The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-06-12
Development Of Southern Strength-the
Issue to be Met.

All who return from the South, after hav-
ing enjoyed even ordinary facilities Tor OBJ
servaton, testify to the suffering and incon-
yenience which the war is, in one way and
another eutailing the entire peeple-of the
scarcity of certain kinds of food and cloth
ing, and tools, and of almost all the luxuries
of life; of the enormous depreciation of the
currency: of the general want of confidence
in government paper; of the desolation OF
the cities the cessation of trade, and-which
is more serious thaa all-of the abstraction
of the entire white population from the ordl-
nary pursuits Of peace, and, of course, of an
enormous waste of it by battle and disease.
But they tell, too-what it is of still great
er Importance that we should know and pom
der upon-of the complete ABSORPTION of the
whole mind and whole resources of the coun-
try in the work of carrying on the war; Of
the complete prostration Of everybody and
everything at the feet of the military power !;
Of the supremacy of military necessity
over the law of the land and over all indi-
vidual rights of the complete unanimity, in
appearance at least, which the executive man
ayes to secure in support of its policy; and
above all things, of the development both
among the army and the people Of a military
spirit Of unsurpassed temper, toughness and
elasticity. Everything has been placed in
the hands of JEFFERSON DAVIS, and although
he has managed to ruin every pre-existing in
.tltution in the country, not excepting sla-
very, he has also managed to convert the
Southern people into vast, well-organized,
we-ed and formidable army. Southern So
ciety has, in fact, in two short yesrs of war,
lost almost every trace of its old democratic
republican organization. 1t is now neither
more nor less than Gf we may use the
phrase) military hierarchy-a sort of huge
Sparta-in which millions of helots toll for
the sole purpors of supplying host OF war
riors with ammunition, forage and food. To
be great military power, is, we cannot dis
gl.se from ourselves, the great ambition
Of the Southern people; and, moreover, the
vast majority Of them are satisfied that they
are great military power already; that their
soldiers, officers and generals are the frs: in
in the world. They are proud of all they
have already done, and confident as to what
the, are still to do.
II history teaches US anything, it teaches
Us that, whenever community is thus con-
yered into an army, and has once acquired
the thirst for martial glory, it is an instru-
meAt of destruction Of immense power and
keenness, which waits but for the hand of an
ambitious and skiliful operator to make it a
terror to the world, or at least to its neigh
bors. The examples are, if not numerous,
too notorious to make it necessary that we
should recall them. And the operator is
never long in coming. The machinery nev-
er stands long idle for want Of the master
mind that is to direct its movements. So
that, if events take the shape which the
Southern leaders are seeking to give them,
there is nothing more certain than that We
shall have on our hands, if We have it not
a.readly, an enemy or neighbor whose one
itea of progress will be conquest, and whose
entire energies will lie directed to the organ
ization Of brute force for the purpose Of
striking terror. We know from the history
Of the old world how dangerous power Of
gerous in the case of the confederacy, because
Itwould be under the influence of theorie:
tons Of political morality now commonl!
recognized, than those which have presided
at the birth of any great military organiza
ton Of modern times. a Christian host
tanatically devoted to slavery on bibl
grounds, is much more dangerous enem,
10 civilization than Pagan one seeking pow
er forsimpe human love Of it. There is alway
hope that the Pagans may be converted O
improved, but when Christianity has beer
tried and failed, the most ardent moral re
former may we'll despair.
Supposing then, all this that we hear 0
the Southern determination, valor, discipline
morale and ambition to be true-what effec
ought It to have on our course9 Ought We
because they sre proving more formidabl
rnan we ever expected them to prove, haste
TO make peace before we have still farthe
exhausted our strength in the endeavor t.
overcome them-betore their metal has bee
still further solid6ed by our blows? Ough
We to seek to concilate them by concessio
and forbearance, and by strong testimonie
TO their courage and bravery and strength
We answer unhesitatngly, no. The MOI
We hear OF Southern pluck and energy an
spirit and resources, the more satisfied "
are, painful as we admit the conclusion to b
that we must conquer them or they conqu'
US. Had they proved themselves weak {
divided or pusillanimous a, many of US col
hdently expected they would, there woul
2ave been far more to say in favor of lettin
them go in peace than there is now tn
they have shown themselves both strong
war and shrewd in council. The Unit
States and the kind of state which the CO
fT,.eracy seeks to become, cannot exist t
g-'hor on this continent One or other mt
prrsh. Such institntions as onrs are. Sill