Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-08-14
Hrisl, View of rhe War in America.
q L-..ao.. In. A..airL. ,EIllem.

I ACAttE AEQAA W AhAs CAaSANE y
The press of Europe has shown very col
rect knwoledge Of affairs il this country, and G
the principles for which the South is contending
They have, generally, sustained the South il
the cause in which she is engaged, and told tn
North many wholesome truths Of which she
either ignorant or to which she is totally blin'
1t is, perhaps, the comments of the Europeal
press gghich have opened the eyes Of many peo
pie actoss the ocean to the exact state of affairs
and Induced the publication of the following
letter from Nj VIM. Smith O'Bien. 1t is, per
haps, of no great importance to us, what Euro
pean papers or European statesmen say o.
think of us; still, we appreciate the world''
good opinion, and only ask for justice in tina
opinion.
Mr. O'Brien says he does not approve Of oul
peculiar institution, and would gladly have seer
the Union restored but it is now too late, as he
believes that secession. is 81 az fait accompli.'
and the hatred between the two sections is in
creasiDg daily, thus rendering q reconstruction
of the Union an impossibility.
Mr.. OBrien's sentiments are doubtless the
sentiments of majority of the rejecting minds
of his country; and, as such, are of interest to
cur readers Here is his letter. Il is addressed
to Mr.. Richard O'Gorman, and is published in
the Dublin Nation, of June 2lsI:
LETTER OF wM SMITH OBRIEN.
KiLLNEY, COUNTY DUBLIN, June Is, '62
My DEAR O'GoRMAN: In common with all
friends Of the American people, l continue to
regard with horror the inteTnecine war which is
desolsting the states Of America. The brutal
and disgusting proclamation which has recently
been promulgated by Gen. Butler at New Or
leans, realizes to our imagination the worst fea-
lures Of this struggle. Have you and your
friends at New Yoik calmly asked yourselves
when and how this contention is to end l
implCre you, IN the name OF humanity, to cast
aside She illusions with which an occasional tri-
umph fills the minds of the Northerns, and to
cons der whether il is possible that you can sub
jugate the South, and whether If it were posi-
big, such subjugaton ought to be desired by the
lovers of free institutions You know that l
am not AN advocate of slevery-yOU know that
I deeply dsplored the secession and condemned
those who provoked it. 7 may add also, that l
would have rei0iced if the secession could have
been put down ct the commencement by the au-
thoTities of the republican case they hsd been
supported and assisted by majority of the in
habitants of the Southern States but even
since the battle of Bull Run, have felt thBt,
for good or for evil the secession has been an ac-
complished fact (m fat accomPH), and that an
attempt 10 bring together again by force the
discovered members Of the republic, would only
produce disasters greater than those which
would result from breaking up the Union into
several sections. The progress of the war has
confirmed these convictions
Tnumphs have indeed been won by the Fed
erals as well as by the C0nfederatesi but what
evidence can be brought forward to prove that
any impression has been made in support Of the
Union upon the minds of the S0utheTns by
these niumphs I viii not call them conquests,
because lhe Federal armies have conquered no
ground except that upon which they stand. The
war has brought TO sll parties the most costly
sacrifices. bat il appears to have left the minds
Of the con.ending sections of the population in
state Of more intense evaporation against
each other than existed at the commencement
OF toe last Struggle Nor ought you to forget
that many OF our c0UntTymeu IN America are,
at this moment, violating those rights OF self
government which they wish to apply in Europe,
not only to ireland, but also TO Poland, to Hun
gary, 70 Venelia, and even to the I0nian Isles
The statesmen OF England say that The govern
meu5 OF those Islands by England IS infinitely
better than any government could be which
would depend upon Greece. Yet the Ionian
Islanders continue to declare, year after year,
that they desire to be incorporated with the
Kingdom of Greece rather than to be protect
ed" by England and all the friends of freedom
think that they ought to be allowed to choose
for themselves in regard to such ques-
ton. Ia like manner, the Inhabitants OF The
Southern States Of America may or may not act
very unwisely in desiring to re establish TOR
themselves an independent COntederacyi but no
one can now doubt that such is their deliberate
choice, and, this being the case, to attempt TO
coerce them against their win into connection
with the Northern States Is a violation Of the
right of self goYeInment-is, in fact, tyranny.
Has not the time arrived when calmly Judging
men, such as you, can exercise q med&toTial in
huence2 The authorities at Washington are
compelled 70 follow rather than to lead
public opinion upon this, as upon all
other occasions You, Individually could rem
der no greater service to humanity than that
which you would confer by first cOnYening a
mediat0rial committee at New York, and by sub
sequently inviting a mass meeting to proclaim
its opinion ii favor Of an smisbe adjustment of
difference on terms which shall be consistent
with the honor and security Of all sections of
the American people. Above aud beyond all
other considerations, beware of foreign inter
venti0n." OF course, you will understand that
mean by this term armed Intervention, not
mediation. From the day on which
foreign arms shall be brought to compel pacif-
cation, the prestige and dignity Of both the Con
iederate and Federal States will be lost forever
Believe me, my dear friend, yours most sin
cerey, VIM S. O'BRIEN
r chard O'Gorman, Esq, New York.