Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1863-02-25

tu SuniShtJ anu 10 zeal Win IL IN The Splr-
1t OF the patriots and great men of other
countries and ages, and of the better days
, of the United States
And nov, sir, whatever may have been
the motives of England. France, and The
other great Powers of Europe, in with
holding recognition so long from the Con-
! tederate States, the South and the North
are both indebted TO them for an immense
| public service. The South has proved
her ability TO maintain herself by her own
| strength and resources, without foreign
aid, moral or material. And the North
and West-the whole country, indeed
/ these great powers have served incalcula-
/ bly,, by holding back n solemn proclama-
ton 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 reunion and ii that has
been the purpose of Eneland especially
our rival 50 long; interested more than
any other in disunion and tle consequent
weakening of our great naval and com
mercial power, and suffering, too. IS she
has suffered, SO long and severely because
Of this war; do not hesitate To say that
she has performed an act of unselfish
heroism without example in history
Was such indeed her purpose: Let her
answer before the impartial tribunal OF
| posterity. In any event, after the great
reaction in public sentiment in the North
and west, 10 be followed after some time
/ by n like reaction in the South, foreign
recognition now of the Confederate States
could avail little TO delay or prevent final
reunion: if, as l firmly believe, reunion
be not only possible but inevitable
Sir, have not spoken OF foreign -Rrbi-
tration- That is quite another question.
| think it impracticable, and fear it as
dangerous. The very powcrs-Cr any
other Power-which have hesitatcd to
I aid disunion directly or by force, might,
as authorized arbiiers, most readily pro-
nounce for 1t ut last. Very grand, in
decd, would be the tribunal before which
the great question of the Union of these
States and the final destiny of this conIi-
neni for ages, should be heard, and his.o-
ric through MI time, the ambassadors who
should argue it. And If bcligerents cor
sent, let the subjects in controversy he re
fcrrcd TO Switzerland, or Russia, or any
other impartial and incor:Tptible Power
or State iii Europe But al last, SIR, the
people OF these several States here. nj
home, must be the final arDiter OF THIS
quarrel in America: and the people and
States of the Northwest, the mediator
who shall stand, Ike the prophet, be;wixt
the living and the dead, that the plague
of disunion may be stayed.
Sir, this war, horrible as ii is, has
taught Us all some OF tine most important
and s;,lutary lessons which ever people
learned.
First, it has annihilaicd, in twenty
months, all the false and pcrnicious theo-
ries and teachings OF aboliiionism for
thirty years, and which mere appeal
TO facts and argument could not have un-
taught III half century. We have learn
cd that the South Is not week, dependent,
unenterprising, or corrupted by slavery,
luxury, and idieness; but powerful, car
nest, warlike, enduring, seif-supporting,
full OF energy, and ineXhaustibie in resour-
ccs. We have been taught, and now
confess it openly, that African slavery,
instead of being 4 source OF weakness to
the South, is one OF her main elements of
strength and hence the % military neces-
sity,'' we are told, of abolishiug slavery,
in order TO suppress the rebellion. We
have learned, also, that the non-slave-
holding white men in the Sculh, millions
in number, arc immovably attached TO
the institution, and are lis chief support {;
and aboiitionists haze found out, TO their
infinite surprise and disgust, that the
slave is not ''panting for freedom" nor
pining in silent but rcvcngciul grief over
cruelty and oppression inflicted upon him,
but happy, contented, attached deeply 10
his master, and unwiling-at least not
eager-to accept the boon offreedm which
they have proffered him. appeal to the
President for the proof, | appeal 10 the
fact that fewer slaves have escaped, even
from Virginia, in nearly two years. than
Arnold and CORVALLIS carried away IL
six months OF invasion in 1871. Finally,
SIR, we have learned, and the South, too
what the history of the world ages ago
and our own history might have taught
us, that seryile insurrection is the least o
the dangers TO which she is exposed
, Hence, in my deliberate judgment, Afri
f can slavery, as an institution, viii come
D out of this conflict fifty-fold stronger THAI
. when the war began.
The South. too, sir, has learned mos
e important lessons; and among them, tha
: personal courage Is quality cornmon 8