The Constitutional. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1860-1861, 1861-02-02
Ut - EINEsKsEp."

present, makes hasty and complacent
retrospect of the past, and seems TO Grieve
little for an event which is in reality more
momentous than any which has oc-
CURED for centuries. He dwells but little
upon the "decp dainnation of the taking
OF" Of a power which but yesterday was
recognized as one Of the mightiest upon
canh and looks with a real, or affected,
sang .Jioid' upon the melancholy re-
'uains of the mghtiest republic that the
world has ever known The. writer in
question, with infinite sclfsatisfaction,
frees the South Of all blame in this matter,
aud says with evident disqualification
we can lay our hands upon the corpse
without ;hc fear Of accusing blood
As tor oursrlf we do not believe the
South can exhibit pure skirts in this mat
ter. We do not arrogatc all the justice
and right and propriety to ourselves. We
believe that the fanaticism and dcmagoS-
ism of Southern partizans have had their
share in this great calamity 10 the world,
and in reviewing the causes which have
led TO this result, we must look at facts MS
they are and were, ard in the lessons of
ihc past gain wisdom for the future. We
are of that number who regard an ulraist
as an unclaimed devil, loosed ms scourge
upon any section where he may exist, and
we believe that there have been fanatics
Of this character at the South as well as
the North. We believe too that Southern
dcmagogucs have aided in the dismcmbcr-
mcnt Of the Union; that they have worked
and plotted for any and every result which
would advance their own selfish schemes.
We believe and know that this desiruc-
lion OF the Republic has been effected by
partizan leaders at the South as we'll as at
the North, and that If it were not Tor the
corrupt and vile traitors who have been
nurscd and honorel in all sections of the
Union, and the blind and mad and reck-
less rule of party spirit which has
controlled and swayci the public mind for
sclfcIii and sclf-dcstruction, the republic
Of the stars and Stripes would have been
to-Gay, rs yesterday, the governing power
of the world, instead of the dead giant to
which the finger Of scorn is pointed, and
which is the jccr ana laughing stock of
tyranny everywhere, and in all places.
1t Is in sorrow, not in anger that we
make the IumiliatiuS confession that the
people Of our own section have been dupcd
and betrayed by selfish and INSCRIPTIONS
leaders and advisers, and thus the South
has been paticTs crlm'nS in this great
national calamity.
Were we not to realize Tie truth rs il is,
the experience Of the past would bring to
Us no wisdom for our future guidance, but
with the same condition of things in force
and future existence, we believe that Il
new republic would end as the late one
has that no power on Garth could pcrpct-
ua;c fire. government with The same in
.iurncrS in existence agi ut work for lis
destruction. iIrHcc il 4. that we spcal.
plainly and point to the rocks upon which
wrh9Vc been wrecked, that they may avoid
them lor the future We trust that our
iriIDw-cirizcns will reject calulv and dis
pas,ionatciy upon these subject matters,
and set aS they ought with reference 10
the d,ma@o@ucs who have wrought our
ruin. The question will again be presented,
however much the phazcs may be DISCUS
go and if the same influences obtain and
govern, the same result will Il, certainly
follow as the night dccpcn5 upon the IA
ding sp!cndor Of the day
In the words IF The picayuuc, Tie solu-
ton Of the great problem of sclfgovcrn-
mcnt is thus announced: at is finished"
Within less than century the new bca-
con light Of liberty which famed with
such sflrnIor amid the general gloom and
darkness of tyranny and dcspo,isln, ha,
gone out perhaps forever. If we can re-
kindlc it upon the altar of purcr patriot
ism, the last hope Of the world may not
h1N. nnri .br1 uft,rI,. and ,l,,r,,.L,, 49,,
MS calmly and earnestly work for 4 future
which shall not di>Sracrth memory of the
mighty dead, whose wisdom AMI patriot
ism art the common inheritance Of the
American people, and fthc banner of the
stars is strnck down forever BY the hands
Of their children, and is to-day, trailing in
the dust an unmcaning, and disiiscd, and
scnaelcss rag, let us remember that
there were days, when beneath its folds of