The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1864-03-30

II u
We presume that no one who knows any-
thing Of the American character, or has
read the history Of the American people,
can honestly believe the latter TO be either
towards or mercenaries. Win the sad
exception of portion of the population Of
New England, in the struggle of 1919,
there IS no record of their hayinca ever
shrunk from any of the duties or sacrifices
imposed On them by patriotism in time Of
war. On the contrary. they have been so
ready, always, to answer to the call Of coun-
try, that they have more than once mista-
ken Tor it the false appeals of demagogue-
ism and passion. They have always been
20 willing, and often SO anxious to fight,
that European diplomacy has long charac-
teriZed them. proserbially, as dls,urbers of
the peace Of nations. Ii was this hasty
and pugnacious impulse, SO peculiar to
them that it could be counted on with alb
sOlute certainty, which the unprincipled
of our present suffering abused
and tempted for their own unholy ends at
the beginning of the war. To the enthusi.
asn with which the first calls Of Mr.. Lin
coin were responded to, thousands of des-
olate houseAolds-tens Of thousands Of
brave hearts now colG-bcar mute and
fearful witness. Then, indeed, the war
was popular. Right or wrsng. it appealed
to the popular heart, and was answered
with its best blood.
Let US lock, now, at the contrast, Ts
do so, we must not 90 TO the columns of
the pensl0ned press OF lie dynasty at Wsshs
ington; ner to the manufacturers Of New
England or New fOrk, Or elsewhere, who
have grown fat sn tn. csrnsge Of better
men; nor 10 the traders, or jobbrrs, or
contractors. or place men, ar parasites--
the myriad Of jseksls wha feed on the
bIoody ofial OF The strife. We have snly
to contemplate the -'mpls .nd naked facts,
tiat with population lhr'e time. thst Of
the States az war with US, snd sighting
population p,aporiinnately Much lager
with bouanes pfofsr.d. such - nvssr
tempted cupidity in an, ~sT beisrs-we
are compelled 10 seduce Foreigners Iran
their homes TO fight our battles tcr pay,
and are driven to the slili NOR. dtst.ding
necessity uf committing the hssn, II eur
ilag and the vlndlcaiian Of rar m.nho.d 10
the hands 81 negroes, bond and tree. Not
The relentless grasp Of most mers,lss aud
Unconstitutional conscriptinn, uer The Sc.
duction Of bsunties large enough to make
pror mans fortune, can now drag or en-
tice American citizens, except 10 uuakers
absolutely Insignificant, to sght ih. k.;ilss
Of this war. Il is insoeot, as well - idle
and absurd, IL talk Of the "popui.,iiy" Of
any war that can commend no warmer suD-
port than this, from bravs and impsisive
people. Ii the hearts Of the people ~sre
in the war, ihey themselves world be in
the field 10 fight TO The death. lflAeysia-
cerely believed it TO be a war in which
they ought 10 offer themselves as . sssri-
Iice, they would crowd TO he ssr- horns Of
the altar. without threat or brlbe. That
tbsv shrink from tie cnDieAt that they
will devote III the little ssrnicgs Of their
lives 70 purchase eIempiiOn--th2t they
cannot be tempted or forced into the rsnas,
while there is sns sscspe-ah the.s things
tell the story. The people DO not issl any
longer that the war is their AIE. Thy
nav support il far little ~hile because
the government is waging il snd tn dag is
waved over il. Seine of ,h,m may Be nill-
/ ing Il should continue, because ii psys
themselves or their .rissds lsrgs profits, Or
Keeps up their inagencs, ~ advances their
party. or iatte,s their vsRity, sr erltikes
their raOcqr. bet the great curreat of
public feeling aud opinion rrns 10 its favor
ne iongs-. Ii he, now ne hold on public
sn,hs,issm. Its popularity is dead
IL the himinisirstiaa really believes
that all this IL islse--lf il is pursuaded
ihst TIE popularity ol the war continues.
let Il labsn on the conscription and the
bounty system and make the experiment
Of volunteer ealistmentslor single week.
That brief space Of time would suilice lor