Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-05-11
The Lessons of History.

The Lessons OF History.
Do mankind ever learn from experienceF Donauons OF
individuals profit by the lessons of the past IFS f0es ia
ures and dsastcrs their own or others! Some times,
pcrhsp,-not always or generally We arc sure In the
events Of the last few months and OF those apparently
ahead Of us we are living the scenes OF near cen
tury ago without on the part Of our enemies any ev
dence that they are in the least enlightened by what then
occurred The Northern and the Southern States of this
Continent occupy almost precisely the relation to each
other that the Br ISL Government and their American
Colonies occupied The contest grows out of the same
assumptions of authority, the same nsurpatons the
same abuses that drove our fathers to take up arms-wh
the difference only that grievances are greater than
were theirs The same blind, malignant and suicidal
policy that the ministry Of George Ill attempted to en-
force suppression sutjugatiOn punishment outaWry-
i, now the policy of the Lincoln administration.
Listen to the words of wisdom and warning OF that
prOoundest and most prophetic of Statesmen, Edmund
Burke uttered at that time and make the comparison
they suggest
81 thi, know America. If do not, my ignorance
is ineura5e for have spared 10 pains to understand
it, and DO most solemnly assure those OF my con-
" stituents who put any sort of confidence in my
industry and integrity that everything that has been
done there has arisen from total misconcephon Of
4 this object that our means of reconcing with it af
ter quarrel Of recovering it after separation of keep
ing it after victory did depend, and must depend
upon total remuneration of that unconditional sub
mission which has taken such psepossession OF the
/" minds Of violent men"
These words says the Baltimore So~tWere written by
BY Burke the Shers of Bristol in 7 1t was then that
IN he
and that British statesmen in power boosted of their
competency 10 subugae weak, distracted and infant
communities Uuiou men-those who were Tor con.inu-
ing the Uaou with Great Britain, were then termed
i2gqlists and those il asserted would be upheld in
their pecve colonies by British soldery the regular
aud authorized pow othe Assemblies Hutchinson ohm
SON. Trvoa and others swelled the scarlet uniforms
tered their provinces, golted anticipated coufs
cations and set price the heads of Patrios. Then
ovalist iadges charged grand ures and stigmatz.d
resistance to awless power the &C; Of mobs melted
by tratos-aad invoked the forms Of law for the butch
ery and incarceration Of the friends of constitutional lib
erty.
Burke saw it all HIS high soul scorned to coyrup and
undermine the British Constitution, by seeking pun ish
criminals and pirates his brave brethren conierdrg
for equal rights OF liberty and commerce He the
ISSUE only those prophets can who penetrate the
depths Of the human soul ana rSaz the uncorquerabe
resources OF brave p.ople He no success 10 The
evacuation Of Bosou-or of New York by the American
Patriots He had read the history of the Crusados, ard
knew that mobs of millions had been driven back by
Mahometan courage fighting for home and country He
knew that God came by pcstleuce and storm to thin
down to the measure defeat the sensess hordes who
bad ma3dgucd even virtues into vices and sought TO des
troy those whom they only permitted 20 persuade.
Tue generous soul oths Constitutional statesman stood
like Ireas,-work-uot 80 it uuavailiug-bu, It Ia
re.r itself loy, PROF hatic monitor, whose wisdom
then uuheed d. has since guided the Colonial policy Eng
land. Hcl, hm further;
There never was period in which the sealGstucss
"os some men la, been put to 50 trial g&s Ever
e {, Dickinson and CysL;ng) Il not very difficult for
"welformci minds to abandon their interest Bat the
eparatoa OF fame and vrtae Is an harsh divorce Lib
"srty in dirg7 e being made unpopular to English
"mcn. Cou.eIi.rg for imaginary power, We begin TO
"as,'rs Pee sy't q G.siao'o, and TO lose the relish
"fsr homes, equality. Toe Priacfs o: forcG.hers
bscome suspected TO us because We see them aus,iug
".h, present opposition Of our ohil.sea. TIE faults
'whi,h Grow out Of tie ,uvuruce Of freedom appear
lltc sassN.'i 90 u.s. t''t t.t "dt ''NsN uA-d
'ars gl-cr,yl nom tle rllkutss Of s,Iy uie Accord
81 sly tie least resistance 90 porr appears more uevcu
sa1e 10 eyes than the greatest abuses Of 4bor'ty
" Al dread Of a standing military force j. looked upon as
"a suyer5 Us ptuc. AL shame OF csilag in foreign
ser, al sa,agoi in civil con;es, Is worn OF Ne
"ro, indifferent TO tie Consequences 20 ourselves from
"tts f'r, Of re''ag hl,f He empire by a.sYceaayy
'srori We laugh. believe that a desire of dom.
'iueeng oye- oar c1uatrym5p Is lore 10 OR country
"tnI thu, jh,ss who hate civil war abet rebellion, and
t a, the Gmi.ble aud couctogy virtues leaiy mod
sai3- and tenderness 10 the privileges OF those VINO
"depead ,his hrslon a sort of treason. l. is
'm1o si)le We should remain ouc il 4 situlijn which
breeds such notions u.d dispositions withou. some
great alteration il the Ia ioatl character MANY
"thiucs have been long operating toward gradual
change Ia our principles Bat this American way las
"doae moro in few wears than all the other causes
&C uld have Effected in a century
Who does not see in this picture of Northern senti
ment and tendencies at this day. Arc net the people
sv1yed by Abraham Lincoln the people who sustained
the insane policy Of George III and bis Ministry: Are
rot the people of the South those who gorous and tr
imp santly resisted that policy: With the same high
cause committed now to keeping with the same manly
courage auimatng our hearts, with the same just God
over US who will doubt that the result then will be the
rasult now