Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-05-23
THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.

The course of the rebellion ran smoothly
until the 10Th of April, from which time we
date the great awakening of patriotism. No
calamity, no disaster interrupted the desperate
reveiry of the traitors. In the flush and ex-
liberation of their early successes, they set no
bounds to their merriment. Recently, how
ever, change has come over them, and in
place of "shouts of laughter" they give us
lamentations and announcements Of protracted
fasts. Here is ore expression OF terror, full of
the blacklist of falsehood, TO be sure, but still
promulgated under panic =
The north is at blood-heat from Maine to
Nebraska. Every city, village, and county is
in arms. One continuous roll OF drums sweeps
the land They outnumber the south more
than two to one. They boast of untold mil
lions of wealth, and exhaustless provisions at
Go@msad They are armed and eagap ed
-aaoiitlIs ago 10 me sourn they had an agent in
Europe buying SOC, 900 more arms of the most
approved pattern. These are being received
by every steamer. And what is the spirit
that moves the vast north Revenge and
hate stream through every column Of their
Journals. Cancellation, peace, and mercy are
banished words "War to the knife, "extermi-
nation of the rebels, "crush the traitors" are
the common forms Of their expressions. The
south ia to be overrun and crushed forever
her proud spirit broken, her property confs.
Gated, her families scattered and slaughtered,
and then to remain through all time depen-
dency on the "free and sovereign" north.
Powerful armies of fanatics and plunderers
are TO be quartered in our cities and towns in
the south, dlctaiing to us laws at the point of
the bayonet, and the slaves to be turned loose
with more than savage atrocity on helpless
women and children. Every friend we had in
the north is silenced, the entire press is against
us, and the ministers of religion, without dis
tinction, are praying for the "holy cause, =
the utter reduction Of the rebels. AT the bot.
tom of all this lies the insane idea, held by
many OF the leaders, that it is their religious
duty to exterminate slavery and make the
"Irrepressible Conflict doctrine universal.
The men who have acted with and tor the
SOUTH Pierce Buchanan, Fillmore, Cass, Ev-
etett, and Dgkinson,-al have bowed before
the torrent OF fanaticism all have left us, and
chime their voices in the fearful chorus OF
northern indignation. Aged ministers of the
gospel, presidents of colleges, and editors If
religious newspapers, all, without exception,
SO far as we know, urge on the maddened and
bloody populace. The vast north staggers
under its load of wrath, waiting only Tor orders
from the usurper Lincoln, TO oyerwhelm the
south with blood and chains.
1t is the appeal of the editors of Nash.
vile, Tenn, religious and secular, loyal, if the
utterer OF such an appeal can be loyal, and
disloyal Some OF it is wickedly intended to
excite the already frightened people of the
state to frenzy, and to ride down whatever
union feeling remains fighting against terrible
odds. But the mass Of the people, startled in
the midst of, their guilty career, by the univer
sal voice of preparation, calling on the govern
ment to- vindicate itself and re establish its
salgsary and benefcient power, have learned
10 believe that war of devastation and ruin
awaits them. In the meantime, many citizens
of northern birth and union sentiment are
flying from the state as from a pestlence,
and those who remain do so at their
peril. If the r4ign of terror were attend.
ed by the slightest indication of remorse
there might be hope for them. But the great
err the panic OF the New Ashantee, the great
er its passion to dash itself against the govern
ment which would otherwise defend it from
every shadow OF harm. The destructive
madness which rules the enemies of the gov.
eminent, makes peace with them impossible.
Equally impatient of halting counsels the
loyal people of the country ask with one
voice that their heroic soldiers may not be de-
moralized by long delay.