New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-07-19
TIM DABK SIDE OF THE REVOLT.
TION.
History Repeating Itself.
From The Boston DAILY

lis American Loyahsis Mr. Sipine hss niauo '
dsrk side of the revolution special study he has done
CHS with every friendly impulse since. rs no ssys NC ~
"of Wing descent" But tho truth OF history. a. ~
eppoars In his pages shows that all men wei ivriug
Srtunus In the revolution, even among the Nlihint
party and that the abuse and wrongs when uo
pored among to-day after all repetliV, ., S'
f what now aupears like the golden age of our history
1.-THE prominent men Of tho precautionary era i "a
&r Sabine were great ana the annals Of our rsce
Stil again avarice and rapacity were seemihg! as
then es now Indeed 'ne ,. an3 Sevccs 70
ertorton the fOrestallinR. the low Ms anu ~
smsss wealth. that were practccd during the struggle
are almost incredible. Washington m0nrned the want
OF virtue early i71S and syerred ts no 10 ,r Sa
Mod M the prospect Soldiers were stripped OF tner
sersbe pttauce tina, contractors for the army might
become rich in single campaign Many oil the sellers
of merchandise monopolzed articles OF ine ltst eeo
rity aud would not part with them TO their suffering
countrymen, and TO the wives and children OF thosc
who were absent in the field. unless at enormous prices
The tsaflc carried on with the Royal troops was m
nense Men Of all descriptions finally engaged IN II,
rnd those who at the beginning Of the war Woud nave
shuddered at the idea Of any connection %n u. .c
ouritfes were often counterfcitod, official sigma
fares forged. and plunder and r1ooerS 1pshn e
yres and the halls Of legislation, were alike gnneedea
che decline Of public spirit the love OF gn VI ,no i
ce the Plotting OF sey spread and in parts Of
tie country were uncontrolablc. Inc rseiul oceu
psons OF life and tte Legitimate pursuit. OF conuerce
were abandoned by thousands The pasest OF men en-
riehed themselves; and many Of the most esfmaoie
slnl into obscurity and ndigonce There were those
rho would neither pay iheT debts nor .ueir ;ndsdns
ere alarming extent at the neres o. sanOva IL
I'D spectators The indignation OF WashnS1Cn was
srly expressed 1t gives me very sincere piesuIo
said In letter 10 JOSEPH Reed, to find tho Assem-
as of Pennsylvania is well disposed 70 secohu your
deayoys in bringing those iIurderers OF ou. ,o
Iustmcnt IL is much In bo amentcd thnt cach STATE
sg ere this has not hunted them down as pests 70 20
Nv aud the greatest enemies we have to The haphess
No uuIlshluelt
,aat for the msn who build his greatness up
Lis countrys ruin In letter 70 another ne v~
x picture which he solemny declared 70 Dc q true
TroIs what have SEEN heard and In part know,
saddle should in ono word say, that idenes dissi
nation and exrayagance 10 have laid FAST hol1 o.
st Of riches seem to have got the better OF ever!
her consideration. and almost every order o. nith
Il that PARTY disputes and personal quarrcis are inc
cat business Of the day In other letters he ianehs
! q lex .ty Of public morals the distressed, raHous
I'D dcporabe condition OF pubic ana,s ,sv ""d
Ks n INC ratry consideration of little poi to ndi
uals Is to be placed in competition with the essential
I,ops vet unborn And scattered through his cor.
spondcnce are passages which show the lne,eAsng
Illacy Of the times; the declining seai Of tne PEG
Is' ard In which he rejolces over the virtnois ,eS
no were struggling against the corruptons ana s'oeA
j,bbing Of the multitude. -..,. i. ..,-;o,,.,,
In the frat Mace then 10 should be remembered that
he war was undertaken for tie hoest cause that ever
rrayed men In battle; that the Wings were nhoFi!
