Natchitoches union. [volume] ([Natchitoches, La.]) 1859-1864, 1862-11-27

can we expect Victory to perch upon
: our Standard, when our camp is fuH
OF Shylock's, crying for their pound,
no less than their pound, though it lie
next the heart of their country, and to
procure it requires her suffering and
her blood.
Is this the right spirit?-is 1t the
right spirit at auy time. Still less. at
d time like this, when The burden Of a
great calamity hangs over our country
and should be borne equally upon the
shoulders Of every individual breathing
the air, and living upon the soil of the
soutllY 1t is not the right spirit. 1t
is the spirit of craven selfishness
1t Is the spirit Of toryism It is the same
spirit, rebuked by Patrick Henry with
tho thunder Of his invective end Tho
seatlling lightning of his sarcasm--so
eloquently, that the cry of "tar and
feathers and the more appalling cry
Of the gibbet, was hurled from wrath
ful lip TO lip of the listening crowd
and struck terror to the heart and
speed to the heels Of the rcd headed
Scotch extortioner in the days of the
old Revolution. 1t is u spirit, which
| bids fair to empoverish The people
create dissatisfaction and dissensjop.
crush out every noble and geier.
ous impulse Of the national soul and
eventually ruin the country, If it not
be arrested, Ms it should be, by the
strong hand Of Legislative power. The
INST legislation upon the Exemption
Bill touched indeed upon the subject of |
extortion, but this is not sufficient.
An express law is required with pro-
vision made for its strict enforcement.
II it be objected that such laws smack
Of tyr,nny, and infringe upon tho lbor-
ties OF people, the answer is, that,
where the welfare of nation is con.
cerncd, abstract principles must yeild
to present necessities. II the indiyid-
ual misuse his liberty TO his cwn' detri.
ment and the injury of the people, and
II he will listen to no appeal Of patriot
ism, or of common sense, then he
should be deprived Of his liberty by
the arm of the law. {
1t is peculiarly ut such crisis as
the Immediate present, that the prin.
ciple OF extortion seems out of place, I
injurious and dangerous. Now, when ,
our State is fairly invaded, when the
heal Of the despot is not only upon our !,
shore, but pressing forward to our in r
terior, when the enemy has left his
mark of and blood upon the lovIiest 0
portions of our State, and, possessing, !.
n New Orleans the key TO the interior v
$ advancing, driving before him our G
'nr few and poorly armed troops t.
yhilo our best and bravest arc in the .
ervico of their country in other Dor. !, =
ions Of the Confederacy; and the Gov b
occupied with measures for ii
is own defense, seems inclined to ~
cave us to test the strength and ex. =,
eht OF our own resources Vow Il,
'hen there is probability that the it,
epths OF the coming winter will find re
III homes III ruins, our property III
WePt from us, and our state trampIed f.
nder foot by arapacious and revenge co
L enemy who, remembering that be
is considered the throne of VI
avery and knowing that her sons De
ere foremost and dcadlicst in every liza
title against them will wreak upon her Ito
vengeance signal and sanguinary, ~
nd such a POrtentdons holr as this r;n
here men should stand firm and uni an,
d, and only pure and exalted princi his
IS should fill every soul, is the one J
oscn to burden the people with ex- nIs rJs
'tlonam, to drive bargains and move the
aven and earth in tie amusement the
dollar and cents. Do these people OF
hear the portents that are borne NV ,,'e
on every breeze, or they deaf to cv. mis