Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-10-27
Ihe Qu..,lou 81 Rseoxnlrion.

plltioa on tls subj c. 0, tbs recognition OF the Conied
sacy. l. Can no longer be Questioned that the period
0tPrObaiOa and ,bs severity ofths ordeal through which
8. has passed sn,ids II not merely to admission among
the number Of Independent powers, bat to . distinguished
pAcs for martial proves aud moral greatness. 1t
hiss borne The onset Of armies and d es whose numbers
would have sUfi sed TO destroy almos, any Of the secon.
dary s;stes OF the world. Such vel established soTer-
eighties as Belgium, Dsnmlst, Portugal, Bavaria, Greece
or Sardinia could certainly never have made head
Agsilst the erOsnous appliances which have so signAly
filled to accomplish the subjigalion Of the Southern
States. They have nos only uiJhssOod the arms OF the
invader, bot have horne With fOrtituds the p~riVstiOns 10
which thar isolation from the Wcri SUI sets them, and
amid the sugrOsing SIigeReies Of the var have, with
wonderful energy, supplied many Of the necessities OF
life, in the produ,iOn Of what their former d~ependen.
~ upon their enemies had rendered them wholly mex
Psrisnced. TIE opinion OF the world, influenced by the
misrepresentation Of the Yankees, to whom foreign H.
tsreourss ives almost exclusively coc6led, vas, at the
outset, declared bO'h ss.ins. the justice Of our cause
and our chances Of success. Every advantage Of mum
bsrs. Available resources superior AIMS, greater mechAn-
lsAl skii, aad command Of the sea we're oa the side OF
the enemy. The heroism Of the Southern people, how
ever, has ~rilnphed over these odds, and ven the AP-
plsuIs snd good viii Of the whole world. That public
opinion Of the civilized world which vas 80 unanimous
ssatnsi rs Is NV Alnesi equally so Ia our favor. We'll
then may tie great Powers prepare to take the step
which has been 50 long delayed. II enthusiastic deter
miBsdou 10 be Independent unsh tksu eOnstlney in adj
vsrsi,y, aad un ring energy in the struggle have not eG-
titled sigh. Millions Of people to = separate existence,
few indeed are the stIies Of the world that have dis
plysd tie "!orce aud consistency" requisite to indepen-
dsEcs, or Who retain their nationality by any other ten
use thsn the sufsaqce Of powerful n~eighbOrs.
TIA. the lo-g islay Of recognition has been either
i~jarioss TO the Slaih or unreasonable il ITSELF nay well
Dc doubted. Sim3ls recognition, unattended BY active
lnseTPositOo, would have beea barren Of results. /.
sould not have Al;srsd the position, save in the moral
sssesii would have produced, sni thA; you'll rot have
e1srsed any ind Isaes on the contest The Yankee Gov.
eminent and people have, Throughout: the var shown
the ImpenetAbiH:y Of the rhiloc,rOs to moral agencies,
uueombined With ma.eriAl force. Too universal repre-
baton Of mankind has failed to deter them from the
commission Of atrocities which the fear Of punishment
Las sf~ sctuAly pc,ysltrd. Our recog aiiiol as bsIigsr.
eats sAs al .bAs ve could ask in the beginning Of the
var. I; accorded 70 ~ a temporary nationality, With
corrsAirS rights aud datiea- !! placed Us on trial. The
SaSs- Of battle Vs t,ndsred us, and by iJ ue we're to
prove our RICH. to Independence. Were -e successful,
~s gained I'll that se r,qllfcd did 10 fail, previous re-
eoyuidon you'll 10, have rs5dsrei our sut CATION less
0~oap,ets.