in
others and in the whole country composed an ucohSu
enable majority, and that of consequence there wa
every incentive to eSertion. to acton 10 unon .i
10 sacrifice for tho common good. But what Is tno
frnthf To saw nothing Of the Wings OF vermont VINO
at one period were declared by Washington 70 DO
'desd weight upon the cause some " '1e
resources Of the thirteen Federal states has served W
convince me that had the advice end plans OF the Illus
trions Commander-in- Chief Of Franklin. and other
fndojous and patriotic persons, boon adopted ana had
there been system and common prudence and integrity
In the management OF affairs, the army might nave
been well fed clothed and pad thronghout Tie sagge ,
The prevalent impression IA that Amerea was PVO''
abe people who, before tho Revolution, bought tea
70 the amount Of two and bali millions o. aoais an
contest imported useless articles OF lnAuTy Weie h9'
poor but able to maintain those who served IN thehea
Particular States, and thousands OF indi'lduan e1
hsnste their means 10 aid in achieving the independ
ence OF their country but am satisfied that me want
of patriotism in other States and IN other
Wigs produced the appalling eaiamihes OF ,he war
and compelled the resort TO the seizure OF private
property and other objectionable eIped.ehls. Inc
issuing of bills Of credit was, perhaps, M.
.To,dsbe. but their excessive depreciation might
and should have been prevented. The exports ci the
colonies prior TO INC were large; and win liberal al
yoyauce for diminished production during hostiiltes
fhere were stil provisions all times TO feed tho people
and both the Whlg aud the Royal forces In TACT inc
prizes taken by the nrmercus wore very
nearly much Is Was essened BY the partial inter
ruption of agriculture. The Kings troops were well
supplied FOR his generals paid hard money ana not inc
Continental stuff i am amazed said Washington TO
CD Stewart at the report you make OF the quantity OF
provision that goes daily into Philadelphia then occu.
pied by the British army) nom the County OF Bucks
and mark that this was written In January OF that
memorials Winter which the American army passed 10
nakedncss and starvation ut Valley Forge"
The troubles In raising which MIR. Sabine refers
IN the following extracts aud the abuses under loose
system OF local bountcs are familiar tothe readers OF
Kashington's correspondence.
{ So too, there wcR enough who In name were
Wings TO meet the srNJgcsi force thot was ever EN-.
ployed 10 suppress She popular movement There WAS
always army on paper but the votes OF Congress
were seldom executed by the States. AT the close OF
troops in camp to man the nss and at the opening OF
another when the COMMANDMENT hicf was expected
take the field scarce any State In the Union a. he
himself said. had an eighth part OF Its quota 10
service. The bounty finally paid to soldiers enor
NOUS 0mtting details, the general fact will be ind
Gated by stating that the price OF single recruit wss
FOR the war; beside the bonnty and emolumens given by
Congress; and that al - In specie cxactcd and
paid for q term OF duty Of only five months. Such
were the extraordinary inducements Iecessary b.
est Interests were az issue. Still large numbers q
Wings demanded that Washington should face and
fight their enemies without troops without stores and
ct times without their own confidence and SYM
patty IL we allow that much OF the reluctance TO enter
She army arose from the knowledge Of the privaons
and suerngs TO be cHduredin camp and from aversion
70 receive payment FOR service in deprecated cur
xency shall psate the conduct Of the class expected
20 be soldiers only 10 by implication anOtheY
class who possessed but kept back, TIE OF sup.
porting those who fought their battles"
Bounty Jumpers" and deserters 30 say nothing OF
nsrsuders In uniform common then now; snd
tho evils experienced in offering the army similar
20 the worst OF those enconntered
III we turn our attention TO the officers. we sha
find that many had bat doubtful claims TO respect for
purity Of private character; and that adj
dcted TO grave vices 10 is certain that appointments
were conferred upon unworthy persons throughout the
war. Knox wrote 10 Gerry that there were men In
commission who wished 70 have their power perrsto