Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-07-17
SIMPLE REFLECTIONS

a
il watld be well that The sincerely patriotic voices
should be raised FOR the purpose Of imposing silence
on The passion of party and calling the nation to The
calm examination Of The prospect before IL From the
triple point Of yieW-mitary, fasncid and political
the march of events IS OF nature to insnire anxety
rather than confidence The desired end seems more
distant every day sacrifices are accommodating em
bar rasments augmenting, and the difficulties OF tb
future disclose proportions beside which those of the
past are as nothing. New complications arise each
day, and Ike the entertainments of the Conederates
obstacles reveal themselves behind those which are
overcome. The eighty days which Mr. Seward de.
manded on the 3Oth OF November, 1861, to annhilate
secession, have than doubled and far from the
promised result beiag attained, the perspective has
clouded instead of CLEARING up the advantages gained
have only served to revrS the extent of what vet re-
mains TO be done Thc desired end itself has ceased to
be very distinct when consider the circumstances
which make reconstruction task, much arduous,
and indeed much more problematca than was at frs.
! anticipated.
In this situation, we repeat, there is duty to be
fulfilled to the people, other than that of encouraging
them in fdtterng Illusions Of magniyng the victories
I,-of extenuatlng tee reverses-ot conceang the
bIanders-and of bndly approving everything that is
done This fatal system has already produced sufficient
evil, and 1t is high time that it should be abandoned,
and the people aced ia, to face with the real truth
unfortunately the saying this has become so thankiess
8sk, that those most convinced of its necessity shrink
before the d-nuncaons of the temporary unpopuarity
which they would have to confront The American
political education, much boosted Of appears to have
formed Very small number OF men capable of COM
pretending that the real way Of serving Cnes country
is not always 10 follow lie current OF public opinion
but rather 10 refuse cOurageousy to with t-eyen
at the risk Cfdspleasng it. The right Of free speech
is nopopozad almost exclusively by the organs oi
the party oil extreme measures aud If, now and then
voice IS raised IN opposition, silence is Immediately
imposed upon it by moral Intimidation if not by
material oppression,
This is bat danger the added to all those
by which the American nation finds Itself surrounded
We should probably be correct il saying that it is tbs
greatest OF &il Tor there ls condition for
people than 0r it to be ching in a path when tht
light Is obscure, ard when, to speak, it does moi
plainly see the spot which it sets its foot. Mori
than one traveller has persisted from having followed
road 8t each of which he expected to fad an out
let, exhausng himself 10 effort after effort against con
tinued obstacles and f0ay finding his strength worr
out at tie foot OF an iDsurmouDtabe preeipice. We d
net say that this will be the fate reserved for the Anne
rican nation, but we do dare to say that the momen
Is come for it to lock fairly where it going and wha
road it is following.
10 nduc2it to take its situation into consideration
1t would hardly be necessary to recall to it what it ha
so often said IN past times about analogous event
winch were happening il other countries. DuriD
the long years OF its easy and dazzling prosperity
has frequently had occasion to be spectator c
revolutionary commissions which agitated certain coun
tries in Europe. 1t condemned with unresarve
vehenaDce the policy of OPPRESSION the domination
the strong hand. the c0nfscation of properly, tn
restrictions GPon he freedom of the press the acts
rlgOr towards rebel!ious populations and most 6
peciaLy against the feminine portion Of them /
WIS indignant about the Surveillance over strangers
and assumed tone of menace at the slightest want
respect shown to any OF its diplomatic or consula
agents 1t sustained that to subjugate people wa
to enter into perpetual strife with them TO inaugr
rate an odious and perpetual tyranny to purchase Il
uncertain and rness domination at the price OF runou
sacrifices. 1t claimed for every nsurgent rationale
the right to be independent and to govern itself in
own way. 1t demonstrated, in fact, by placing il
own example in juxtapostion with that Of Europea
nations, that liberty aud republicansm needed neth
war, standing armies national debt, nor onerol
taxes, nor overwhelming bu2 et. Let i recall toda
d these souUenirs of past which hard dates farth
Z back than yesterday, apply them to ta events whiC
- are to-day taking place at home, and draw those co
cusons which it is not business to put into slap
Il Courier deS Eats Un1S, June %.