Weekly Trinity journal., 1863-07-25
Southern Aristocracy.

The article below is copied from the February
number of the Southern Literary Messenger, a
monthly magazine, published at Richmond, Va,
the present Capital of the so-called Confederate
States of America This magazine. ever since it
commenced existence, says the Washoe Times, has
been the arbiter of Southern taste and fashion,
and the accepted exponent of the moral, social
and political opinions and ancies of the Southern
bon ton. The best literary talent of Virginia
and South Carolina, with occasional voluntary
English and Yankee contributions, have enriched
its columns and given it unquestioned popularity
and influence in the aristocratic circles of the
Southwest. The master spirits of the rebellion,
like the ancient philosophers, have esoterc and
eXoterc doctrines private and public beliefs
an inner class of opinions for themselves and an
outer class for the unthnkng and confding pop
uace. They cajoled the white working classes
into the rebellion by appeals to their sectional
pride and representing the Northerns as their
hereditary and implacable foes. Thus, exote
rically, they fired the great Southern heart; but,
esotericaly, they initiated revolt to relieve
tutulSClNVS vi buG DtiHOOlutlO tltlhtHb NulCu tut
events of the Revolution had Incorporated in the
policy of the Federal Government and the gov.
eruments of the severa! States and clear the way
for constituting themselves pure aud exclusive
olgarchy. This esoteric class of Southern aris
tocratic ideas and intentions is undisgusedly set
forth in the subjoined aeticle from the Messenger,
written in February of the present year, the
perusal of which, one would naturally think,
ought to open the eyes of the true Democrats of
the South to the unenviable predicaments in
which the rebellion, should it prove successful.
will place them. The rebels, those of them who
honestly imagine themselves Democrats, may
also take some valuable hints from this author-
tative exposition of inner and esoteric Southern
sentiment, aud thus awaken to the disagreeable
fact that their sympathes have been lrittered
away upon the wrong people. Yankee mud
sills " aud immigrants from the " Old Coun-
tries may study it with marked interest Here
ii is:
"The South s now engaged in a death struggle
with radical democracy, the willing instrument
of consolidation in the hands of an Abolition
oligarchy. That beaign institution Of Slavery,
WhicN u as HOtD WE pFtue ana gtOiY ~ tHe oOHth
TO ascribe to DiUiHify, and Which loar has pr0ren
TO be nert to the devotea patriotism and uadamted
resolution Of her e great element 0f potoer
IN the Cbnfederaoy-WW prone IN preventing too
I heapy mfHG from foreign shores of that class Of
population Ievotsd to menial pHrSlttS, another
hulwaIk against the encroachments of those ten
dences Of democracy, which have been the Pan
dora's box of disntegration and ruin to all re-
publics. Confederate in form, may our Govern
ment he Confederate in fact Republican in
name, let it not be Democratic in reality, First
of ALL we should ever keep before us, az the es-
sential feature in the image of perfect govern
ment, the State's-right theory. That, rigidly
adhered to, will avert the danger of centraza
ton of power. Secondly let seek at once to
erddicate every Uestage Of radicat democracy
eUery feature teHdtHg to nlahe ours a p0puiar
goUernment- making it subject only to the intel
gent aud vrluous, and those who are Interested
in its successful administration
One of the most important subjects claiming
our attention will be the standard of citizenship
When the struggle for independence is finished
the door of our Janus closed in token Of the
termination of the bloody strife, aud the laurels
of victory entwine the brow Of the youthful Con
federacy, we cannot forget the duty OF gratitude,
and deny the fullest privilege Of citizenship to
any Of the noble heroes who have rescued us
from the chains Of servtude. The gallant for
eigners who have sustained us in this piOus strug-
gle are all entitled to the common boon OF lber
ty But no foreigner Who comes among us after
the struggle IS oUer should eUer enjoy The electioe
franchise If we cannot check the spread over
our territory Of that Spalon Of ignorance and
crime which flows in endless issues from the pris
ons aud dens of corruption in the marts of Europe
we can at least shut out its cankering effects
from the vitals of our body polite. We sadly
need, too, property qualification for native as
well as foreinger. 1t is hardly necessary to
repeat the trite argument of the greater Interest
edness of the property holder in the successful
administration Of government than Of him who
has nothing at stake"