Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-05-31
(From tile London 71n,e., sd
.yy
AMERICAN TOPICS ABROAD.
The Spirit Of the North..What Can IL d,

president L'ncolns call TO arms show
OF once the strength and weakness of hi
Government. He is not the ruler Of ,
people bound by tradition or sense of du
tv to obedience. Ife has not, like ar
European Sovereign, the power of cnforc-
ing his requisilions either by his own ou-
'hori'y by Tile assistance of a loyal Eenis
l"'ure.@ lie is simply the first magistra,.
OF number of varying and jealous COM
mun'''es, each having ills own organizatioa,
lis separate interests and prcjudic-s, and
being fully capable Of making these prevail
against the demands of the Ccntral Govern
'nent. A week did not elapsc from the
proclamation of war, to the second DIS
ruPt:on Of the Union. Mr.. Lincoln at the
middle of April was still the head of a
Confederation. of twenty.seYcn States; bv
this time these are probably reduced to
twenty'"ne. The encrgy-we may almost
say tie ferocity-with which this war has
been entered into on each side, indicates a
corfi1ct in which the Government at Wash
lng'on will soon lose its control over events
! he hrst effect of its action is to rouse the
two sections of the Union into excitement,
Which according to all accounts has not had
a parallel since the early days Of the French
Revolution. The long suppress sed animosi-
ty between the North and South has burst
int" flame. To direct the course Of this
civil co"fiagSntion would seem beyond the
power OF Lincoln on the one side, or Davis
On the other. Every Sou.hcrner l,a, been,
suddenly flied with the spirit Of the slave
o~"er, while the vast communities of the
NonF, and West seem animated with all
tho zeal OF the Aholilionists. 1t certainly
passes understanding that the New Yorkcrs
~i'o' a few '1apths ago, would have cx-
clu'icd negro from an omnibus, and were
disposed to think the AntiSIavery Par,Y.
very little better 'ban the blacks it favored
should thus on a Sudden rusl, to the ex-,
trene of a"i,nos,y against the Sou,herners
with whose Claims they formerly sympa-
|'''zed' whose trade they mainly carried on
and whose plantations, # common fame
does not belle them, they not infrcqnently
held to stock by impor,ations from Africa.
but to doubt the fervor Of the New York
population is impossible, and it is coualed
by the excitement at Philadelphia. Gin
"inn"ti. and other great cities. President
Lincoln has given the signal, but the battle
S'll he fought By independnt States, we
nigh: almost say independent associations.
regiments. and companies arraved against
caclI other.
The wa'like character cf thes'U nitcd
Sites population has. no dout t, large
part in those results. From his earliest
Youth the American has been accustomed
!" military display and TO hear of military
adventure. While yet childs6s learns
the use of ristyt and rifst in the towns
there are drilling and marching, and drum
"'ngsaod fling almost daily, in which he
at once takes III interest, and soon comes 10
bear part. His fancy is inflamed BY
stories Of the Revolution, and Of 1872
little mythica! it may be, but no, the les.
nsp'riting. Atthis time, howevershe feels
That the fates are adverse esashin lie is
Forced TO play at war, while his fathers and
The great men he reads abOu, had thesRSaii
fortune TO wage it. If lie takes To- bysiHislssSis
he may forget These martial INSTINCTS fbr Il
time, hut there are all over the States mum.
bers Of young men 10 whom the love Of
adHentnre can never be suppressed. Even
in the full tide Of prosperity an innate rest
|essnass often tempts the. American 10 sell
ont and migrate to-some distant part of Lie
Union, where the white mapfs eglsure ae..
yes into the wilderness. II may be, too,
that the consuIsio"s in Europe, ihe battles.
'eges, romantic expedit6ns, the downfall Of
'yrannies, and4tbe, exaltation of heroic
names may ls ei,,sd. .ho bieod 81 the
New World: sHG~cver that NAV be. no
sooner does tho trumpet sound than the
American people rush into the conflict with
fire and alscrity whiJ, we can scarcely
asctibe to Politicai5causes. As FAR as we
IAN discern the Nor,l'ssbrs have no. stayed
moment to inquire what Ia the object Of
'he war; they care not what is feasible or
prudent or advantageous. To conquer tile |
Southern States, and t6 hold them By. couS
quest is the inieatiaqsss.ich We mu,s lossI
'"''y dedpee fronas HE Presidents Fsocls-,E
!na''9p 'n but the Nosh thinks of. nothing
but gpnisling traitors apd pJlisg down.
'''e Rs'H's.io flag; inost,erskogis;ss aants|
to.''sat and probably any plaassos sasia9a
ont .1''. Me South BY q long ,Jiosks fslasnt,l
fgh'ipg ~os'd Be received sisI, di,J
satisfaction. - go = ss - d
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