Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-07-22
rEron Tie Rn.lnn .Lo,.rn.,i Il

THE DARK SIDE OF THE REVoLuTIoN
IhoSe who are accustomed II take disoourag.
ins views Of our present contest, beoau3o thew
iinasihe we are so much more corrupt and wick
60 60 than tho patriots OF the old Revolutionary
! days, would do we'll TO read tho fourteenth
chapter Of Lorenzo Sabine'a "Historloai .ssny.''
in tue new edition of his .imsyjcaR Loyalisis. Il
teaus very much like series of pungent ObserVa-
uohs on contemporary events, although npno will
dispu'e the accuracy and sound Judgment Of Mr..
sahina as II historian. We make u few psrti-
nent extracts. Of the prominent msn Vi the
Revolutionary sra, Mr. Sabine says: "They
were great and good little and bad, mingled,
JoH' as elsewhere in the annas Of our rae L." and
he adds:
''sNh ngaiu, Gvarice and rapaoiiywere sssm-
hSiy uS common then As now. lndevtl, the
eioek' k'johhing, The exlOrtiOn, The kDresaiung.
tue Ion hTt7 and devices 10 aa,asa wealth, thai
were Pfaehsed during The sir~4eie are almost
nofen'pi7. Washington mQuHned the want Of
virtue ~ early rs lI76, and averTed that he
Uemhied at the prospect, Soldiers were sltin-
pt4 O' thelr MieUfahle ptrtahce that eonlraetOrs
Tor the army might become rich in q single
campaign. Many ot the sellers Of merchaudpa
monopGaei articles Of the first necessity end
~opit not rAtt with them " their suffering
c0uhtrymea, AMI TO die WiFea and children OF
those who we're absent in tho held, uulVJs at
tnorelonEpi otts. The TRIlio carried on ui.h
~ N1N' hppNo VIVA ttiucDbts MEN OF MlI u0+
soriPnpns finally Engaged in It, aud ihosti Who
at tbs bsgldning Of tho war wOvld hsva shoa.
dsred At The idea OF any connection with ths
enemy, pdTgnei is with avdty.
Washington hi9selH. in Ons Of his priSSba let.
teIs, bears full tesun0nY to the eoTTeopNss Of
this description:
"Fr1m what have seen, heard, aBd 10 part
know, said 10, ~ should in enc WORD say, that
ldlenass dissipation, and extfaTRaan,ss gaam 10 !
have laid fpaf hnlN AZ
prenaton, and an iEastiabs thirst fer riches, |
seem 10 have got the better Of every other con-
slderatien, sud almost every order Of men; aud
that party disputes and personal luarreis are |
the great business Of the day"
The difficulty OF raising noops. WIG etmest in |
snrlnouniAhie in several ofihe Gates. Bounty. |
jumpers snd dessrtsFs were 0s common then Ga
now, ia proportion TO the hi8e Of the armies.- |
Washington declared in letter to his brother |
that the States were ssn5ADg him officers " not
nt to DO shoehlacks. With regard to the irOu.-
bles among officers, N.r. Sabine SAYS !.
"Eighteen Of the Generals retired during the |
struggle; one for irunks nness, one TO avoid |
disgrace for receiving double pay some from |
declining health; others eFom. the weight OF nd.
vanoea years. othera to accept civil employ !
ments Dut several frOn private reseniments, (
and real or imaginary wrongs inflicted by Con ;
gress or GsHoeiates in the service. The example |
or the latter class was pernieious; since when |
heads Of Divisions or brigades quit their com. !
mands gor ressons chiefly or entirely personal, il |
was 10 10 expected that regiments, bAttalllone |
and companies would be lefi IN like manner,
Elthout officers. Abundant testimony oRn be |
adduoed 10 show that individuals OF ali ranks |
entered the Ormy from interested motives, and |
abandoned it from similar reasons. John Adams |
wrote in INT ~ am wearied to death with the |
vrangles between military officers, high and |
low. They quarrel like eata and dOgs Fhey |
worry ons another like mastiifs, scrsmbling fOy
rank aud pay like apes for nuts. Washington, |
more guarded to Congress-, uses language almost |
as pointed in bis l9lters to private friends"
| Such were bome OF the clouds Of discourage |
msnts through which with Infinitely less adva1. !
tages than We enjoy, our fathers fought sbolr
way to victory. Why, then should NO faller
before the same obslaolesg