Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-03-11
HRGOHsTITTTI0E-sTATE RIcATs.
RICHMOND WHIG.
FRIDAY MORNING, MAROH IL, 1854.
The Indictment Of Posterity.

The parties 10 the war are not making history htrey
bus Illustrating character. There may not be to ma
tons as 10 men. great Judgment Day In the world 10
co nc. bu. there tho Tribunal Of POs!eriy, before
which hey must appear sad be a6judgsd. 10 days far
away, when tho Valley Of the Mississippi tA bs feed
ing its hundred millions, aud great independent COM
munitles sbau ocoupy, with balanced power, aud with
TIA. mutual respect tf right which is the result Of
balanced power, tie COn,ilent Of North America, the
historian and the mOssst u pass in review the events
nov occurring almost too rapidly 10 be cbrOnicled, aud
will evolve IRON them with unerring accuracy the
character Of the contest and the moral attributes ct
tie parties tOiL
They will not fail 10 perceive, underr 9TH the juggls
that imposed upon the Conederates the necessity of
firing the rst gun the great fundamental fact that the
war vas on our part purely defensive aud on the part
of our enemy, wantony tAssly and erceJ aggressive.
They will see that We we're impeed 10 take up arms BY
considerations that no Draws and honorable people can
dsresard-.o defend our mprescrpdblc rghts to pro-
tsct cur ancient liberties, 10 preserve cur cherished
form Of Government, 10 maintain our hereditary nst-
tuons 10 secure The sancd;y Of f.esdss the SAFELY
Of cur families sud DEPENDENTS, our iranchiss, tur
properly our social system eViz lion and religion.
Fney will see that having exhausted every possible
effort 10 avoid it, we had no choice but to sat or to sub
nit 10 d, graduation and ruin.
On the side 0! the enemy, they will See tie
reverse of all this-before the var, an interruptions
aud iai.l less disregard Of eOmPlcIs, persistent
aud ruthless pressng uPoa aud invasion OF cur
reserved and guaranteed. rights, perpetual inter
me ding in our dom ,stio sfAirs, itching desire
and the mOss thessh entrvsrces TO get possession
Of tba. which was ours, fanItcA aud prOpasAnd pur-
pose TO impose on Is thOr institutions their s,eial
uages their morally and their religion, such as they
ue.e. And When hosidss began, it viii &c seen that
While We made war only upon armed men, in open and
manly eOmOa,, they warred upon the helpless and IN
oneuding-thAl they sesshL By torurins the wife ard
she chilli the mother AID tie sister, to break the spirit
Of the husband AtAer and son, whom they could not
suodus By their arms They will marching in tie
van of the Yankee the horrd sp,eres OF Famine
and Ere, and lying along tho track of Ihsr desolAng
march Starvation death and the bllekenSd memor ais
OF their guilt Ia the Confederate rank, they will
,ouh hope enthusiasm self devotion, patriotism, aid
the confidence that springs from ecnticiicn II at
PrOvdeues viii prosper The good Ia the hirsrg
ranks OF the enemy, they will the lutt o. dominion
the greed OF property, fcsntiousnesS. inLunAnity,
Dsr6dy best Atty, aud The confidence Only that cones
from 4 oO1ardly reliance oa numb;rs.
Looking - people either side, the historian
viii sc those Of tho Coned rate States bsArng hero
cAly the ssseres: lriAs The nobes families stripped
Of their pAtrmOnIA esiAes, and accepting the condition
of penury, p.iTatiOn aud toll, unEurmurBgly-the
gen,est aiies, whom those whom they leaned lad
never permitted even the Winds Of heaven TO visit
rJr ghy driven from their homes At night aud in the
inclemeEt seasons, and reduced TO the hard
cessiies OF providing fJr themselves with tteir CWn
hands bu aec ptDg their Loo with pltisat sweetness
that might melt the heart of savAgOGhess cheerfuly
surendsr their property 70 the uses of the Govern
ment or Sharing their means with the needy Ct
taeir fellow eiuEsus, and all resolved to bear any
extremity OF and suffering, sooner than consent to
accept degrading peace a; the hands Of usorpng and
remorseless Zoe. Locking to the North, he will see
people calling themselves OaristAn-.he very clam
piOus indeed, o. uniVer, al bepeVOenco and phlan'
Indifferent TO tht scenes rather
taking an sroc delg in them whole nation pant
ing for the blood OfthOse whom called brothers,
aud "a on whom till this began, Il ey had received
nothing but beneais IL Il Imed aud mAddened by the
rss passions that can iSS.en upon socsty-the thirst
for revenge the greed gain the hut for place each
8luBBuuB lOE e9mo ouoAheeo iSNuSSo
70 $, sem OF cheating aud fraud pubic employment
sought for the opportunities Of psculAtiOn it affords
tie dearest and ed relations of life invaded BY
the pou!ing footsteps OF deception and inhdet; moral
h,lloWness, distortion and fAlsehOod everyEhere So
cisy fostering Of corruption; religion sham,
honour a myth, patriotism pretence, all hbsrty
gone ali independence Of ought id speech al end,
all appreciation Of Republican Democracy lOsti and
over the obscene whole peering out Of the black at
mOsphere that hangs The picture, author in part
and exponent altogether of its hideOusness the grim
ming speelrs Of Abraham Lincoln, msfOrmed mOrsrous
aud horrible.
Tais is the portrait Of the race with which we are
cOntsndug that 60 dDWn to pcS:ery. These are
the events upon which the judgment of stern and im-
partial future will be Tegslored and that VIII endure
Viii time las g. Coming ages win shuddsra tbs mon
s.rous woke iness ola whole people, of which are vii
nssscs and are songbt be made vetns and the name
Of the Yankee Of this day vii forever stand the sym
Dol and embodiment OF all that is most reVOlngy base
and brutal.