The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-04-29
WIN n & . iionr strusrfA

VIII IL be . long StruGxf6?
VIII the war be brief. or protractedi This
Is the inquiry on every tongue. The prcba-
biiities are very much balanced. The same
individuals hold opinions to-day which they
combatsed yesterday. did we belong to the
European system Of politics, the great Powers
would interfere to prevent war so detrimen-
tai to the general interests Of Christendom rs
ours will be. They will hesitate TO interfere
on theatre so remote and ours. in all prob
ability. will, American like, be a 4" free fight. ="
The great material interests OF the North
will be far more seriously affected than those
of the South. The agricuiturist Is more In
dependent than the manufactures, ana even
profits by a war which ruins all other classes.
The South can stand a war almost unframed
that would PROSTATE any other nation While
the South would suffer comparatively little,
the North must suffer universally by pro-
tracted struggle; and as that section is the
aggressor, reason would argue that hostittes
will not be long continued
But as it required great and potential
causes to break up so strong Union and so
great Government, 1t must be recollected
that these same causes may operate to make
the war a terrible and a long one. 1t is not a
war of punctiiio between sovereigns /; nor of
admitting of adjustment and compromises
1t is war of passions between hating
and hated races. It Is a war of fana ticism
and subjugation on the part of the North of
scorA and cohtemptuous hatred on the part
of the South. These angry passions are I'M
controllable, transporting and irrepressible--
The South would sacrifice everything it holds
dear before it would succumb to the author
ity of the despised North and the North will
forget all schemes of gain, and throw it's
ledgers into the fire, to indulge its fanatical
hatred of slavery, to "crush OUT the slave
holder.
The Puritans have certainly proved them
selves 4 turbulent and designating race
wherever they have gone; but they have
proved themselves capable of making great
sacrifices in the logged pursuit of their fanati-
cal ideas Their seif-exle from England, and
voluntary exodus from Holland, to plant
themselves on the barren and bleak soil of
Massachusetts, We're not steps taken in the
interest of gain. They turned their backs
upon society and its enjoyments-they bid
farewell to comfort and luxury-to follow,
across dangerous waters to inhospitable
shores, a very foolish and fanaticaI idea -
They think now that the same idea is involved
In their quarrel with the South and we have
no reason to doubt but that they will purs ue
il to the bitter end, with the same phrenzed
tenacity of purpose, and the same frantic
recklessness of consequences. If reason, or a
sense of justice, or calculations of interest,
had governed them, they never would have
picked a quarrel with the South-never, most
especially, on the subject of slavery The
mutual in terests Of the two sections tended
to cement the friendship of New England and
the South more indissoluby and closely than
that of any two peoples under the sun. But
they became possessed by some odd chance,
with the same Devil, or legion of Devils, that
afflicted the Puritans; and among all their
BERCHBRs, kALLocHs, and PARKREs, there is
not one apostle that can cast out the fiends.
We cannot build conclusions in regard to
the duration of this war upon considera tons
of interest. The foes We have to fight are
madmen. The madness which we combat Is
that same madness which has for thirty years
been abusing and villifying the best Gus toners
OF the people it possessed, which has spread
discord and hatred throughout the land, which
has diabolicaily cut the bands of Union, and
pulled down the pillars Of the fairest Govern
ment that ever blessed mankind 1t has done
all this, not in the wantou spirit of vicious
destructiyeness, but In the spirit of a sort of
perverted piety, in the zeal Of God-ser vice,
and the fnrore of blind and sublima,ed IA
naticism.
Is 1t to DO supposed that the same reckless
spirit will stop TO calculate the cost and con-
sequences of a war to which it has been edu-
eating its devotees for thirty years. If you
meet the mailman who has outraged his bene-
factors and ovsrthrown his Govern ment, with
the arithmetic, and barricade his pathway
with additions, multiplications, and sub
fractions, is 1t probable that he will ground
his arms and consent to a parleys 1t would
certainly be very unsafe to calculate upon his
moderation under such arguments.
Reasoning from the past, the probabilities
are very unfavorable to speedy termination
of hostlities. The safest policy for the South
Is to prepare for a long-continued war. Her
preparations ought to be on a thorough and
permanent scale. We should not take any
hasty measures that would interfere with
plans for complete organization, and the most
comprehensive operations. IL the most am
pie military preparations, in a large and we'll
disciplined army, in thorough and compre-
hensive organization, our whole safety and
success will lie. ..r. .r-