Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1863-09-03
RATES OF ADVERTISING.
From the New York Times, Aug. 18th.
The Rebels and their Leader.

The Rebels and their Leader.
The popularity of Jsf. Davis is just now at a
yery low ebb IN Dixie. The rebels generally
have notion shat he is somehow responsible
for the great rsverses that have overtaken
thea; and, without scrupie, they casting at
hitn the shsrpest reproachss. He is stigmatiz.
cd both for lucspacity and for neglest-for lack
of brain aud for lack of heart. The prevailing
criticism upon hin. is all ad verse and his for
mer 4ieges make him cut man very inueh
to be despised
Now. we don't feel ourselves called upon to
say one word in behalf ct JEFF Davis. There
10 rot man the foot stool whom We SD VT
tsrIy aehor. Ia our dslio oerase judgement, there
has never lived human bsing-eertainly not
in sns,dsrn isiizaton-wha attempted SO enor
mous q crime, or wrought such terrible csam-
ity. Nothing is more certain than that one
two centuries hence, when the last remnant Of
slavery has died out of tae world, and history
makes up it's calm, irreversible verdict upon
these times, the name OF JEFF, Davis, the slavery
champion, the cnnspirator, the traitor, will be
put on the scroll as, hey ond all com psrisou, in
famous. .@r - ..
We say we have no plea TO make for jeff,
Davis. Yet we protest that it dees not look
we'll for his fellows in guilt to tura uEon him
Because he is not successfui. There is soae-
thug 10 this act exquislssly paltfy. We
going to say devilisn, but about this
not sure. If Milton is any authority, the devils
don't do such thngs; for among ali the speeches
he reports from tae terrors of Paudenonium,
not ore of them whetber from Moiooh or
Mammon. Beilal or Baelzebu b--coLtaiaed a
syllable Of rsproach against the rebel lesder for
the 'ssad overthrow nd foul defeat" The whole
crew recognized that there had been equal hope
and hazard Ia che glorious enterprise, and
were content to take without complaint the
s'esuai ruin" The d,spo siton Of our American
rs6es to- make their chief responsible for their
hard fate belongs only to the meanest elements
of the amman soul. it is very like the biind
spite of the baf1 d reptile.
Bad as JEFF Davis is, he has served the reb.
els well, aud they have no right to complain of
hn. He was made their Presidest by unan
imous vote. They had known him long and
thoronghl., and could not be mistaken either
abou. his faculties, bis devotion TO their
principles. 1t is the judgement of the whole
world that taev were not mistaken. They could |
have found 40 man within their bor}er 90 con
sumatey qualified for their leadership. COLO,
reserved, imperious, he could be the tool OF No
man. Ever audacious, yst never rash infexi !
bic in his pur pese yet versatile In the use of
means of every c.esr comprehension in gener.
al " atters, and yet Of the r,ost bigoted attach
ment Of the great rebel idea Of temper ofl
scui incapable alike OF undue elation or despon- |
deaey; of tireles< industry. ana of arst rate
executive ability he was precisely fitted to be
the chief Of th's tremendous enterprise. The |
wonder ever will be not that he at last sink |
exhausted, out that he was ever able to stand
against our Government at all. History may
De searched TO- vain for another instance Of $"
prodgious power organized from such limited
materials, ard holding out so long against such
terrible trials. The ability and energy with !
which he has con .olidatsd and sustained the
beIion have extorted tho admiratlon not only
Of Europe, but of even the loyal North far
the qualities are in themselves, noae the less |
admirable. though employed in tas mest wick |
ed Cause @f 65- |
Ofceurss ii cannot be pretended that JEFF. |
Davis has made no mistakes. Were this SO, it |
would prove him more thar human. There nev,
or was human energy yet Which d'd not some
times uasoalculase. Our point is not that the
rebel leader was perfect il bis msaagensDt,
Out thatshe uasRs nearly 30 as any living man
10 sisailar circumstances could have been and