Smyrna times., 1863-06-25
Somnambulic Politicians.


Some of the prominent and several of the
lesser lights of the copperhead persuasion in
this community, who seemingly have been tax
ing Rip NanWmkle sleep while the spirit of
our Institutions have been marching with the
rapid strides of Gulliver in his seven-league
boots have been circulating the letter of a
certain Elder (who seems to be ashamed of his
name as it Is not given, to his son in college,
in which he attempts to prove that Slavery is
O Dirme Institution. There are some people
with heads SO thch that they rarely ever learn
anything or forget anything, and if they ever
do take in a new idea, it is the last flicker of
light of the moving orb of civilization, to lose
which would be leaving them in everlasting
darkness. If they, per chance, gather a stray
ray of the light of progress, it is hammered in
their compressed brain by the force of events,
rather than by ntuitiYe knowledge They
would not and did not believe that the world
turns round until forced to against their will
by the curcd and scornful lip Of individuals of
intelligence, and but for very shame would be
as loudly advocating polygamy as much Il Di-
vne Institution as slavery, because it, forsooth
WAS patriarchal institution. They are essen
TALLY old togics, and cling to primitive ideas
with the tenacity of Turk.
These people must have been in deep sleep
during this war, or oblivious to its progress of
events. or they would not now be circulating
such ridiculous documents. They are acting
as though we are still surrounded 10y the same
old institutions and governed by the same old
ideas as two years ago. Why bless your sim
pie souls. We have advanced two generations
since then, even at the advanced speed of
American progress. Don't, for pity sake, ex-
hlblt your ignorance further by acting on the
impression that the people can be affected now
as then by your eternal yelp of the blessings of
of slavery. The raw-head- and bloody bones y
ghost of abolition has vanished in thin air .
the god slavery has fallen PROSTATE before the
benign genI of Liberty and Progress, and like
JhgOn, of the IShmealtes, broken into thou-
sand pieces. Before your rapacious god tried
to destroy us, We, simple souls. looked up to
hIS great supremacy and growing power with
feelings Of awe and submission, but when he
opened lis wide and horrid mouth to devour
Us, as would Cyclops, we found it time to
destroy the devastating monster to save our
selves. But these men are still crying great
Is Diana Of the Ephesians' as they see the
danger of their craft set at naught, for by
1t they have had their party success. Blind
followers after the Ebony deity are these men.
and they seem determined to immediate them
selves on the altar of slavery. They hope by
their whines and yelps to restore the political
status of the peculiar institution but poor,
purbind fools, they have not the clearness Of
vision enough to see that the louder they cry
and greater the effort to Defy titus pro.
longing the war-the deeper and more eternal
l its destruction. If these men look at his
tory at all, it is like the thirsty traveller in the
desert looks upon the wistful mirage: only tc
be woetully deceived when he would realize the
benefits Of its limpid waters.
They seem not to be possessed Of the know
ledge that France, more than thirty years ago
impelled by the force of liberty and civilization
abolished slavery at one blow by an edict
England, little later, at the demand of tn,
religious and intelligent classes of the Realm
abolished it in all her possessions by paid enfan
clpatiOn; later still the Dutch followed tn
same example, and last year Portugal abolishe
African slavery in all her provinces, and tn
Emperor of Russia has set on foot the libera
ton of the 100000 serfs in his dominion
until now there is not a civilized nation in tn
old world clinging to this relic of ofbarbarism
All have shaken it from their skirts as a VII
thing, and to-day finds us-the boasted Ian
OF free lom and clvilizatiOn-involyel in tc
rible war fearful waste and carnage. to G,
throne and sanctify, as by a Divine deere
what all other enlightened nations have ca
out as a : monstcrof hideous mien." Let n,
these men further make ridiculous creatures
themselves, and insult religion and civiIizatic
in Its onward progress to higher elevation !
ASSERTING as they do, In the Circulation Of
pamphlet, that the war we are now plunge
sn is Gods punishment upon the country f
fhe ote$pheay iRyolved in our anti-slavery u
terances and legislation, . q If they do we sh.
lnslstshat they retire at once TO the nurser
assume the hsbiliments of good, simp
sranaam, ,sapd. .faFsyer after. .tollov, il AZ Il
"ny vocation they have the capacity to fill.
49,. ~ IA -rr,s@.~ = 1
'FkslssgssASeE--r.W. We lwolld calI the atte
t:she 9s y. our readers to the advertisement
fo, p Dickson, Esq.7-M Mutual Life Ins,,rau