New-York daily tribune., 1861-05-26
pEFFCTsoN-PAsT AND PRESENT.

TsEFEETsON-PAST AND FfsESENT.
The country has been struck with amazement
at the wholesale treachery or cowardice dc.
yeloped in almost every branch of the Govern
mcnt service by officers who had sworn fidelity
to it, Europe has been equally astonlshed with
ourselves, imputipg it IT, lack Of genuine, honest
love Of country peculiar to Americans, an ab-
seuce Of all respect Tor the highest Obligations
which men eau assume, and thence inferring that
the whole tone of society among us Ia so thor
ousby demorallzed that tue great Republic Of
the earth is fast crumblng to ruin. We need
not stop to apalyze the crudities Of q conclusion
20 natural to those whose distancet from US pre-
vents their understanding the premises on which
it is based. Time and better information will
perform their inevitable Office OF enabling them to
distinguish the great truth which underlies the
huge mass Of dls0yaty now existing among us.
As we understand it ourselyes, 10 will they in
time become equally familiar with it, This pub
lie amazement was the natural impulse OF every
honest mind, whether here or elsewhere. It's
universally in the North and West afforded the
best possible evidence that the national heart
was sound Every subsequent revelation of
events has been "a corrobOratlon. The reverse
of ttis proposition must be true--tbey only who
felt no such amazemcut must be vile. But when
startled by the thuuder-cap from cloud whose
oyerhanging blackness assured US of the coming
discharge, We thibk no previous flash 81 vivid,
no former explosion so terrific. 1t is thus IN all
human affairs Absorbed IN the exciting agita-
Iion Of The present, we forget the instructive
parallelism of the past
This widespread iufdelity to the Government
il no new incident in American history If Il
modern serpent approached the heroic Scot. with
Infamous proposals, Ducbt, whose sublime
prayer as chaplain to the Continental Congress
melted the hearts OF his audience as often Us be
beat to repeat it, fell away from Lis loyalty, and
enjoys the sole infamy Of bayiUg sought to cor
rupt Washington. While this wretch was prny-
iag to Almighty God for the success Of the Rev.
oluton, bis heart was black with treason. The
Whits of Virginia were So alarmed Mt the idea
Of Independence that they sent Carter Braxton
to turn the vote Of that Colony against it, If any
question on that subject should come up before
Congress. Though John Adams urged the adop-
tion OF the Declaration with nnpetaous eloquence,
vet IL was carried with great reluctance, aud
doubt aud hesitation prevailed even in Congress.
Jefferson wrote that . even after the commence
ment of hostillties tue possibility OF separation
4" from England was contemplated with affection
"by all.' John Adams went even further
than this, DECLARING that there was not
moment during the Revolution when |
"would not have given everything | pos
sessed for restoration Of the state Of
" things before the contest began provided We
I" colld have had suiIi ,lent security for its con-
tnuancc." Galloway and the Aliens OF Penn
sylyania abandoned the Wig cause. So, also
did the SknueTs of New-Jerscy, the Bayards
De Lauceys, aud DE Peystcrs OF New-York
most of them commanding companies or reg
ments. William Stark, the brother of the hero
Of Bennington lett it, and took up arms for the
British. WashiUgton's friend Mackenzie, did the
same. Zubly, delegate IN Congress from Georgia,
turned traitor outright. Gen. Reed made tmid
by Washingtons disasters IN New-Jersey, lad bis
timidiiy removed only by the victory at Trenton.
Nathan lIalo was recognized by one Of his own
relatives while on bis perllous mission, and by
hun was betrayed to u death upon the galows.
Washngton's life was several times attempted,
and cabals, instigated aud shared in by officers
Of high rank were formed to disgrace him. The
symputhes Of even such man as Alexander
Hamilton we're at first in favor Of the Royal
side, as he himself admits in his reply to VII
kins. STbe kinsmen Of Van Wart, who captured
Andre, we're Tories. Every State had its regi-
fpuf hu,a han,
Arnold who commanded one, was no worse than
Beauregard or Pryor. He sought to give up
only single fort. Archibald Hamilton of New
York at one time commanded seventeen cOmpa-
nies of Tories. When Charleston was threat
encd by the British, her citizens refused in u
body to aid in her defense. and when captured
they locked with dsgracefnl sycophancy to
the enemy's standard, eager TO abandon principle
for safety.
The clergy generally refused to support the
Government, and either sided with its enemies
or fed Most OF the great lawyers did the
same, and the violence OF the Tory doctors was
notorious. OF the newspapers, five abandoned
their colors and became traitors. judges, Gov
ernors, and other functionaries without number
fell off in the same way. In fact, tho history
OF the time shows that tho Wings were
as unstable as tho wiRd. Interest governed
many Of them then as now. When their armies
had achieved a victory, all were jubllant and
firm. When they feared the Government was
about TO be oyerthrown, they hastily abandoned
it, m our Southern traitors have been doing
uLder like impression. When dominant in