The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-12-06
--H@o8o-U-
TAe Southern Character.

We clip the following from the address
Of the Rev. DIR. Bellows, President of the
United States Sanitary Commission, de.
livered before the Unitarian Convention
at Brooklyn. New York, Oct. 18th:
"No candid mind will deny the pecu.
liar charm Of Southern young men at col
lege, or Southern young women in socie-
ty. How far race and climate, indepen-
dent of servile institutions, may have pro.
duced the Southern chivalric spirit and
manners | will not here consider. But
one might as well deny the small feet and
hands Of that people as deny certain in.
bred habit Of command a contempt Of
life in defence Of honor or class a talent
for political life, and an easy control Of
interiors. Nor is this merely an external
and tiashy hcroi>m. 1t is real. 1t show
I'd itself in Congress early and always by
the courage, elnquence, skill and success
with which it controlled majorties. 1t
showed itself in the social life Of Washing.
ton by the grace. fascination and case, the
free and charming hospitality BY which it
governed society. 1t now shows itself in
England and France by the success with
which it manages the courts and the cir.
cleS Of literature and fashion in both coun.
tries. 1t shows itself in this war in the
orders and proclamations Of its generals,
in the messages of the rebel Congress,
and in the essential good breeding and
humanity CONTRARY to diligently encour-
aged public impression) with which it not
seldom divides its medical stores, and
gives our sick and wounded a. favorable
care aS it is able to extend to its own. 1t
exceeds us at this moment in the posses
sion Of an ambulance corps.
| think the war must have increased
the respect felt by the North for the Sunth.
Its miraculous resources, the bravery Of
its troops, their patience under hard>hipS,
their unshrinking tirmneSs in the despe.
rate position they have assumed, the won
derml success with which they have ex.
tcmpcrized manufactures and munitions Ol
war, and kept themselves in relation with
the world in spite Of our magnificent
blockade the elasticity with which they
have risen from defeat and the courage
they have shown in threatening again and
again our capital, and even our interior,
cannot fail to extOrt an unwilling admira.
ton and respect. Well is General Nc.
Clellan reported to have said (privately),
aS lie watched their obstinate fighting al
Anietam, and saw them retiring in per.
feet order in the midst Of the most fright.
ful carnage: "What terrific neighbors
these would be We must conquer them,
or they will conquer us"
The war, then, must have shown us that
we underrate the power, the charm, tine
advantage OF slave civilization. No base
cowardly, idle, worthless people could
have waged war as the South has done
II is necessary to concede this to put our
selves in any proper attitude to estimate
the nature Of this war, or the way out Of
it. In my judgment, no virtue, no gra
ces or charms, no exalted gifts or qualitie.
Of a governing class compensate in any
degree for the lack of essential equality
for the violation of Fundamental principles
Of political ethics and social morality
The South has a political and n mora
falsehood. n social and economical curse
spiritual cancer at the very heart Of hei
life Her charms arc hectic, her vigol
inflammation. Cleopatra drinking pearls
with an asp in her bosom is not more
Iated beauty but no one can deny The
interest Of the doomed creature.
Whatever, then, is good or spirited, in
tellrctual or moral, at the South, her re
"gioiuis "siioiui teachers, her high toned women
her innocent children, quite as much al
what is bad, selfish and ambitious, il
pledged to the war, is living in the re
belliOn. 1t is necessary to know and con
CesS it. 1t shows us equally what slavery
can do and has done to change its sup
porters into its own likeness; it account!
for the complete absence of any UnioT
sentiment; itenables dsto understanrfth,
nntiring resolution and determination o
the people in carrying on the war. Their
never was people animated by create
unanimity, or willing to make create
sacrifices to demonstrate their sincerity
aud achieve their purpose"