The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-08-29
MISSISSIPPI A FREE STATE.

nance abolishing slavery, was adoptei
by vote of eighty-six to eleven, a Yer.
respectable majority, and quite as bind
ing as if it had been unanimous. Afte
this vote by the convention, of cours'
there will be no difficulty in the adop
ton Of the constitutional amendment by
the Legislature, and therefore we may
shortly expect to see slavery abolished
throughout the land, without the assist
ance of those three great "neutralities, u
Kentucky, New Jersey and Delaware
Had we been told four years ago that o
majority of the people in Mississippi
next to South Carolina, the proudest and
most stiff-necked State in the Union
would vote to do away with the much
cherished institution, We would have
looked upon the proposition as the in
sane rawlings of mailman. But four
years have made greater changes than
even this in the sentiments ofthe people
of the far South. Poverty and misfor-
tune are inexorable Jewellers, and pride
bows its naughty head before them.
They make people more reasonable, in
their opinions. and less selfish and are
apt to open their eyes to many of their
follies. Mississippi was perhaps more to
blame for this warthan any other South
ern State, except South Carolina. twas
that pulled up vanity in regard to the
superiority of her people as soldiers,
which had been fed by newspaper flat
terry, that led the Mississippians to be-
lieve they were the bravest people, not
only in the South but in the whole
world, and that one regiment of their
rifles, commanded by jeff Davis, could
conquer the entire North, which first
prompted the South to rush so frantically
into secession. 1t was the exaggerated
notions prevailing throughout the coun-
try of Mississippi's proves in arms, be-
cause jeff. Davis had held his own
against Santa Annals undisciplined
hordes in the sktrmish at Buena
Vista, of which so much capital
was made by correspondents and
the writers of Mexican war history, at
the expense of the regular soldiers Of
the army and the sturdy men of Illinois
and Indiana, to whom really belonged
the credit of the victory;-it was this
putting of Southern valor and chivalry,
we say, which led the most sensible per-
sons to believe that the Mississippians
and the entire people of the South were
superior to those of the North as SOL
diers. The Palmetto regiment, of South
Carolina, which never participated in
anything more than skirmish in that
war, compared with what the Massa-
chusetts and Pennsylvania troops at
tempted at Fort Wagner, were by this
same kind of puffery led to look upon
themselves as invincible; and conse'
quently they rushed into war confident
of an easy victory. They lost sight OF
the fact that the glory of the Mexican
war was due to our brave little regular
army, of which the North furnished the
entire fighting material, and that the
only Southern regiments which saw any
active service were more indebted to the
newspapers for their reputation than fol
any extraordinary display of bravery
on the field. But the Mississippians
and the South Carolinians really believed
all the fiattery that was lavished upon
them, and thought victory over the
Northern mechanics and Yankee ped
dlers" would be an easy matter. They
would only have to show themselves to
strike terror and dismay to the souls of
their trembling anniversaries, and they
could then walk over the field and
gather the rich spoils of victory. How
terribly they were deceived they have
by this time discovered to their cost.
and also that bravery and chivalry are
not the exclusive heritage of any
people or nation, but that courage is cos
mopolitan, and there are brave men, a
well as towards, in every CLINE. Tn
soldiers of these two States, whicl
promised so much, have gained fewe
laurels than those of any other State ii
the South; in fact, we believe the Vii
ginians lay claim to all the honor
of the war, as possessing all Tie prs
very and as having borne the brunt
the fight. South Carolina and Missis
sippi are humble enough now. The
have passed through terrible ordea
and have learned that "pride goeth bt
fore destruction and naughty spirit bt
fore a fall" We shall hear no more
Palmetto chivalry and the invincibl
rifles of Mississippi. That great myth
called prowess.on the.battle-tield, will nc
be held in such high esteem anywhere
now that it has been discovered tina
even the negroes can charge into tn
very jaws of death. The modest arts o
peace will in future be more earnestly
followed, for their triumphs are greate
than those of war. Labor will be NOR,
honorable than warlike glory. Any
man with common courage, even though
he be wanting in intelligence, may be
come hero on the battlefield, whethe
he be born in Massachusetts, or Missis
sippi; but it is not every man that cal
. gain laurels in the everyday walks O
life. This war will have had enc goo,
effect, if we can only get rid of that fool