Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-12-28
Cavalier and Puritan. .

OcOtL, dS Whs uccuIut W ASnN, - =
the unequslled depictor of the things
that were, was a worshiper OF ancient
oddities of all sorts. That which struck
his IMAGINATION most forcibly he most
fervently loved and viyidly pictured.
HeSwas quite as fond, and an effective
describer of an old humbug, error, or
fruitless custom, as of an old reality,
truth, OF productive habit of society.
He will probably never be exceeded in
the capacity of bringing before the
mind d, eye the scenes of other days, but
his cast of mind and education forever
debarred him from any success as q
philosophical historian. We were about
TO say he would not succeed in any
attempt at philcsophic history, but
remember he proved ii conclusively in
a single effort which was a lamentable
failure. He was BY nature lover of
the old and effete. Hisreverence of the
right divine wac unlimited, and but
little influenced by any notions of natur-
al right, justice, or the progress of
humanity. The fool by reading him
becomes worshiper If dead idols; to
the man of sense, discrimination, and
understanding, founded on knowledge,
be is the most delightful of the chron-
clers of the ancien regime To the old
fogy, and the conservative, he is a will
o'.the-wisp, yet an authority for his in-
ertia, and serves as an additional dead
weight to prevent any hope there might
have been to get mp, exert himself and
advance. The gaudy descriptions Of the
tournaments and the cavaliers have taken
the fancy Of subsequent parties who are
can conceive nothing now more cap
tivating and ennobling than to occupy
their position. Under the order of the
right divine the pompous, ignorant,
high headed cavalier assumed the right
to ride roughshod over all of the
by whom also their bread was
and the gaudy trappings paid
for. Could any state of society be more
entrancing, would any other be endur:
able? They thought not, and accordingly
there was perfect incapacity of a single
new idea or step in advance.
Z, Our cavaliers were reduced to the
sad necessity of domineering over the
nigger, and to owe all their bread and
trappings and leisure to his poor skill
and industry. Their old models were
no more capable than are they of
anything new or worthy, and any ad-
vance they are susceptible OF must Re
taiLend foremost. They seem, too,
equally incapable of adapting themsel yes
TO any change of circumstances The
idea is, that any change in the relations
Of society can produce nothing but dis.
aster and continued confusion. 1t
would not be surprising with such char
acters if 50 it turns out They have no
energy, no resources, no skill, no any
thing worth speaking of left, when you
take from them the beloved nigger. But
we do not despair Of that part of the
country yet We shall introduce those
who hsye skill, energy and resources in
dependent of their all powerful depend
ence-those who will not ask what
shall we do without our negroes2' Those
who have industry of q higher sort,
and who will make the country bloom
as never did the "irrepressible " Those
who can make use of even the cavaliers
for some useful purpose. Certainly,
that would be6no small achievem ent, if
not for their old employment of
grumbling, misunderstanding and negro
raising. g0I
The wretched Puritaus we're of diff
ferent sort. They foolishly' thought the
mind, and body were intended of the
Maker to be improved to the utmost,
and that they should pay for their grub,
as well as see to it that every other man
uId go. They had such mean notions
as to make all the powers of air, earth
and ocean snbservient to their service,
and not alone the "inevitable. They
even believed that society and mankind
were capable of infinite development,
and when one form had fulfilled its little
all, discarded it for a higher and better.
They looked not behind them, but be-
fore. They did not wait until the throes
of irrepressible nature through the incu-
bus had cast them into the valley of des
olation and humiliation. But, then, you
know they are a restless, go-ahead race,
and there is no telling what vagaries
they may be guilty of in trying to scale
high Heaven, or what Babels they may
attempt to build. Who knows what ca
lamities they bring down on our headsi
In the meantime, they have left behind
the cavaliers, who look with longing eyes
at the departed glories of themselves and
mud-sills--et the irrecoverable glories of
stupid inertia, clustering bravado, indis-
criminate seIf-laudation, provincial
partiality and ignorance, and the grand
privilege of total inability of under
standing the worthiness, nobility and
honorableness of anything beyond mig
ger raising, nigger productions and of
those who had the doing of it. They
are trying now how not to do it. Per-
haps they will try again to do it. His in
fernal majesty may help. Let them try.
We do not know of any other individusl
likely to be interested enough in their
success. Farewell, Cavaliers. Let Us
know when you return ID.
p S.-Perhaps you might procure
coolies and Cinnamon. You know you
might do most anything with them, and
perhaps we should let the places OF our
citizenship be filed with more of your
trash. Yes, very much, perhaps, we
fear you will have to pay for labor ke
the Yankees. That will be a har Ase,
won't it now2 Excessively. Again,
Cavaliers, farewell Please don't forget
the Puritans. Farewell d.