Weekly Trinity journal., 1861-11-23
[From the New York Ercniag Post.l
Charac of the cbcIIiOu.

The German mind, with that clear philosophic
insight which is one of its principal character
istics, discovers the true nature and bearing of
the revolt against the quiet of the United States.
In late number of the PreuSsische Jah,Juch,
an able quarterly periodical of Berlin, we fluid
this stated with remarkable disinctncss and
precision. The revolt of the Southern people
against the American Union, it says differs from
every other revolt in history, aud proceeds upon
principles altogether unknown in Europe 1t is
not rebellion of the people against an unrght-
eous and oppressive authority, but of dssats-
fed class against the people, 1t is u conflict be-
tween q stagnant conservatism and a genuine
progress between despotism and liberty, between
materialism. looking to its private ends, and
dcalism looking to the good of the race, between
a relic of teudal barbarsm and the inspirations
of the nineteenth century.
This is q true view of the case. The Southern
rebellion revcrses the precedents of history, and
appears in wholly new character There have
been civil wars in different nations, in which the
various parties of the State have contended for
the mastery there have been outbreaks of the
masses, of greater or less numbers, against the
constituted authorities; but never before has
there been so wanton and deliberate an attempt
to annihilate a Government which had never
practised any abuse, and which the rebels them
selves admitted to be the best in the world
The instructions of the Roman provinces against
the Empire were the rc-ac tions of a subject peo-
pie against and ovcrshadOwing centrallsm the
various peasant wars of the middle ages were
the agonzing throes Of II poor down trodden
class of mhorcrs against the enormous outrages
of corrupt aud merciless privileged class; and
the fearful uprisngs of the French mobs against
the administration of Louis XVI, were only the
elimination of series of popular discontents,
which, under the wicked and lcentlous rule OF
the IIouises, had been gathering head for nearly
two hundred years. In the same way, in all the
minor revolution OF Europe, in Italy in Spain,
in Hungary, in Ireland, the multituaes were in
duccd to rise against their rulers because that
rule was felt to be iniqnitous, unjust and tyran.
ncal. In every case, the insurgents designed
to overthrow an abusive power, to eradicate
dccp-scatcd wrongs, TO better the condition OF
the many, establish free principles of govern
ment and advance the great cause ol human
rights and human progress. Their aims were al
ways grand, noble and just, even when their
means were inadequate OF their proceedings
vindictive and wrong.
But our Southern rebels look to wholly differ
ent objects. They make war upon free and
benilicent Government, against which no man
has ever rightiully uttered complaint, not to
further any great principles Of humanity, but to
crafty their selfish ambitions They break
away from republic whose corner stone is free.
dom, to erect another republic whose corner
stone shall be slavery. They endcavor to over
throw u society which has conferred unlimited
privileges and blessings on the human race, and
which is eaping forward more rapidly In the
career of civilization than any other on the
globe, to form another society in which the
generic forces Of civilization are fatally lcttercd
and para yZed. They are not content with n
poliical experiment which has converted the
wilderness OF an immense continent iuto tccming
fields, covered it with prosperous villages, lillcd
its homes with plenty sent the rich products OF
,ls il,,.n npgI
hospitablc mansions to the poor, the distressed
aud the wronged of all climes, and won glori-
Gus name among the nations, But the black
aud hateful spirit Of the prmcval Satan, when
he "eycd with jealous leer mnlgn" the luXuriant
beauty of the early Paradise has cmbittered
their hearts and piqucd their envy. They have
longcd for other fields and another policy They
have longed for state in which the many de
prived of the chance Of future advancement,
should be hcwers of wood and drawers of water,
and themselves the supreme and only lords.
Visions OF an equatorial empire danced before
their minds-Of an empire surrounding the Gun
Of Mexico, as the ancient Roman empire sur
rounded the Mediterranean whose wings should
be the cotton, the sugar, the rice and the spices
of the rich tropical regions, and whose base the
eternal servitude OF the African races. For that
splendid dream they let slip the dogs of war, ar
rested the prosperity Of thirty millions of people,
turned robbery, arson and rape into the bosom OF
their own communities, and hazarded the peace
of the whole civilized globe.
There is, moreover n no less striking contrast
in the characters of the men who promoted thl
rebellion and that of the agents of other REBEL
ions, than there is in the grounds on which they
have respectively proceeded. A cause which
has no more moral worth in it than the cause OF
an inccndiary who wantonly fires his neighbor :
house is not likely to attract high class OF sup
! In othpr urpoI rpyOIt9. visionary ana
unsuccessful as they may have been, the chei
agents have often won the admiration OF man
kind by the dignity and nobleness of their devo
ton. Thus, the Americans have had their Wash
ington, the Poles their Kosciusko, the Italians
their Garibaldi, the English their Hampton, and
the lIungarians their Kossuth. All were men 0
probity and honor which even their enemies
were forced to respect. Ia the wild insurrcctior
of the Irish in 1908 the leaders were moved
by generous sympathies and exhibited the loftles
| traits Of heroism and personal integrity. INT
names of Fitzgerald and Emmet still kindle thu
love Of those who would not have approved th'
objects of their enthusiasm. But our SoutherI
/ rebels will leave no such memories. Scarcely
4 conspicuous man among them is man of csti
mable virtues Jefferson Davis otherwise repu
table perhaps, was wilful repudiator Stephen
is a renegade, who he betrayed the cause he ha'
cloquently defended Slidell, blackleg aud
peculator Floyd, a thef Benjamin, no better
Ross, their Commissioner in Paris, q frauduen
purveyor of estates Wgfall, betrayer o
trusts Pryor, coward and others, corruP
and reckless spectators The illustriods ahe
best virtue of the South shrinks from the contac
with such characters. 1t has retired into th'
shade it is no longer seen in the 'front.' ranks
and base and selfish natures usurp the genera
control.
Thus, the American rebellion has no elevation
of principle to relieve its crimes, aad WI nave
no exalted personages 10 dignity its lall. nc
right, generous or holy purpose will propitiat'
the criticism by which an impartial posterty
will Judge it and no amable and sweet ba
misguided, enthusiasm in the character OF III
perpetrators will throw tender charm over th'
recollections of its misdeeds.
"NoTIs-De dissolution of coparsnps here
toto resisting twixt me and Nose Jones in d.