Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1863-02-07


ability to maintain herself by her own
strength and resources, without foreign aid
moral or material. And the North and
West-tho whole country, indeed-these
great powers have served incalcuably, by
holding back a solemn proclamation to the
world that the Union Of these States was
finally and formally dissolved. They have
left to us every motive and every chance
for reunions; and if that has been the
purpose of England espociall y-our rival
SO long; Interested more than any other
in disuuion and consequent weakening of
our great naval and commercial power,
and suffering, too, as she has suffered so
long and severely because Of this war--I
do not hesitate to say that she has per-
formed an act of unselfsh hcroism without
example in history. Was such indeed
her purpose? Let her answer before the
impartial tribunal Of postcrty. In any
event, after the great reaction in Iublic
sentiment in the North and West, and be
followed after some time by a like reac-
ton in the South, foreign recognition of
the confederate States could avail little to
uCIuN VI plc'CHI uhdl lGuulOu III dS l
firmly believe, leunion be not only posi-
bic but inevitable.
Sir, have not spoken Of foreign arb-
tration. That is quite another question.
| think it impracticable, and fear it as
dangerous. The very Powcrs-or any
other Power which have hcsitased to aid
dIsuuou directly or by force, might as au
thorized arbilers, most readily pronounce
for it at last. Very grand, indeed, would
be the tribunal before which the great
question Of the union of these States and
the final destiny of this continent for ages,
should be heard, and historic through all
time, and ambassadors who should argue
it, And if both bcligereuts consent, let
the subjects in controversy be referred to
Swi zerland, or Russia, or and other i'm
7 artial or incorrupuble Power or State in
Europe. But at last, sir, the people of
these several States here, at home, must
be the final arbitor of this great quarrel
in America; and the people aud States Of
the Northwest, the mcditators who shall
stand, ike the prophet, betwixt the living
and the dead, that the plague Of disuni ion
may be stayed.
SIR, this war horrible as it is, has taught
us all some Of the most important and sal
utary lessons which ever Il people learned.
First. it has annihllated, in twenty
months, all the false and prenicious theo-
rics and teachings OF abolitionism for thir-
ty years. and which mere appeal to facts
aud argument could not have untaught IN
half century. We have learned that the
Sonth is not weak, dependent, unenter-
prising, or corrupted by slavery, luxury,
and idleness, but powerful, earnest, war;
like, enduring, seIfsupporting, full OF en-
ergy, and inexhaus,ble in resources. We
have been taught, and now confess it open
ly, that African slavery, instead of being
a source of weakness TO the South, is one
of her main elements of strength; and
hence the military necessity we are told
of abolishing slavery in order to suppress
the rebellion. We have learned, also,
that the non-slayeholdipg white men of
the South, millions in number, are immov.
ably attached to the institution, and are
its chief support; and abolitionists have
found out, to their infinite surprise and
disgust, that the slave is not painting for
freedom nor pining in silent but revenge.
full grief over cruelty and oppression in-
hicted upon him, but happy, conlcnted,
attached deeply TO his master and unwii-
lmg--at least not eager-to accept the
precious boon of freedom which they have
proifored him. L appeal to the President
for proof. | appeal to the fact that fewer
slaves have escaped even from Virginia,
in now nearly two years, than Arnold and
Cornwallis carried away in six months Of
invasion in l75l. Finally, sir, we have
learned, and the South too, what the his
tory or the world ages ago, and our own
history might have taught US, that scryilo
insurrectiou is the least of the dangers to
which she is exposed, Hence, in my de-
liborate judgement, African slavery, as an
institution, will come out Of this conflict
fifty fold stronger than when the war be-
gan
The South, too, sir, has learned most
important lessons and among them, that
courage is qualty common to
all sections, and that in battle, the men of
the \ orth, aud especially Of the West, arc
their equals. Hitherto there has been
mutual and most mischieyous mistake
upon both sides. The South overvalued
its own personal courage, and uudorvalued
ours, and we too readily consented; but
at the same time she exaggerated our ex-
aggeratc strength and resources, and un-
dcresimatcd her own and We fell into
the same error; and hence the original
and fatal mistake or vice Of the military
policy of the North, and which has al
ready broken down the war by its own
weight-the belief that we could bring
overwhelming numbers and power into the
field and upon the sea, and crush out the
South at blow. But twenty months OF
terrible warfare have corrected many er-
rers, and taught US the wisdom Of cen
tury. And now sir, ev>ry one of these
lessons will profit US all for ages to come
and if we do but reunlte, will bind US in
closer, frmer, more durable Union than
ever before.
l have now, Mr., Speaker, finished what