TIE time that - sho1li endure, or the completeness
OF ,be sascssi ss should Do called upon to achieve, we're
in their nature Uncertain. TIE voice Of reNsou aud hu.
msliiy uoali siss demand that the oae sh1ull not be
unnecessarily prJtrlc' ed, nor the osr be rendered too
~CXletng. Hlsgr'cj presidents might be VIriausy cited
70 sci. df roal ys-s- S2Ll, Ujtl Characteristic OF
ssinaey had Te.usei for seventy years 10 acknowledge
th3 indspe1dlacs o. ;hs Ss;iorlladI. Hsr ensHi5s, o.
The other hlud, Asi At Al early period OF the contest
10, only Acknowledge their Independence but rendered
them It'd isnt sss.sSAlss. FAaes hal scarcely waited a
year after the vhnsoa Of American IadePsnisncs
before eel ng ia favorable opportunity Of striking :
BIOS At her hereditary easnb by recognition AID a.
Laaes WITH the O5!oli,s. 6 escs struggled sI years
viii Il. Ky before asr independence VAS secured by
tie allied ase:s ~ N.yAriao. This Sou,h American co..
oriss Of Snain ulds. sen. = ~ more pro.rAe.ed contest.
10 ths, IS in all ia matters VI International concern,
twas eYi3elt that Interest vas m)ee pOSerigl than co1-
s.dsrations Of highland lstbce. We nigh; f-iry ante-
pa.s that lie nations VIVA suffered the u5s. b. the war
would, 30 soon IS prAcaclbls, cI5'. theI: iLHlenes 10
bring Il 70 = close. lathe presen! age, TOO, ~coasidera-
tons Of jIsdcs aCd humanity might have been Supposed
70 be more poSssfGl than =. any former period, and 10
preclude tho pJas5.iJ Of a long aud desOhtiug strug-
gs. Toe decreased dsyJl1;mslt OF national energy, the
advance Of the mse1a1.cL ass, aGd the rea appliances
O. nodsru -iay5n.iol ell09r 10 shorten the duration cf
var. Blows Are struck Wiz 80 much greater rspidity,
armies and d sss are concentrated so mach more readi.
Is, and money expended % much mote Pro,uscly, that
A. may be safely ashamed that a MAJ o. t-O years is equal
Ia Is effects TO Gao Of eight y,aEi a. lie eloso Of tao last
century. Tue tins Tor Saed tis sAr has hs.edi, tben,
certainly Sufficient A. tie present day 10 decide the ques.
ton Of our right 70 ~ildspsnd ice, shHs toe successes
q The s1u,h have bsen unparalleled for miguituIs and
c~oliauily il the history o. any rogclt agLJss 40 eg.ab-
daAsd Government. TLess considerations, together with
the Importance Of peace TO the European PoHeTs, would
lead 70 the eooelusiOn that they uHl not wait much
longer. Too many plausible antioipI'ioas, however,
have sen disappointed 10 the singular history OF the last
two years br u 70 count Nth certainty GU the future.
Tie enforced elesa'iln OF great military operations
durisg The winter SIl Pressat the mOstfsVosAbl1 oPPoe
tanity for the action Of RarOpssn Statesmen Tasy will
probably begin BY attempts st mediation. Ualess the
temper Of the North hAI been decidedly changed, these
oyert1res viii be met by peremptory refusal, or BY Gun
ming evasion. 1t Sil then b cons q question ~Hhstter
the South ia t. be r~eOOEuiz'd 10 dC6 ince OF tie North.
ssoald this COURSE DO estsTu,asd on, It would indicate
no. only 4 deliberate j~iignsnt of the ussleisnesl OF
further perseverance, on the part Of the Moth, but a de-
termination that the SOnth must be rendered ~inispen-
dent. She you'll thea Oecupy . position Ssms"hst
analogous to that Of these States whose eIsteDce has
been guaranteed BY treaty.
The war threatened by the Yankees, as = consequence
Of recognition, would 10. necessarily ensds. They
would swallow their threats - quietly IS they have done
bsfJrs, and Eculi strive still to mlintlin peace In order
10 pursue their var upon the South. This, h~OrSVsr, 1t
vouIib be impossible, IN such a contingency 70 accomplish.