The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-08-18

proportion than the patriots bore to the
tories 10 the Revolution of 1776. AS the
war progressed this majority increased al
most to upanimity, until on the LIST day
Of June, 1868 point of time we select
merely for perspicuity-no ruler in Christ
endom had anything approaching his
claim to lawful authority, if tested by the
American principle, which proclaims the
only true source of power to be the consent
of the governed.
Not only did he stand fortified by this
traditional argument of American Gov
eminent, but the people over whom he
presided appealed to the leader of their
enemies for justification. "Any people
anywhere" said Mr.. Lincoln while a
member of Congress-" "being inclined
and having the power, have the right to
rise up and shake off the existing Govern
ment apd form new one that suits them
better. This is most valuable, most
sacred right-a right which we hope and
believe is to liberate the world" Many
thousands of the Southern people, our
selves, as our fellow-citizens remember,
among the number, fought against the
movement for separate government, on
the ground that it was not justified by the
election of Mr.. Lincoln or by anything he
had done, and were only induced to aid
in the raualut;on Ivy realty to our
several States. Mr.. Davis far more nearly
partook of these opinions than of the
views of the radicals, and the Secessionsts
Of the winter of '60!61 found great diff
Guilty in securing the influence Of his
name to their project, not probably on the
ground OF right, for he asserted that as
strongly as Mr.. Lincoln did in the para
graph quoted above, but on the ground
of justification and expediency.
That he entered into the cause with
heart and mind, when once he had decided
on his duty was only characteristic of the
man. The intrepid soul which flashed
out from his eyes as he bore the standard
of the Union at the head of the "Missis-
sppi Brigade" on the bloody fields of
Mexico, was not likely to quail before the
moral or personal responsibilities Of any
position that his fellow-citizens might call
him to, and accordingly we find him aban-
doning his homo and its securities, DESERT
ing and destroying his splendid estate,
and voluntarily embracing poverty and
danger at time of life when men in
stinctively seek rcpose, that he might more
efficiently serve the people. That he was
earnest, devoted, Jealous and fearless in
the path he had taken, all admit. But
these are qualities which provoke the ad-
miration OF the chivalrous. That he was
firm to obstinacy, prone to sustain fayorites,
oblivious of the merits of personal foes,
and willful in many matters of admins
tration may also be true. But these at
tributes which still further commend him
to the consideration Of his enemies, since
they rendered him formidable chiefly to
bis friends.
That he is now helpless, feeble pris-
oner, surrounded by foes, cut off from
family and acquaintance, beggared in for
tune and helpless in prospects, with
clamorous cry for his blood ringing perpet-
ually in his ear as he treads the solitary
round of his geon-these are circum-
stances which should invoke the compass
sion of the most malignant of his contem-
poraries, as they will certainly command
the sympathy of posterity.
There are two pictures in the gallery of
Epgland's history full of suggestive teach
ings in this hour for the American people.
One represents the knightly son of Ed
ward ILL.,, having destroyed the flower of
Frances chivalry and won immortal glory
at Poictier's, entering the city of London
in triumph with his late enemy, now his
captive, John the Good, by his side,
showeripg on his illustrious prisoner those
attentions whereby noble souls endeavor
to make conquered foe forget, until men
said that the captor and captive had ex-
changed places, and that the victory of
the gallant Prince was less glorious than
the magnanimity with which he waived
it. The other represents facile tool of
vindictive administration, with the slow
torture of petty power and detailed malig-
nifty, burning the soul out of the chained
eagle of ST. Helena, whom the fortune of
war had cast into bis hands.
Long since, and with unanimous con-
sent, has the moral sense of mankind de-
cided the issue of fame between Sir Hud.
son Lowe and Edward of England, the