Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-10-18
FRIDAY MORNING. OCTOBER Is, 1861

MHetHeI CouQueTlng OF CoHqutleu, VIII
feel the grip of the oppressor around its
neck, and awake, too late, to the sorrow
full conviction, that it once possessed the
substance of freedom, and let it slip out
of its grasp when catching at shadow,
that shadow being the subjugation of
their friends and brothers, separated from
them by necessities growing out of eli
mate, character, and material interests,
and not out of ambition or desire of do
minion.
And if these two noble brothers could
but be induced to shake hands and part
as friends-if the George Ill. (without
his fright divine to govern wrong y of
the White House could but be allowed
by his people to recognize the Washing
ton Of the South, before too much hui
initiation and defeat shall have been ac-
cumulated upon tho Northern cause, the
North would gain very memorable
victory. 1t would lose nothing by the
detection of the South, with which it
might easily conclude treaty, by which
the two might be separate in their inter
nal relations, but one and indivisible as
against the rest of the world while they
would have the nobler part of continent
on which to thrive. Better than all, it
would recover and establish on solid
basis its fast vanishing liberties and
would be able to prove to now incred-
ulous world, that military despotism
is not the necessary end Of democracy
founded upon universal suffrage. The
two must separate sooner or later; and
better to-day than tomorrow. The long
er the result is procrastinated, the great
er the burthen that must be fixed upon
the present and all future generations of
Americans, and the greater the danger
that freedom itself will perish in the
struggle. We know that the. words of
counsel will fall UNDECIDED upon the
Northern people, who have not yet suf-
fered enough to learn wisdom; but we
feel certain that the day will come when
every American now living in the North
ern States, and aiding and abetting in
the suicidal as well as fratricidal war,
will rue the day when the Southern Sc
cession was not recognized and accepted
as the best thing for both, and incom-
parably the best for the North When
a hundred millions sterling shall have
been added to the public debt, and the
interest of the sum has to be betrayed by
an income and property tax, how long
will California and the rising States on
the Pacific sea-board consent to remain
in the Union? Not Gay longer thar
they see reasonable chance for effcctine
their secession.
The South can act on tho defensive
without a ruinous money cost; the North
cannot act on the offensive without in
curing liabilities that will break the
back Of the republic. A thousand men
defending their own soil are equal to ten
thousand who carry fire and sword to in
wade them. All experience proves it;
and when the country to be invaded is
as large as five or six great European
monarchies, the invader should remem-
Der the fate Of Napoleon in Russia, and
pause ere he commit his fortunes to 50
desperate an enterprise. And much as
we abhor negro slavery in theSouth, we
must confess that we should much prefer
to see it left where it is, for time and
circumstances to remedy Or overthrow,
to seeing the North reduced to the HUI
initiating position Of military autocracy,
in which the liberties Of white men would
be annihilated without the slightest in
crease of the liberties Of the black.
Tho North may be assured of one
thing, which is, that if the war last much
longer, and the South continue to win
all the battles, the kingdoms and states
of Europe Grea. Britain among the
number-will be compelled to recognize
the Southern Confederation as de Iacto
government. In our day governments
cannot listen to debates upon the dc jare
when the dr. facto is before .hem; for if
they did, they would be involved in
succession Of wars. The King Of Italy
is recognized by England and France
because his kingdom is fact; and the
Southern Confederation bids fair to be
Acknowledged on the same principle.