21 means. There is not a numerical majority to-day of the men who uphold the present war, who have a thought beyond the maintenance of the more unity of the nation. The great truths which lie at the root of the conflict are unfelt and unacknowledged. The Middle and Western states are still plethoric with old prejudices — Illinois is voting the black man from her borders. The Democracy of Michigan, in their recent convention, have proclaimed as their brightest hope, the speedy overthrow of Secession of Abolitionism — and this is the principle, or rather lack of principle, which represents hundreds of thousands from the Delaware to the Missouri. Millions have no higher thought. That they rush to the battle field by thousands, indicates no reinforcement of the idea striving on the side of freedom. Among them are thousands of brave, truth loving, God fearing men ; but the mass are oblivious to the meaning of the war. The darkness of oppression and the light of freedom are one to them — hating alike abolitionist and rebel — fighting for the opinions of forty years ago — believing it possible for Sumner and Davis to rush into each other’s arms, apologize and be friends, and for right and wrong to fuse into a fugitive slave bill. Through all that vast section there is a ponderous mass of inert mind which can only be moved on emergency, by a determined, concentrated, mighty effort of the enlightened thought of the north. By degrees the light is dawning upon it. Here and there start forth from doubtful company, strong, manly defenders of the true liberty, who come to the work with the zeal of new converts, and in many cases, with about as much knowledge, who need direction and encouragement. In Boston, Providence, New York and Philadelphia, are thousands of merchants who stand waiting for any kind of a peace, that a south
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