The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-03-20
Mlistellalleous.
From the "Revue Rationale"
DISUNION:
DEGRADATION WITHOUT REMEDY

DEGRADATION WITHOUT REMEDY
The civil war which for two years past ha
divided and devastated the United States hai
produced its evil consequences in Europ
also. The scarcity of cotton occasions grca
sufferings. workmen of Rouen and Mul
house suffer no less than the spinners and wea
vers of Lancashire. Whole populations ar
reduced to beggary, and have no resource, oil
hope of sustenance during the winter, bu
private charity or aid from the government
In such cruel crisis-in the midst Of sucf
unmerited suffsrings-it is natural that th'
public opinion of Europe should he unset
tied, and that they who prolong the fratrici
dal war should be charged with culpable am
biton. Peace in America, peace at any
price, is the urgent need; is the cry of thous
ands of men among us who are pnchcd with
hunger, the innocent victims of the pas
sions and resantments that embrue in blood
the United States.
These complaints are hut too we'll foun'
ded. Tho world to-day isa compact of mu
tual interests and obligations. For modern
nations, therefore, who live by industry,
peace isa necessary condition Of existence
But unfortunately, If it is easy to Indicate the
remedy, oapp!y II mostinpossiblc. Until
now, II is only by means of war that we
could hope to reach the end of the war. To
throw ourselves with arms in our hands be-
tween the combatants, for tho purpose OF
imposing truce upon them, would be an
enterprise in which Europe would exhaust
all her resources, and to what end? As Mr..
Coburn has Justly said, ut would be far
cheaper to feed the laboring classes, who are
now starving in consequences of the American
crisis. on game and champagne winc."
To offer to-day peaceful Intervention
would be to expose ourselves to refusal, II
it did not even exasperatc one OF tho parties
and provoke it to measures OF violence. 1t
would lessen, too, the chances of our media.
ton being accepted Mt q more favorable mo-
ment. We are thus forced to remain spec.
tators of n deplorable war, which causes us
innumcrablc evils. We can only pray that
cxhausting or suffering may at last appcasc
the maddened combatants, and oblige them
to accept reunion or separation. A sad po
sition undoubtedly, but one which neutral
powers have at all times been obliged to nc.
cept. and from which we cannot escape but
at the risk of unknown perils. .,
But il we have not the right to Interfere,
seeking to discover who is really guilty OF
this war, which so dsturbs our well being
The opinion of Europe issomething. 1t tmay
hasten events and bring about peace better
than bayonets. Unfortunately, for two years.
public opinion in Europe has been LED astray
and has taken false direction In array
ing itself or the wrong side, it but prolongs
the resistance, instead of arresting it.
The South has found numerous and skilful
advocates in France and England. They
have presented her cause as that of justice
and liberty. They have proclaimed the right
OF separation and have not quailed even be-
fore the necessity of apologizing for slavery
To-day these arguments begin to loso Their
forces. Thanks to few writers who do not
chatter with the greatinterests ofhumanity-
thanks. above all, to NJ. DE GAsrARrN, light
has begun to break forth. We know now
what to think Of tho origin and character of
the rebellion. To every impartial observer
it is now evident that the wrong lies wholly
with the South. II is not necessary to be n
Moutesquieu to comprehend that portion
of a people, whose rights are in no way en-
dangered, but who are led by pride and am-
bition to attempt the destruction Of national
unity and 10 rend asunder the country, have
no claim to the sympathy Of the French peo'
pie. As to canonizing slavery, that is q
work we must leave to southern preachers.
Not all the ingenuity Of the world will ever
A. ,,,-.o,, kh,k Loaf cauSo Eynn IL
the conCcderates had u thousand reasons for
complaining and revolving, there must always
remain an ineff,ceable stain on their rebel.
lion. No Christian. no liberal thinker, can
ever interest himself in men who, in the mid
die OF the nineteenth century, openly and au
daciously proclaim their wish to perpetuate
and extend slavery. The planters themselves,
may indeed listen to theories which have in
toxicated and ruined them; but no such
sophistries can ever cross the ocean.
The advocates OF the South have rendered
her fatal service. They have made her be
lievc that Europe, enlightened or mislcd.
would take sides with her and would finally
throw into the scales something more than
sterile wishes. This delusion has encouraged
still encourages the resistance of the South.
II prolongs the war and our suiierings. IL,
from the first, as the North had right to
expect, the friends Of liberty had boldly de-
clared themselves against the policy OF slave.
ry-if the partisans Of maritime peace-il
the defenders of the rights OF neutrals, had
spoken in favor Of tho Union-had discour-
aged separation which could only benefit
England, it is probable that the South would
have entered with less temerity upon road
without an outlet. II, in spite of the cour.
age and devotion of her soldiers, IL, after all
the skill of her generals, the South fails in
an enterprise, which in my opinion, cannot
be too often denounced, let her lay the FAULT
mt the door Of those who had 50 poor an es-
teen for Europe, as to imagine that thoy
could suborn its public opinion to servo po-
litical scheme. against which patriotism pro-
tests, and which the gospel and humanity
alike condemn.
"Granted." say they, "that the South is
wholly in the wrong; but. after all, she is
determined to separate. She can no longer
live with the North. The war itself. what
ever may DO its origin, Is a new cause Of dis.
union. BY what right can twenty millions
of men obligc ten millions of their compat-
riots to continue detested alliance, to re-.
spect a contract which they arc resolved to
break ut any cost? Is it possible to imagine
that two or three years Of strife and misery
will make the conquered live peaceably to-
gather? Can country, two or three times
as large as France, be suhjugatcd? Would
there not be always i'll blood between the par.
ties! Separation is perhaps misfortune,
but to-day the misfortune isirrcparable. Let
IL be admitted that the North has tho law,
tho letter and the spirit Of the constitution
ON bsr side there remains ALWAYS an upde.