The Placer herald., 1861-12-07
The Baptism of Blood.

stance, shape and design. The idea passes
from the few into the dull brain of the ma.
ny, and these moving in concert, nj AXE par
iy organizations. Although the few may
feel deeply, the objects of party, to the
many it is but half jest at most,-a mere
trick of the cunning and smooth takers
to- obtain place and emouments. The
mass of men engage in the contest, from
love of novelty and excitement-.lev have
no deep felt interest in ito them it is all
talk, talk, froth fuss, foam and fudge.
1t is only when some moral Rubicon has
been passed that they are led to behold their
own fate enveloped in that of nation
Once Across this boundary, they never look
back, and in the deep earnestness of their
souls, their devotion is sealed even to any
sacrifice. The tax that did not reach the
understanding or enchain the heart, is exl
changed for action-and this they compre-
hend.
What haranoues in the Clubs of Paris
what speeches in the legislative halls, how
Mirabeau thnndered, but it was not revolu.
ton to France, until the Bastile fell, for
then flowel blood,- the people of
France IN heart and soul, passed over that
rive: of human gore shed by their brethern,
to the great revolution, and never turned
back,-to this day the cry is on-on-on.
We do not mean to be understood AS as
serting that this was the beginning Of
the French revolutie n,-no man can say
when that commenced.
Before this talk it was fitting in shape
less ideas through the brains of men: =
through all the talk i, became an idea in the
minds Of men,-a dream,-a fearful night
mare TO some, positive thing with the few
The epoch that distinctly marked it to the
comprehension of all, was this first sacrifice
the sacrament of human life the baptism
of blood. Look back at our own revolu'
tion of 1915, and see what opposite and
discordant clemens were cemented, by the
same sacrifice. The Puritan round head
and the Papist of Maryland, the cavalier, Of
Virginia and the Quakers of Pennsylvania,
and the llugenots Of the Carolina>, what
WAS ever so diss milar and antagonisic? vet
the blood of Concord and Lexington bound
them last AS brothers in the common cause.
The time for talk had passed, and the
time for decisive action, and for sacrifices
had ntetvened; li>corlant rel sions and
nation"Ii,es, were swallowed up in the bap,
tism of blood. This made it the cause of
The people. lIenceforlh there WAS 10 turn.
ing back.
These are two examples from familiar lis,
ory,-have they no moral for the present
hour: 1t was the policy Of the Administers
ton of Mr.. Buchanan TO avoid consecratinr
The cause Of the South with the baptism Of
blood, bat the Republican leaders, si,i; upon
this policy As emheri!e and cowar,llr,-as
the teachings OF a irrcliling and craven
spirit. When they seized the rens of GOV,
ernment they did the very thing the leaders
of the South desired ,-called an army into
the field to maintain tie Union, by shedding
Of blood
Tie night the Fire Z,uaves entered Vir.
ginia, wa, fearful one for the American
Union. The President wept over the fallen
Ellsworth and our flags dropped at half mast.
His body was laid in state at the White
House, borne in grand funeral pro
cessions through the cities of the East. and
amid the tolling of bells and the boom of
minute guns, WAS consigned to his last rest
ing place. The people of the North mourn
ed his untimely fate, and in their hearts he
was consecrated as martyr to a glorious
cause.
Quietly the neighbors in deep but subdued
grief, gather the remains of Jackson. and
remove him from the gaze Of his berea>ed
wife, to the village church yard for burial
But this is not the end of it, from the
hearts of the wives sisters and mothers of
the South, comes up the sympathetic sob of
grief, and the obscure man, in the manner
of his death also becomes the martyr of
cause, and they take upon themselves the
care Of the widowed life and from their
own slim purses pour forth the material aid,
until it counts hundred thousand dollars
And now, and in time to come, the story of
Jackson's death, will be related around MANY
a hearth stone, AS the first sacrament of life
to their cause-as its sacred baptism of