Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1864-03-10

The effort was confined within the nar@
rowest limits OF historical and consttu-
tional right. The controversy turned ON
the records and muniments of the past
We merely resisted innovation and tYran
! ny, and contended for our birrhnghts and
the covenanted principles of our race. We
ihave had our Governors, General Assem-
blies and Courts the same electors, the
same corporations, s'the same rules for
property, the same subordinations, the
same order in the law and in the nagistra
cy." When the sovereign States met in
council, they, in truth and substance, and
in a constitutional! light, did not make but
| prevented a revolution. > <st9~ =
/ Commencing our new national life nn>
! der such circumstances, we had right to
expect that we would be permitted, with
ont molestation, to cultivate the arts of
peace, and vindicate, on our chosen arena,
and with the selected type of social char
/ acteriBtics, our claims to civilization It
was thought too, by many, that war would
nor be resorted to by an elightened conn
T try, except on the direst necessity. That a
people, protesting to be animated by chris
tian sentiment, and who had regarded our
peculiar institution as = blot and blur up
on the fair escutcheon OF their common
Christianity, should make war on the South
for doing what they had a perfect light to
do, and for relieving them of the incubus
which they professed, rested upon them by
the association, was deemed almost beyond
belief by many o. our wisest min ds. 1t
was hoped, too, that the interests of the
two sections would restrain the wild frenzy
Of excitement and turn into peaceful chan
nels the thoughts of those who had butre-
Gently been invested with power in the
United States. . ..s~. y ~
These reasonable anticipations were
doomed to disappointment. The red glare
of battle, kindled at Sumter, ,dissipated all
hopes OF peace, and the two Governments
were arrayed in hostility agsinst each 9TH
er. We charge the responsibility Of this
ecar upoza the United States. They are ac-
conntable for the blood and havoc and
ruin it has caused. For such war we
were not prepared. The difference in mil
Iitary resources between our enemies and
ourselves the immense advantages pos~
sessed in the organized machinery of an
! established government; a powerful navy;
.the nucleus of an army credit abroad,
and illimitable facilities in mechanical
and manufacturing power, placed them on
the s'yantage ground" In our infancy,
we were without seamen or soldier, with
out revenue, without gold ard silver, with
out external commerce, without foreign
credit, with the prejudices of the world a.
gainst u.s. While we were without man
utacturing facilities to supply our wants,
! our ports were blockaded we had to Crap
pl1 with a giant adversary, defend 5000
miles of sea-coast aud an inland frontier
of equal extent. il we had succeeded in
preventing any successes on the part OF
our enemy, it would have been miracle.
What we have accomplished, wish a pop
ulation so inferior in numbers, and means
so vastly disproportionate, has excited the
establishment and admiration Of the world.
The war IN which we are engaged was
wickedly and against all our protests, and
the most earnest efforts to the contrary,
forced upon us. South Carolina sent a
com mission TO Washington to adjust all
questions of dispute between her and the
Provisional Government was to acredif a.
gents to visit Washington and to- use all
honorable means to obtain satisfactory
settlement of all questions of dispute with
that Government. Both efforts failed
Commission were deceived and reiect<
ed, and cfandestine but vigorous prepar-
iations were made for war. In proportion
to our persevefen and anxiety have been
the obstinacy and arrogance in ,spnrning
offers OF peace, It seems we can be- in,
debted for nothing 20 the virtues Of our
enemy We are obliged to his vices,
\ which have enured to- our strenpth vi We