Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-11-09
The Whitci SeDuIchrr.

The attempt in this country, for the last
thirty years and more, 70 find fundamental
basis in ethics and reason for our system Of
negro slavery; to reconcile the system with
the doctrines of inherent and inalienable
rights which are the groundwork OF our
political and social order, has unconsciously
developed an amount Of charlatanry and
sham in the Southern character-a charac-
ter which has naturally a more than average
development of straight forward, open-heart-
ed frankness and truthfulneSs-which we
cannot but look upon with pain.
This rebellion, as all the world knows, be-
gan in a persistent, monstrous, savage lie,
perseveringly inculcated. The argument
used to rouse the malignant passions Of the
mob in the South had, as the wiclderS Of It
knew, no shadow OF foundation in the facts
of the case. That argument was that the
poitical party which had Just come into
power was an abolition party, having in view
the overthrow of Southern institutions
aud the dwelling of the masses OF whites to
the grade OF the negro.
The prompt and indignant disclaimer
from the party, from Congress, from the
entire North, was not needed, and BY the
vast majority OF people in the now rebel
States, was never heard, or heard of. The
lie travelled with the speed and destructive
energy of FIRE through the doomed States.
A few men like Stephens, OF Ga, made
some frantic and single-handed efforts to
check the confagration. But their efforts
were worse than futile, for they themselves
were finally caught up BY the fame and be-
came scared aud maddened with the rest.
We suppose no loyal man IN the North,
whatever mis- partizan afhnities, will deny
the utterly false pretense on which the re-
ballion is founded. No one has ever eX-
posed this pretense more fully and eloquent
" than did Stephens in the Georgia Con-
yention, Like begets like. The lie that
has ruined the South was the progeny OF a
false system, and it has in turn begotten
its kind with an intense and monstrous te-
cundity. There is no end to the mendaclty
with which the dying cause Is sustained.
Rebel speeches and rebel papers betray al
most the loss Of any perception OF truth.
We do not say this with vestige OF bitter
ness. It is a tragical fact over which no
mortal can exult. As usual when lying be-
comet chronic it becomes self-destructlye, as
two negatives prove an affirmative. Rebel
papers affect a cheer and hopefulness which
is almost hilarious in the same column with
uneQuiyocal and sullen gloom. They talk OF
being uncomfortable in the same breath
that utters maledictions on somebody be-
cause of the prospect of speedy overthrow
Jeff. Davis tells private messenger that the
war will be handed down to succeeding gene
rations, and an assemblage Of his constItu-
ents that two-thirds of his invincible army
have deserted
The entire able-bodied population OF
Richmond is now in the armed ranks OF ITS
defenders. And the quake of apprehen-
sion for that city is visible over the entire
confederacy. Yet rebel newspapers, from
the time Gen. Grant broke camp on the
Rapidan, have been proving the futhty
and prolonged blunder OF his campaign
The Southern Confederacy is confessediy
based on and justified BY the doctrine OF
State Rights. Yet the despotism OF the
central power at Richmond IS more strln.
gent and complete than the autocracy OF
Russia.
When President Lincoln's emancipation
proclamation was issued, the rebels greeted
il with cloud laugh of scorn." But the
laugh ended with clenched teeth and savage
cursing. Rebel authorities pronounced the
measure ridiculous and impotent to the last
degree, and threatened at the same time the
most fierce and yengeful retaliation because
of il. When the experiment Of arming ne
groes was started it met a similar greeting
from them. II was declared to be measure
of such folly and weakness as TO indicate the
exhaustion and swift coming overthrow of
the Federal Government. Yet retaliatory
measures of thoroughly fendish character
have been persistently applied in the hope of
forcing our Government to abandon the ex-
pertinent. Already the subject of arming
negroes on their side is bruited.
The reader will recall short article on
the subject, published in our paper a few
days since, taken from the Richmond En-
onirer, The article is significant of many
things, but of nothing more strlkingiy than
the one We are discussing, namely tne u51ei
Of opinion in that unhappy Confederacy.-
Los1tviB Pres.