The mountain Democrat., 1863-11-07
FROM The LsadOa ntUstTsasd News.
The Revolution I'm the United Stat

war by America, II was predlcted that the
attempt of the North to subjugate the
whatever might be the effect upon
the seeding States-would inevitably lead
to the overthrow Of Northern liberty. A
huge debt, an immense standing army,
and centralized Government we're all
necessary to the prosecution Of scheme
so stupendous and that the Republican
freedom, of which the Americans were al
ways so ready to boast, could co.exist
with these, was so manifestly impossible
that the best friends of the North were
those who most earnestly deprecated the
war. But the desire Of the Northern peo-
pie for the unity of the Republic-to be
maintained at all hazards and at any sac
ri6ce-was then, and is now, so passion
ately unreasonable as to have blinded
them to all the consequences of the strug-
gle-consequences alike fatal to the digni.
ty, greatness and happiness of the North,
whether it fail or succeed in its object
Twenty years ago, when the disruption Of
the Union was publicly discussed, as not
only among the probabilities but the GER
tainties Of the future, the most eminent
Americans of both sections we're of opin-
ion not only that the separation would be
peaceably efected-like the dissolution of
q partnership that has ceased to be either
agreeable or protitable-but that would
be for the advantage of all concerned
The South imagined that it could success
fully carry on a system of government
based upon the patriarchical model and,
while enriching itself and taking care of
its negroes, solve the problem of labor
without entailing the chronic pauperism
that curses it in the old world, where the
aged and worn.out laborer has no claims
upon those who employed him while he
was young and strong. The North, on
the other hand, not only looked upon dis
ruption without disfavor, but continually
threatened it, in order by that means to
free itself from the stigma Of slavery which
it had neither the right nor the power to
abolish. So recently as the election of
Mr.. Lincoln the best minds in the North
were Of this opinion. Even Mr.. Seward
all his life an opponent Of slavery-pro-
claimed officially, as Secretary of State, in
circulars to his ambassadors, to be COM
municated to foreign powers, that coercion
of the South was a policy alike suicidal
and unconstitutional. Mr.. Everett, form.
erly Minister to the Court of st. James,
declared the same sentiments. Mr. Hor-
ace Greeley, of the Tribune, one of the
ablest and most honest leaders Of the Abo-
lition and Republican party, was in favor
of letting the South depart peaceably as
the best means of restoring the purity of
the flag which, while it was a flag that
protected slavery, he had declared to be
"a Haunting lie" and "a polluted rag"
unworthy to be unfurled in the free sun
shine.
Had this prudent course been adopted,
the North would have escaped a mountain
of debt and national bankruptcy, stand,
ing army, which will of necessity trample
out its liberties, and that maximzed form
of Government which is but another name
for despotisn. Possibly, too, if this poll
cy of mastery inactivity had been pur.
sued. the South, after short probation of
independence, might have found it to be
its interest, for commercial and other rea-
sons, to sue for re.admission into the fed
Grafton from which it had withdrawn; and
the Union would have been restored with
out the eqkindling Of hateful passions, or
the shedding Of single drop Of blood.
But this was not to be. A whirlwind
Of excitement arose. The Northern peo-
pie were carried away by it, and nothing
would satisfy them but the subjugation Of
their brothers. One by one the prudent
statesmen, such as Mr. Lincoln, Mr.. Sew
ard, Mr. Everett, Mr.. Greeley, and others,
became infected with the madness of the
crowd. The voice of reason was silenced
The sword was made the arbitcr of ques.
tions that no sword can decide. Battle
succeeded battle, with no other result than
the slaughter of hecatombs on both sides
battles that settled nothing, and only
proved the martial valor of both peoples.
And what scandal it was that two such
brave combatants should not have learned
that the subjugation Of either was impos.
sible. For two years the North has been
in this impasse Sometimes losing, some
times winning, it is at this moment as far
off as ever from the accomplishment of its
designs. The South, with no advantages
except that of Immortal hate" which is
better provocative Of valor than all the
wealth and bounty money in the world,
has maintained the contest with heroiSm
that has carried mems hearts captive with
admiration and the North, with every
thing on its sjde-riches, numbers, COM
mand of the sea, and possession of the
legitimate Government-findS itself in an
undertaking which all the true friends OF
liberty, in every part Of the civilized earth.
except in Washington, consider to be Ut
terly hopeless.
But, while the North has done little or
nothing to END the war, it has done much
to end its own liberty. The Government
established by George Washington has
ceased to exist. The Constitution founded
by the fathers of the Republic has been
abrogated on the plea of military necessi-
ty, and can never again be restored. Mr..
Buchanan was the last President of the
United States. Mr.. Lincoln is the Presi-
dent of a geographical division and of a
sectional party. Martial law prevails eve
rywhere, except in New York, New Jer-
sey, the six little States of New England,
and remote California, too distant to suffer
by or take any interest in the illogical and
murderous conflict. In all other portions
of broad domain, the discretion of Pro-
vost Marshal, or a blundering dragoon,
suddenly converted into dictator, super
sedeS all law. The Courts are powerless.
The press is under surveillance stricter
than that of France or Austria. Men are
torn from beds at midnight and consigned
to a military prison, without Intervention
fudge or jury, or the speculation of any
real or supposed offense. In contraven,
tion of the fundamental laws of the Fed
Grafton, and of every State that comprises
it, forciblc conscription of the young
men has been ordered; and the project Of