The Oxford intelligencer., 1861-05-22
Northern Enthusiasm for War.


The Journals If The Eastern cities have beep
iabofrs. for month past to create the impress
sion that the war feeling was excited through
out the e1tirs North, to the highest pitch, and
Chat the masses there were cianoring for the
immediate subjugation Of the South. They rep
resent their whole population as being eager to
volunteer their services for the war that Lincoln
has inaugurated, and as being kept back with
difficulty from general and spontaneous upri-
sing in support OF the stars and stripes. Their
best men, they tell us, have taken up arms for
the purpose of proving that they have Gov
eminent Our linen Of chiysiIy," they boast
ingly announce are to be confronted by their
linen Of prayer" and we are referred to the
.1ronsidcs" of Cromwell as examples of the
kind of soldiers we may expect to find in their
ranks. We comprehend very clearly, we think,
Che policy Of otr enemies. They are playing a
desperate game of brag. They have succeeded,
to some extent by artful appeals to the popu-
lace, based upon the most unblushing falsehoods,
in arousing fictitious enthusiasm in their larg-
er cities, which has suppressed, for the time, all
freedom Of speech but this reign Of terror has
not extended to the rural districts, nor can it
long continue to prevail in the cities themselves.
Intellect will soon resume its sway over brute
force, and thinking men, convinced Of the hope.
lessness Of the task of subjugation will oppose
the further prosecution of war which can only
result disastrously to themselves. Indeed, a re-
action has already commenced at the North
The utter falsity of the pretencc that the South
desires any thing more than simply to be lei
alone, begins to dawn upon the minds of theiI
people, and they cannot much longer be msled
The character of the Northern volunteers has
been grossly misrepresented Wilson's regi
mcnt, from New York, is composed exclusively
Of professional thieves, and Ellsworth's Zouaves
Judging from their ruffianly conduct in Wash
ington, are little better. Possibly some Of tn
older volunteer organizations, such as the I'll
New York regiment may contain many element
Of responsibility but, in regard to the new lev
les, we are satisfied, from the concurrent test
mopy Of numerous gentlemen who have com
In contact with them in nearly every one Of til
free States, that they are literally 1.-THE offscour
ings of the earth" The Guardian a Black r,
publican newspaper published at Paterson, \
Jersey, affords, in its issue of the 7th inst. n
Indication Of thcmeans employed to swell tn
ranks Of the Northern volunteers. II gives tn
names of eight criminals, who had been Their
convicted of various offences, ranging from cour
terfeiting to sheep stealing, and who, instead c
being sentenced to the penitentiary, were allow
ed to escape the punishment due to their crime
by volunteering in Lincoln's army of subjugs
ton. The Guardian talks of the patriotism
of those jal-birds, and is jubilant over the ser
thusiasm' of the war spirit In the North. W
need not be surprised to learn, at any time, tina
the doors of all the prisons in Yankeedom hav
been thrown open, and that the hardened in
mates of those abodes of guilt have enthusiast
cally come forth, as one man. in support of tn
greater villain who dcfes the seat of Wasl
ington.