The Shasta courier., 1865-03-04
Truth Well Stated,

Inc editor of the London Spectator has
oeen one OF our few firm, truthful and consis.
tent trends and defenders in England. In
the November number of that ably-conducted
paper we lind the best written articles upon
our PRESIDENTIAL election which have emana
ted from the other side of the ocean. The
writer evidently understands the situation.
and IN his treatment of the subject, he deals
with itJudiclously and comprehensivelv. In
ms discussion of the significance of the elec
tion and the results to which it will lead. he
presents the issue in the following remarka-
bic language:
Never before in modern history have the
two great political IDEAS of mankind aristoc-
racy and democracy, the rule of the many for
the benefit Of the few, and the rule of the
many or the few for the benefit of all. been
brought in such direct and visible collision.
In this American war alone has the STRUGGLE
been diyested of false appearances A strong
aristocracy. strong alike in physical resour-
ces and in men able q use them, conscious
and proud of its own objects, aware that it
means to suppress the many in order to give
the few broader and freer life and boldly
proclaiming that in this direction alone lies
the road to high civilization, has set itself to
break up great democratic power. South
ern leaders at home assume no gloss. mt for
ward no pretexts. are fiattered by no restraint
of internal circumstances or external position
They have carried their system, already to its
logical end the bondage of all who work. the
dependence of all who neither work nor own
the free and equal sovereignty ofthe few who
are able to possess the one and pay the other
class.
The reticent, statesmanlike selfish aris
tocracy, the slow, loud tounged, unselfsh
democracy. each left to itself, each guided
by its own highest average, and no more.
has been fighting ont, foot to foot. and face
to face, as the Athens and Sparta of the New
World, the ancient political battle of man
kind. Had General Mcclellan been elected.
that battle would have been lost, for the
North would have announced that it cared not
if it were won. cared only for the side. issue,
its own imperial power. As it is. conscious
Iy and with full knowledge, nfter nearly
four years of battle, after tie o6er Of peace
aciM tie end unsecured, it has pronounced by
a three fourths maj jority that through hard
ships and defeat and financial difficulty,
though its lands be covered with hospitals
and its cities filled with bankruptc. though
every family weep for its sons, and the course
of material civilization be thrown back GEN.
turies, it is ready to fight manfully on, rath-
er than freedom should prove a chimera not
essential to grand national life
The reelection of Mr. Lincoln means for
all, for the Lancashire operative as the slave.
for the serf of Mecklenbdrg- Schwerin as
much as the freemen of Maine, that the con-
fiict between those principles, which has
been raging since Athens and Sparta alike
yielded to alien sway, shall be followed stead
lily out to the end.
We may and shall hear much more in
Europe ofthe crimes ofthe democracy, though
all the masses have committed in all ages do
not equal those of the single line of Haps-
burg; but we shall be free, at least, of the
taunt that liberty means weakness, that free
people must be people incapable of energetic
and persistent war;