St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-07-11
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Decentralization Of the, South.

OF philosophers. Judged by the ordinary
rules Of, human action, it IL gineQ,pprel.cn-
sible as it is 0piversal. The states repu-
diate their stocks, aud the. people select,
q thsir leader and chief, the originator
and leader Of repudiatiop, thus n.king
the trampling upon Sta,e obligations a
principle Of political. actiou Dishonesty
on tho part Of the State is Infected iu
the tai"t Of commercial honor. cMer-
chants whose wares were purchased on
credit, complained Ut no lack Of ability to
day, aud with abum liant mesus of neet-
ing their notes, repudiatsd d. their obliga-
t.ous, Witnessing III triumph the bpnk rapt-
s., which they briug upon their. creditors.
Collecting agents, holding funds collected
VI their own people in trust for northern
creditors, apply them to their own usces,
making the war, which themselves help
ed to originate, the apology TOR their. viola
ton Of faith. Cabinet ministers who,
while ip the service Of the goyernmeus,
plunder.d: the national treasury in aid of
! rebellion; who, while the nation was con-
iding IN their honor aud their regard for
o&cial oaths, were concocting tr. ason; and
who, while enjoying the dignity aud
recievipg the emoluplents. Of otic;al place,
played the pesulator, the cen>pirator, and
the spy, are placed high in position, made
Generals, have place among Southern
gentlemen, aud a'e accepted in.all respects
as honorable men. }: Military aud naval
officers, who were educated. by the Feder-:
Il government, who were clothed: by it,
fed by it, supported by it, given a high
status in society BY it, desert;the flag they
have sworn. to support, and join in, a
grand conspiracy tor its Destruction:
With all this intamy attached to, them,
Southern society pets, ac9 "Southern chiv-
airy honors them. Foreign Ministers
aud Consuls prostitute their positions to
the injury Of the nation they represent,
and play the traitor through the letters
! which gave them credencc, and violate
The instructions which they were sworn to
respect. All these violations Of duty, all
these perversions Vt princ'' ~ Ill :.::s :.::s
abandonment .. : ;uannood, ali this tramp
ling upon everything which honorable
men, aii over the civilized world, hold sa-
cred, arc accepted by the Southern ,niad
as evidences VI patriotism, and no word
OF dissent is'uttercd BY Southern society,
und no line OF censure finds place in The
Southern press. Governors applaud, and
Legislatures approve it all, wLile the uni
vers.l sentiment pronouuces it in accot-
dance with Southern ethics, End the s,uc-
tions Of chivalry. ~ - Pc. y '''': =. To-.
The reason VI this moral cbliqu;ty or
degradation will be sought for in vain in
M,y popularity OF the governments and the
disIoyal States. There is notLing in that
which should OF ITSELF turn ali the moral
perceptions upside down, or obIiterate ill
instincts Vi Integrity from the Southern
heart. Ibis treason is caus, less enough,
and; this rebellion sufficiently inexcusabls;
but their madness does uct necessarily
make sceundrtis OF an cutire people. 4
false patriotism ,nay imrel uleu, iu redress
Ut imaginary wrongs, into treason We
can entertain a sort OF respect t:ro their
motives, while We pity and condemn their
folly A State ,uay rcbet against tile gov.
ernment, but this alone would not prompt
1t to repudiute It's debts owing It'll over the
commercial world. Individusts. may Join
in: the 7. .belIioa without violating thcii
honor as commcrciai lnen. Officers may
throw up their commissions without play:
ing the peculator and the SPY. II ::
| We repeat that the cause Of this gcncr,
al derc!iction lies much deeper than tho
rebellion: It has its origin in the pecu
liar organization Of Southern socicty--i.
the legitimate and inevitable result oi
Southern institutions, acting uppn apd
forming the principal stratum Of SyutIert
character. The people who live upon the
uurequited labor Of a race, whose theor,
Of civilization Is based upon the pcrpetua
ticn eff gigantic=xroa,sa,, e, have =bu
SMALL appreciati,o Of the principles o.
right. lie men whose prosperity Is bull
: upon the unpaid toll ot millions. the gain'
Of whose industry, above The simplest elc
ments Of 4 bare existence, ,hconstitute tn,
staple Of their wealth, can have bat q fai1
pereeptlon Of the true obligations of com
percial honor. The lay of the plantatip,
is the coprice Of the master, and This. lav
, shapes his character and lis commercial
( idess. A people who bu7 and sell mel
) can have but imperfect ideas Of public mo
Hlity, aawmeysiel integrity, .:or 5prixat'
firth. Il i ths outcroppipg Of the dcwer
slizing Influences Of slavery that We wit
i. u,ss il this pervading degradation. III
!. instits,iea is.besrins its1esitim1te fPddits
i as well in this. Reputation 5of Shtc obliga
! tons, this violation of commercial holor
tbs abuse :, etieial IS trust, Which are nov
= exhibited 70 an astoo'shed worla. as ],
q the treason that WOULD overthrow the 'Ke
u public, itseaR.s-aNsae. York' :1iN,esos} 4''
4 ~ noL-a. - a..aaG 9w cGuToto
aahr:?Partngtonn Fl ssy s. st1bsehrae t1sehrae ~, j. no
/ eseush'efthe. spaa Of severity tl& 4