The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-03
The New Lessons Taught by the Anne
~ rican War
From the Berlin PRUSSIA volkszoitung,

From the Berlin (Prussla) FoikszeitungJ
1t is impossible, at this moment, TO
measure theextent, orto define the limits,
of the extraordinary revolution in. the
future history of mankind, which the
American war has effected within the
space of few years. This war has ac-'
complished what all the outside world
of magnitude that's commonly consid-
cred too immense and unwieldy for
monarchy, is dragged into q civil war,
the object of which is the division of the
common Union, on the one hand, and
the maintenance of its integrity on the
other. Remember, it is not one compact
State that threatens to fall into pieces,
but a confederation of many sovereign
States, a portion of which attempts to es-
tablish separate confederacy. Allths
can be opposed to this scheme is Con-
stitution which possess neithera distinct
inherent, nor any traditional, authority,
but solely the force of circumstances
which, somehow, have come to be con-
sidered as law. This ideal of Federal
Union grows so strong, that, for its MAIN
tenance, the freest people in the world
accept the arbitration of war, and bring
to a successful issue that war--such a
war as history nowhere records.
The theory that federation Of States is
loose, disjointed fabric, destined to fall
asunder, as soon as the native desire Tor
independence of the several States at
tains maturity, has been overthrown by
this war. A constitution which, here,
we are pleased to designate as ''sheet
of paper" holds together territory exv
tensive enough to comprise ten large
States-takes such deep hold of people,
trained in the most enlightened freedom,
that, for its preservation, they wage a
war of such magnitude! If this fact
proves that, among a free people, fede-
raj relation and unity can be maintained,
such as many compact monarchies can
not maintain, it also teaches this far
more important lesson, that the central
izing force of monarchy is not abso-
lutely necessary to preserve the integri-
ty of federal State. The history of the
Swiss Sonderbund, in 1916, has repeated
itself, on grander scale, within the last
four years. While the Netherlands, un-
der amonarchical constitution, dissolved
| into two parts while imperial Austria,
despite the force of "a so-called uniting
dynasty, finds it difficult to keep to-
rether her several parts, a confederation
ofsovereign States, existing under re-
publican institutions, shows union, an
integrity, that the world looks on with
amaZement.
Another lesson, contradictingall theo-
ries hitherto accepted, is taught by the
fact that perfectly free people are able
to wage q great war. Hitherto it was
customary to prove by the history of an
tiquity, that republics can wage waronly
when controlled by an aristocracy. A
democracy, duringa war, invariably ends
in a military dictatorship, terminating
in the Cesarism of the man that COM
mands the popularity of the army
This so-called Historical axiom, for which
Louis Napoleon claims the same respect
as for the sacred truths of religion, also
ceases to be a truth. America is able to
wage war-so able that the mostwarlike
Imperator, who improvises empires in
Mexico, shudders at the idea that Amer
lea might thwart his plans. A republic
nay, a pure democracy-is able TO car
ry on war; and, what is more, democ-
racy fears no Caesarism.