The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-03-31
tg-A late number of the Westminster Re


called Southern Confederacy, which are SO
well expressed, and SO just in sentiments
that we transfer them to our columns.
1t is well known to American readers that
while portion of the English press have
manifested either want of integrity, or
gross ignorance of all that relates to the is
sues and facts out of which the war has arts
en-, the Westminster and several other
well informed English Journals have stood
ably and manfully by the right.
Those who have in years gone by, been
in the habit of looking upon the English
Reviews as the refectors of the unbiased
truths of history-wherein neither preiu-
dice, partiality or want of candor could find |
place, must so far as portion of those
Reviews are concerned, have had their faith |
brought to a severe test, within the past
two or three years. But it is gratifying to
know that while the false lights of history
will in time to come find lessened circle of
readers, the Westminster will realize an en-
during increase of influence.
''An English combatant in the army of
the Confederate insurrectionists gives us an
account of the feats of his companions in
arms.
Ills residence in the South has thoroughly
denationalized him /; neither in his sentiments
nor his language are there left many traces
OF his origin. Southern morals and Southern
oOiOiaOc-for If vuoulJ ba n 81 I,o
term to call them principles-possess him
wholly yet in the absence of direct informa-
tion on the condition of the Confederate arm
les, his book will be read for want of better.
Its subject is VIGOROUSLY one of the most
difficult; what can a subordinate tell of
battle that is not summarized in the old de-
scription, which declares it to be but as
confused noise and garments rolled in blood?
He successfully disputes with the North the
supremacy which its iil-wishers have accor-
ded to it in Dragging. In his pages the Con-
federates are never beaten. His sketches of
the chiefs under whom he serves are mostly
undisguised panegyrics, and are valuable
only for the biographical particulars which
| they contain. Of the disciplin in the South
ern forces, his account is perfectly astound-
ing. On one occasion private in the ranks
taking offence at the tone of his command
ing officer, warned him to be more polite,
and on finding that the implied threat was
not attended to, threw down his musket,
stepped out of the ranks, and stabbed
his officer to death on'the spot with his bow
| lie knife. The court martial (save the
worD which was held on the offence, pro-
nounced it an affair of honor. and he was
allowed to go free On another occasion
regiment, in position under fire, thought
their mounted officer too much exposed, and
after repeated relnonstrances from the ranks
I he at last took the 0dvice thus offered him
and dismounted. The usual arguments of
the South in support of their institution, of
course abound in these pages. The high
morality which consists in the worship of the
great principle, ;.let the weakest go to the
WALL, is accepted as unanswerable. In this
camp at any rate, there is no delusion about
the base treachery Of the members
of the Buchanan ministry, by
which the North was, as far rs possible, dis
armed before the concerted outbreak; it is
simply boosted of as a master stroke of pol
icy, and no disguise affected in matter in
(which none but Southerners could be proud.
Apother Southern book, more valuable
and more able, but equally entangled in
the Toll of making the worse appear the bet
ter reason, is Mr.. McHenery's account of
the Cotton Trade. The title in which we
hear for the first time of the American Re-
publics, indicates the argument. In Europe
we have been accustomed to suppose that
there was one American Republic, and that
it bought nearly all the land now occupied
by the secessionists, of Napoleon in 1904, for
seventy-fve million dollars, or of Spain in
1920, for twenty-five with Union funds ;
to- which sum the South con hardly pretend
to have furnished one third. The special
possessions of the South rest upon a basis
that is inseparable from the Union, if there
were no higher arguments which condemn
their effort to engross their ownership. The
vogue which their arguments have SO long
enjoyed was founded on the too general ig
norance of American politics in Europe: there
are.'abundant signs that better knowledge is
gradually becoming fatal to those who were
but too glad to seize upon an apparently
simple issue.
The advocates of the South are manifestly
preparing to execute stragetic movement
but too similar to many they have ridiculed.
Mr. McHenrys pages which are devoted to
the cotton trade, are full of statistical re-
|
substantially the old note of homage to King
Cotton, king whose kingdom is departing
from him. 1t is somewhat symptomatic
that the stress of the argument is made to
rest OIL the qualities of the Sea Island de-
scriptions, and no longer reposes on the sole
possession of that market which vas once so
confidently relied on. The negro question
is treated as though it were to be definitely
settled on physiological principles The in
feriorlty Of the race, their inability, when
free, to cope, without an education, with the
comparatively instructed white-are accept
ed as afull and unanswerabe indication that
they are born for the state from which every
means of exit is shut out. The evils Of
slavery are thus made to furnish ground
for it's continuance, and wrong unblushing-
! ly defended by parade of its own conse-
quences. An effort is made in this volume
to escape from reproach of reputation on
the part of the South which substantially
amounts to this, that the repudiating States
would not be bound by the acts of their
agents and hold themselves absolved from
cheating others, when they can make it ap-
pear that they have been cheated"
| eSS
| The States and the War.
Unuer the ABOVE nead the New I orK L 0nteS
of late date, has an editorial, on the COM
parative zeal of the different sections of the
country, in raising troops for the war. Its
statements, statistical and geographical. are
evidently prepared with great care and the
spirit of its decision in the matter is eminent
| ly just and impartial.
Figures, that are said to be incapable of
falsehood, give the West the palm in this
honorable competition. We have not room
for the entire article of the Times, but we
copy the concluding paragraphs-the sum-