The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-02-18
Swedish Sympathy for the American Cause.

some weeks ago, While every one 10 Swe-
den was anxiously awaiting the result of the
great civic contest in America, leader on
the American question appeared in the Han
deps Itdning,' the first newspaper in Gothen-
burg.
| l easily and correctly attributed the article
to the pen of my good friend, S. A. Hedund,
ESQ.,, the editor of the Hdndeps Tidning, and
one OF the first writers and thinkers OF Swe-
den, and as it appeared to me just, compre
hensive, and true TO both Sweden and Ameri-
ca, have put it into an English .garb, and
now send it to you.
1t seems good to me for Americans to know,
that, however hostile aud hateful England
and France may be to The Great Republic,
there yet lives in this far asth Land. the home
Of chiyalry, noble race, who deeply. sympa-
thize with us, who pray for our success, and
who bid us hearty "God speed in our life
struggle for universal liberty.
sl Yours very truly,
w. w. THOMAS, JR.
TRANSLATION.
The complications in North America seem
| to approach that solution, which 1t might
| nave been assumed would at last be reached,
even though the bloodiest battles first took
place.
The mighty people of the free States, with
their great intelligence and immense material
resources, could never allow dissolution OF
tue Union, the consequences OF which would
be the building up of powerful empire rest
ing upon slavery as principle, no longer as
a thus far tolerated evil, and perhaps govern
ed by a nonarchical dictator. Such an en-
pire would not only have been neighbor to
the democratic North, with its republican in
situations, but in many ways intimately con-
nected with it. Conflicts between them would
necessarily arise, and each side would be com
| PEELED to stand armed against the other, sub
| ject to all the sacrifices which are connected
with such an armed peace. The sap and mar
| row of the American commonwealth would
| like the European States, be sucked out by
| such an unnatural position, and a blighting
| check be laid upon its progress in spiritual as
| well as material things.
That the triumph of the slave-drivers' re-
bellion should be desirable for many European
| States, we find very natural. Reunited, tie
| United States become formidable power
sundered, it would always be easy to incite
the one empire against the other, paralyzing
both. Those ideas, too, which the Free States
| represent, would no longer be SO dangerous
| One could point out with malicious p easure
where liberty and equality led; the impotence
| OF free States would be cited in comparison
with aristocratic military prowess; absolute
power, not as an accidental dictator, but as
the rule, would again be elevated to credit
and honor. The development OF humanity
would go back a century, and the richly prom
ispg future which it opened to the gaze o.
lovers of the human race, would again be
thrust into the far distance.
1t was impossible for the free North to per-
nit the triumph of such a cause, or to do 9th
erwise than to exert itself to the very u.t9i.
most to defeat it. What the nobler portion o.
the people, who happily form the ruling ma
iority, have done for this end, history will one
day relate with wonder and amazement.-
What in the beginning of the war, perhaps
WAS lacking in centralized power, the people
| have richly supplied by voluntary concord
what in the beginning, perhaps, the govern
menE Lac ked in energy, has been supplied by
| the united exertions of the free citizens and
tperhaps still more) of their noble ladies.
II, before this, a dictatorship has been priz
ed for its strength, when it can in dangers
hour forcibly dispose of every individual
means and might, we may now recognize thu
still higher power, which lies in the voluntary
union of free individual effort for the common
veal.
IL is in this tUay, that free America, within
the short space OF three years, has marshaleC
immense armies, which, mark aoell, now, con
/ sit t of disciplined, unfinching warriors led b,
excellent general it is thus it has produced
that unheard-of amount of war mat srial, now
at its disposal by land and sea; thus has il fur
nished its soldiers better sanitary and com
| missary supplies than any other land has as
| yet done; and thus has it given TO the wound
ed, and to the surviving families of the fallen
| all the helps country owes those who for it of
! fer up life and blood.
/ 1t TIE many new inventions and ingenious
arrangements upon the theatre of active war
Aonor the genius of the American people, the
independent, spontaneous energy of its son:
and daughters in all that concerns their ar
| my's welfare, in both material and spritua
respects, stands forth In a yet more noble
light ~, 5
| America also has had to contend not only
| with the open hostility of the slave drivers
but also with the secret Vaccinations of theil
selfish friends in the North, as well as grea
corruption and lust for gain among specula
| tors, who, especially at the commencement o
1 the war, burdened the government. In this
] Infinite chaos order and morality have now
entered, and the power of honorable mora
opinion weighs heavily upon the culprits and
stops their evil deeds. e1
Thus will the United States of America
have passed through this terrible crisis, to the
gain and enobling of themselves and the whole
world.
Not the least, it seems to us, as far as we
understand it, has he who now occupies the
Presidential chair contributed towards this
end. What the quondam raiL-spltter of Hi
nois might have lacked at the commencement
of his administration in insight and expert
ence, he bountifully replaced with an integri
| ty upon which his worst enemy cannot fling 8
stain. He has with thoughtfulness followed
the development of public opinion, without
gong In advance OF it, yet never hesitating tC
\ act IN Its spirit when the time had come. Fan
from being a tool in the hands of parties Oh
Generals, he has stood ooe r them, and has moi
hesltated TO show even the most popular com
mabqer tnat the governme 1t stands over all
and that al must obey its CO umands.
1t IS worthy the people of A werica that they
reelected this most estimabler citizen to the
high position he has under su, n perplexine
circumstances filed with honor. By so doing
tney VIII bring to grief the proph ecies of those
who presaged that the United States would
now choose only conquering general, and
that this would be the first step to, Yards mil.
itary dictatorship. This, as we hose and
warmly wish, shall not be. Preside mt Lincoln
will lie reelected for the period of peace
which ought to follow closely upon the period
If war, that has thus far occupied his admin
istration.
With increased respect and Influence he
will then heal the wounds Of the W ar and more
fully infuse into that great natio n the spirit
of moral power aud resolute de, ermination
which forms the ground work of his own char
acter, and which makes him the wol thy repre-
sentative of the noble majority of he people,
such. -,
wars bloody drama is truly not :, 1t played
ous' 1ut all signs indicate that the curtain is
,alseI lor us last act. All the friends of free
a ua here belong the whole or the
great majority of the Swedish natl on--await
VIII a.nioss leVerish tension that solution,
MO DE JANEIRo paper has an articI e
on the Wachusetts and the Florida in wh;o,,