superiority, the very state of things from which the country is now suffering. Let Congress turn the tide which is now setting against us in the minds of thinking men. Let a fair, reasonable, liberal, honorable compromise be offered at once, and let the offer be kept before the South until the controversy is brought to an and. ”Providence daily Post.
“ Men of all parties, possessing intelligence, patriotism and independence of character, have been adverse to the political expediency of any attempt to reinforce Sumter; and when the proposition was made to abandon that fortification, upon tho urgent request of General Scott, the measure was hailed with joy as a peace-offering. We have never attempted to justify the Secessionists, any more than we have attempted to vindicate the clamors of Black Republicanism; but we have simply disapproved of a line of policy on the part of the administration of President Lincoln, which, if carried out, must entail upon our country all the horrors of a civil war. We did not believe such a policy would restore that Union, but expressed our opinion that it would forever defeat its reconstruction. Seriously impressed with the belief that our opinions upon these subjects were the reflection of the sentiments of the people of the country, we have given utterance to them. But for so doing we have received from Republican officials and others in this community coarse abuse and defamation. Events have demonstrated how well founded were our opinions. The attempt has been made at provisioning Sumter, and what is the result? Fort Sumter is captured by the Southern Confederacy--the Administration is defeated in the first onset. The Southern Confederacy has the prestige of victory. Has this defeat demonstrated that we have a Government? On the contrary, it has clearly demonstrated that fanaticism and imbecility rule at Washington. Overriding and disregarding the counsels of Gen. Scott, the Administration first declares for war, and then, when told by Gen. Scott that Sumter could not be relieved with a less force than 20,000 men, sends forth an armada of four or five vessels, and less than one-fourth of the number of men required to insure success. In disregarding the advice of Gen. Scott, President Lincoln has entailed upon the country the disgrace of a defeat in the first onset.
But the past is past, and cannot be recalled. As a choice between two evils, we would have preferred separation to civil war. The “powers that be” have chosen the latter alternative, and the destinies and honor of our country are in the hands of a weak and imbecile man, the tool of a party which has, ever since its organization, been arrayed in hostility to the Constitution and to the perpetuity of the Union. As it is, Abolition fanaticism bids fair to involve our whole country in the horrors of a civil war — a war in which brother must meet brother in the deadly conflict. While we will stand by the honor and integrity of our political institutions and civil authorities to the fullest extent required of loyal citizens, we do not feel to rejoice at the dark clouds which seem to be settling over our country. We will leave to Abolition fanatics the pleasure of rejoicing over the downfall of the Union, and the substitution of the evils of war for the pursuits of peace. ”Auburn Democrat.
