Weekly Trinity journal., 1863-12-26
SUMTER.

WHICH III Is Ulhue Is true. IL Is great, IL none,
a heroic idea. 1t is for the National life often
threatened, though first assailed when the rebel
cannon opened upon Anderson and his trusty
handful of men, satisfying all dOubters that
peaceful secession meant war. 1t was the attack
of Sumter that aroused the North. 1t was the
attack of Sumter that called forth from the Lon
don Times the expression that - the Great Re-
public is no more" The attack of Sumter tore
from the British nation the thin garb Of friend
ship, laid bare all the secret workings of the
popular heart, and revealed the hollow preten-
tions of love and fraternity which Il common
origin, language, literature and religion, had
seemed to bind the two nations together.
1t has taught us lesson which should
teach our children not to forget, that when Ma
poeon charged England with being " Perfdous
Albion she was less worthy of the title than
she is this day. When Sumter fell in 1860, not
a man, woman or child Ia loyal one, we mean, J
but felt that the outrage and the insult to our
nation must be avenged. Sumter and Charles
ton, names thenceforth to be forever associated
with all that is reasonable and rebellious, what
terms might with clemency or policy be
used towards other fortresses or cities, none
ought to be shown them These two places
ought to be wiped out. To them they felt as
Elder Cato, who for long period of years closed
every of his speeches with the declaration
that q Carthage must be destroyed" Who that
has not felt the same wish in his or her heart
were hatched.
At safe distance, as they fondly, but by this
time have found falsely, hoped, they could Sc
curely inaugurate and set in motion the rebel
lion, without feeling all the horrors that civil war
precipitates upon people. 1t became the proud
est, most nsolent, and least Democratic State in
the Union, whose upper class initiated European
manners, and whose poor " common white
trash - were on level below their slaves
in personal comforts, and scarcly removed a
grade above them in morals or education.-
1t was emnently proper if the work of the devil
was to be done, that it should be begun at his
chief seat. What mixture of force and solemni-
ty characterized the assemblagc that met Dec. H.
1860, to deliberate on secession. The Almighty
was insulted by the offering up Of prayer in or
der that He might show how they most easily
might destroy Government which He had estab-
lished-ther conduct not unlike the Israelites
that forsook the true God for the calf Aaron
had prepared for them. So they, after three
days deliberatiOn, decided to do that which they
have, as yet, failed to accomplish, to wit that
South Carolina should walk out of the Union
and keep out. How well that pledge has been
kept, let the shapeess ruins of Sumter and the
great city of Secessia of to-day be the answer.
The Avenger has been abroad in the land since
then, and Nemesis as Of old or rather that Prov
dence that protected us in the past has not left
us to be destroyed in the present.
Never in the history of the world did any pco-
pie have finer, fairer opportunity to prepare
themselves against an enemy, than did the people
of Charleston. With all the forts and sand heaps
and irOn-clad paraphernalia which they pre-
pared for and through which they succeeded in
making Sumter theirs were still in their posses
sion, but to these were added and multiplied all
conceivable engines of war, offensive and detCn-
siye, that their llustriOus mongrel French Eng-
neer could plan or devise. So sure, so confident,
so self-satisfed were they of the powers of de-
fense, that the world informed that they
were ready for the conflict of arms. Indeed, so
inflated did they become, that morning,
pressing all their naval force into service, they
rushed outside Of the harbor - as far as Jack
could toss a biscuit" and then steamed in again,
and for that brilliant exploit demanded that Eu-
rope should acknowledge that they, the Charles
tonans, had raised the blockade. Poor, wretch
ed imbeciles! Well it said of the State of
which Charleston is the head and front - Poor
South Carolina Folly is her night-cap fanati-
cism is her day dream fre-eating is her pas
time, She has lost her better judgment the
dictates Of reason and philosophy have no influ-
ence upon her actions. Like the wife who is
pitiably infatuated with drunken, worthless
husband she still clings with unabated love to
the cause of her shame, her misery, and her
degradation"
This language, by a son of the South more
than ten years ago, is it not true to-day? One
grand distinction, however, exists to-day: then
she lOathed treason, and was theoretical fire.
eater to-day she is she has been since she
first cast treacherous ball at Sumter acting
treason, and is enjoying (if enjoyment can be
secured in that direction one Of the finest
showers of real fire that raincd down on
rebel-headed traitors. If she had only listened
to the indignant voice of loyal Kentuckian years
ago, when he said, q South Carolina is bringing
herself irrevocably into public contempt. 1t is
impossible for any impartial lover of his country,
for anV inst THINKING ms IN utunss
less and quenchless malignity against the Union,
without the most immeasurable disgust and
scorn. She is one vast hot-bed of disunion.-
Her people think and talk of nothing else she
is fostering mass of treason" Strong as was
this language uttered years ago, how the history
of to-day proves its correctness. South Caro-
lima, the great cancer of the Union, the core Of
which can only be burnt out with fre--wth
Greek Fire, if necessary, the composition which
so exasperated the great little engineer of Char
lesion.
Sumter to-day, is to all appearance like an
abandoned brick-yard which earthquake has
upheaved, and although the rebel rag is still kept
up by corporal guard, it is defunct nstitu-
tion. Forts Wagner and Gregg, a part of the
invulnerable defences of the harbor, have fallen
into our hands, which gives our soldiers the en-
tire possession of Morris Island, while our guns
now completely cover the harbor and city of
Charleston Who but rebel or a Copperhead,
but will reverently exclaim ''Thank God for
TINS, and push on until not one stone of that ac-
cursed city shall be left upon another" 1t seems
10 us as If even now we heard some of the boast
lul braggarts Of Charleston of 86l now in 1868
when sure if not swift destruction is overtakne
them, eXclaim as did there great spiritual lead.
Me miserable which way shall I ny
I1hiah IHhhlte wrath and infinite despair,
"hieh way fly is hell Myself am hell !"
z Courage then, patriots of the North. Tn,
beginning Of the end is near; the dav Of re-
demption is at hand. Your dear ones have no
bled and died in vain. The hand Of man alon,
achieves not the victory. He who has tim