Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-04-30


pared the people of the North for prompt resentment
against it, and thus msled the popular opinion on both
sides to regard the slavery question the immediate
of the attempt at revolution. But the contrve
the heads aud leaders of the scheme had much deeper
purpose than the redress Of any imagined danger TO the
security of the institution They only took advantage Of
the sensbty of their people this subject TO
aid them in a design of much wider import
We may find guide to investigation Of this design
in review Of the composition and character of Southern
society.
II is not always gracious task to anayzs national cna
racter and particularly when rounrymen are in
question IT, therefore should be thought too candid
in what am about to write, hope shall find my war
rant n the sincere respect entertain for the many excel
lent traits of Southern character and still in the
with which cherish the memory of many personal
friends in whom have found every thing to admire and
really nothing to bame-except indeed, the facility with
which they have yielded to the delusion which carried
them into this rebellion
If were asked to describe in word the primal source
germ out of which this commotion has sprung would
say the egotsm Of Southern character There
people the world who have higher opinion Of them
seves and of their surroundings than the Inhabitants OF
certain districts of the South. They accustomed to
speak of themselves possessing the very highest type OF
civilization as pre-eminent in all the qualities Of generous
people quick dshonor Keen in their perception
Of what great noble refined and elegant in manners
They claim besides, superior talent more acute insight
and higher energy than their neghbors. They prolific
in statesmen orators, and politicians They are manly,
truthful and ceuaesque This the portrait they draw
of themselves.
Now, do not mean to dispute these preensioDs. The
South possesses marked degree many of these excel
lent qualities and would not disparage their claim to any
of them because think that the very assertion OF such
claim is the proof Of appreciation Of these virtues
which in itself is merit of good omen 1t shows theten
dency of their aspirations which is good step towards
in accomplishing them. But, the other hand
we may remark that this sefesteem whilst exas its
poessor apt in the degree to breed opinions de-
rogatory Of all other people outside Of their boundary
The South accordingly has it's aversons and amongst these
nothing more conspicuous than the dislike Of the COM
mon Of the Southern people, speak more psrt
cuary of the untraveled portion of hemt0 the natives
of the New England States This dislike old az the
colonial Even the Revolutionary war of l776 1T
did not impair the sturdy union of effort which won the vic
tory, it bred minor dssensions and vexatious eaouses
The application of the word Yankee even then as
it now expression of the derision with which the
of the South regarded the of New England 1t
sgnfed at that day and long afterwards in the vulgar
apprehension shrewd cunning chapman, who invariably
outwtted the creduous Southron bargain 1t has lost
something of this significance these later times since
the credulous S0uhron has grown worldly and de-
veoped of the qualities of expert chapman him
self 1t rather indicaes the hatred engendered BY
jealousy of New England growth and prosperity
In sober estimate OF all these characteristics, which
hardly necessary say not to be attributed to the
most cultivated and liberal Of the South may set
down both the self esteem and the aversion have de-
scrbed the account of that provincial vanity and pre-
judce which always observed in isolated communities,
and which, think ALSO in some degree distinctive Of
a simply agricultural people
This popular dislike Of the North unreasonable aud tn
vial is has had good deal to do with the sggavation
Of the temper which has omened the rebellion 1t quick
Jealousy of the South against every political
ment in the country that indicated the probability Of
Northern control in the Government Every revelation
made by the of the growing prepondeance of North
popuation-by which / mean the population Of the
Free States 10 genealwas received by the South the
announcement Of rapidly advancing when Southern
domination must give way to Northernwhen the sceptre
must depart from Judah think have very clear proof
that at no the adoption of the Constitution
the politicians Of the South disposed to tolerate the cleo
ton Northern President unless they had sstsfacto
ny that he would administer the Government in
obedience to their dcta' ion, at least conformaby to
their views Of policy. In the time of the elder Adams
there settled and exaggerated opposition to
him, which threatened to break up the Government
this ground Mr.. Jefferson evidently alluded to this
scheme in his letter to John Taylor Of Caroline in 1885,
in which he wrote argument to discourage it-msn-
testify to suggestions that subject
from his correspondent His argument may remark, in
passing equally against the right and the policy Of
such proceeding Referring to the scisson of the
Union a supposed lawful resort he declares that with
it Federal Government could exist" There
many proofs exant besides this Of the reluctance Of
the Southern States to allow any influence but their
to predominant the Government that age OF
republic when it not pretended that any Southern
right brought into jeopardy either by the National
State authorities by the temper Of private opinion The
objection to Northern rule simply founded the pride
Of Southern ambition.
1t is only necessary to reflect upon the restveness Of
Southern politicians of the last and the present generation
and to observe the soctude with which they have always
contemplated any invasion of their supremacy the
Government and the importunate zeal with which they
have insisted upon preserving equilibrium between Free
and Slave Statesmeanng by that the prepondsrans OF
Southern nuenceto be convinced that the perpetuy Of
their control Of the Administration has been the leading
idea Of their policy The threat Of dunon has been the
customary persuasion by which they have from time to
time endeavored to subdue the frat symptoms Of dsaec
ton to their ascepdancy This had become the familiar
of every Presidential since the great furry
Of notification in 1892 and fact its frequency had made
stale that when at last, the danger really imm