North and the South
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sures been carried out by our Government at an early period of the
rebellion, even as ill-prepared as it then was for war. The North have
been preparing for war ever since, but the rebellion has been steadily
increasing, and there is now no better prospect of its being subdued
than there was months ago. Thousands have lost their lives, and many
have returned to their homes, maimed and crippled for life, their health
gone, their earthly prospects forever blighted; and yet how little has
been gained! Thousands have been induced to enlist with the under-
standing that this war was to exterminate slavery; but now that they
are fixed, they find that they have been deceived, that the object of this
war is not to abolish slavery, but to preserve it as it is.
Those who have ventured to leave their homes and sacrifice their
lives to exterminate slavery are dissatisfied. They see no good results
from the war, only the preservation of the Union, and for this thousands
of lives must be sacrificed and homes made desolate. Great numbers
have wasted away and expired in hospitals; others have been taken
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prisoners by the rebels, a fate more to be dreaded than death. In view
of all this, they inquire: If we succeed in quelling this rebellion, what
has been gained? They can only answer discouragingly: Nothing.
That which caused the rebellion is not removed. The system of slavery,
which has ruined our nation, is left to live and stir up another rebellion.
The feelings of thousands of our soldiers are bitter. They suffer the
greatest privations; these they would willingly endure, but they find
they have been deceived, and they are dispirited. Our leading men are
perplexed, their hearts are failing them for fear. They fear to proclaim
freedom to the slaves of the rebels, for by so doing they will exasperate
that portion of the South who have not joined the rebellion but are
strong slavery men. And again they have feared the influence of those
strong antislavery men who were in command, holding responsible
stations. They have feared the effects of a bold, decided tone, for it
fanned to a flame the strong desire of thousands to wipe out the cause
of this terrible rebellion, by letting the oppressed go free and breaking
every yoke.
Many of those who are placed high in command to fill responsible
stations have but little conscience or nobility of soul; they can exercise
their power, even to the destruction of those under them, and it is
winked at. These commanders could abuse the power given them
and cause those subject to them to occupy dangerous positions where