The Oxford intelligencer. (Oxford, Miss.) 1860-18??, 1860-08-15
4 Then. and Now.

|
Then, and Now.
HIrNAx nature in all ages of the world, has
uniformly been the same; and the same motives
which powerfully influenced the conduct of men
hundred years ago, will affect, with equal
force the opinions and actions of the men of the
present day.
During. and for some years anterior to, the war
of the Revolution, state of things existed IN
this country, not essentially unlike that which
now unfortunately exists amongus. The English
ministry put forth the most preposterous and
sta, Ting claims to power, just as the Black Re
publicans, and Federalists, and Squatter Sover-
eighty advocates of the present time are accus-
toned to do Then, as now, sagacious and patri-
otto men. aware of the fatal consequences of con
ceding the powers claimed, placed themselves in
an attitude of resistance to the authority con-
tended for, and were denounced as ''rebcls'
trators-for their conduct Then as now, there
were men to be found among us, called "toTlcs.
in those days, who upheld every claim of govern
mental authority, denied every asserted right of
the colonies and people, and counselled a craven
submission to the opprcssor. We do not be-
lieve, however that all the tories of the Revolu-
ton were so UNANIMOUSLY vile as they have gene
rally been considered to have been 1t is true
that a large proportion of those who took up
arms against their native land were abandoned
miscreants-mere maurauding bandits-who de-
serve only our cXccration; but there were
great many patriots, among the tories of that
L., l;ol, anl colon Of
duty. Loyalty to the King was n sentiment
which was inwrought with the very being of
many generous and undetermined men; and it
has given place, in our day, to the equally I'M
reasoning sentiment of blind devotion To the
Union. Other patriots were tories solely be-
cause they were timd men, who, although they
would have regarded the independence Of the
colonies as something cmincntly to be desired if
they had considered its achievement possible,
took counsel only of their fears, and sided with
tho mother country, against their secret inclina-
ton, because they thought the colonies were too
weak TO carry on the unequal strife Of arms.
Just such men, to-day, are supporting Douglas,
or Bell, in the South because they are afraid
that any attempt to assert our rights will result
in a struggle with the North in which we shall
: be worsted; and it was 10 the fears Of all that
: coward class that the sympathetic Prentice APP
pcalcd, the other dry, when he said that Missis-
sppi, if she were to seccdc from the Union, would
be whipped by Great Britain, and compelled
to pay the Union Bank bonds. Then there was
was large class Of tories also who, satisfied
with their gainful occupations, were opposed to
anything that might have the effect of diminish
ing their pccunary profits. Consequently, they
deprecated the agitation Of all questions involv-
ing the rights of the colonists, as being calcu-
: lated to disturb the repose of the country, and
denounced those who inveighed against the
'stamp-act, after ithad eenrepcaed, trouble
some and pcstilcnt 'abstractionists", who made
complaint when no oppression existed. Then,
as now, such men insisted that nothing ought TO
he done, until case of clear, unmistakabc, and
uncomfortable wrong had first been pcrpctrated.
: Not so, however thought the so-caed ''rcbes" of
J, that day, who well knew how steathily the en-
a croachments of Power upon Liberty arc made,
/ and that their only safety lay in promptly repel-
| ling the first approaches of aggression.
Then, as now, the advocates of Power, and of
, Peace at any price, were greatly addicted to The
pastime of calling names" Assuming to be
loyal and law-abiding citizens, of the most
praiscworthy description, they cndcayorcd to
: exc out the deficiencies of their arguments by
2 the bestowal, upon their adversaries, Of choice
= cpithcts of various kinds, among which, as al
ready intimated, the terms rebel and TRAITOR
were most frequently employed, just as ''seccs-
sionistr and "disunionist" are nowadays resort
, ed to, as terms of rcproach, by men who are con-
scious that their armory Of reason is exhausted.
Then, as now, the advantages of the existing
: state of things were depicted in the most glow
+ ing colors, while the Imagination ran riot in dc
r vising terms in which to express the horrors
# which were to follow disruption. Arguments
e were constantly employed. now, which proved
G that those who employed them regarded those
: to whom they were addressed as men Of small
. sense and less courage, who were insulted by
the supposition that it would be easy to cajolC
or frighten them into a surrender Of the most
precious rights of man, without which, life, hay
= ing lost its dignity, has also lost its value.
Then. however. as now, such arguments af
Z, fected only small portion Of our people. The
: danger to our liberties was too apparent TO b.
S obscured by the empty cry Of rebellion,
4 which. like secession at the present day, wa:
used as a scare-crow to frighten the simple gull:
rho are unable to comprehend the distinction
between names and hiagS The efforts ofthOs'
r who thus opposed their countrymen were inei
y fectual in the end. They prolonged somewhat
e and embittered, great deal, the revolutionary
I struggle; but spirit Of enlightened patriotism
/; was aroused in the land which swept them awal
before its breath into an oblivion deep as tina
e which awaits those mistaken or fearful politician
2 of the present day, who prate of disunion
n when they should be found arrayed in the rank
of those who love the rights and honor Of thef
% section more than they fear to be called "seces
it sionists.''v