Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-05-26
The Spirit Of the Rebellion.


There is no longer room for difference
of opinion as to the animus of the leading
rebel spirits, Nothing like patriotism, or
love Of the human family, nor deep seated
regard for the principles which undcrle a
republican form Of government, impellcd
these workers Of mischief into the mad
schemes of rebellion. Neither was there
oppression of the National Govern
nent, nor of triumphant political party,
which chaied them into rebellion, and
which had been long fostering and gather
ing to head.
These men, the instigators, had no just
cause of complaint against the Govern
ment, for what it had done, nor for what it
had left undone. Mr.. Stephens in his
Justly admired, and unanswcrable speech,
before the convention which took Georgia
out of the Union in 1850 fully admits this.
lie said
"Pausc, intrcat You and consider for a
moment what reasons you can give that
will ever satisfy yourselves in calmcr
moments,-what reasons You can give to
your fellow sufferers in the calamity that it
will bring upon us! What reason can
YOU give to the nations of the earth to
justify it! They will be the calm and
deliberate judges in the case and to what
cause, or one overt act can you name or
point. on which to rest the plea of justifi-
cation! What right has the North assail
ed What interest of the South has beeu
invaded What justice has been denied :
and what claim founded in justice and
right has been withheld Can either of
YOU, to-day name one governmental act of
wrong, deliberately and purposely done by
the government of Washington. of which
the South has right to complain /
challenge the answer while. on the other
hand, let me show the fact, and believe me
gentlemen, am not here the advocate of
the North, but am the friend of the South,
the firm friend and lover Of the South and
her institutions. and for this reason speak
thus plainly and faithfully for yoHrs, and
mine, and every other mans interest, the
words of truth ana soberness of which |
wish you to judge, and will only state
facts which are clear and undcnialle, and
which now stand as records, authentic i'll
the history of our country
Mr.. Stephens was authority for southern
men, and no doubt, expressed the honest
views of the leading men. The reason
for the uprising was not to be found i'll any
wrong committed against the South. Not
at all. The search will be made in vain
for plausible reason for the step; and
yet, this same Mr.. Stephens went out from
us, accepted the position of the second
place in the so-called Southern Confcd
cracy, and led with him into the dirty
pool of secession, all other Southern men
OF his class. What, then was the animat-
ing spirit of the Chiefs in rebellion :
Ambition, yaulting and uncontrolled am
bitiOn. We see that there is no rcdeeming
trait.;n the actuating spirit. The excuse
of ignorance and blind passion cannot be
put in, for the leaders were not ignorant,
nor in towering passion. They Went at
the work deliberately, long beforehand,
and laid all their plans as intcliigently and
as cody as a mechanic goes 10 the work of
erecting an cdlticc.
The testimony adduced in the conspiracy
case now on trial abundantly proves that n
deriiiSh spirit had got possession OF the
leaders. Men who rise up in rebellion in
good cause never resort to such devllish
measures to succeed. We read that the
pirates of old killed and committed to the
waves the crews of the unfortunate vessels
that were taken 10y them. acting upon the
principle that dead men tell no tales
In perfect accordance with this spirit are
many acts of the rebels. The Fort Pillow
massacre, the treatment of our prisoners
in the rebel prisons, the Hotel burning
schemes; and last, the tiendish deed OF
assassinating the President. That there
was a widespread and deliberate plan tC
commit this last great crime. as there was
a studied effort to render our soldiers ii
their hands forever unfit for service again
admits of no doubt. These fendsl
schemes, stamp the whole plan of rebellion
as infamous. and the leading authors a,
iends. They are relieved from an!
sympathy from Us, because recent events
as well as the whole current testimony o
the war, amply prove that they entered
into the mad scheme of rebellion, not al
patriots, but as men possessed of devilisl
spirit. Itstinctivcly, the whole human
family pay homage to unselfsh patriotism
whether successful or not, but no one to
day, in the light of events has a word o
sympathy, for the dying rebel leaders.