The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-12-27
Vacation

vacation
There reigns for the moment Christmas
ouictude over all the land. North and
South seem in sort Of holiday repose !;
and though Christmas dinners in these
southern States may not have been so
sumptuous as the banqucts Of our northern
brethren, we venture to surmise that there
was more of genuine brotherly feeling pre-
siding over the board. We read that the
New England Society had its anniversary
dinner in New York on Saturday, where it
was proved, for the siXty-frst time, that
the iatcllect, enterprise, and virtue of this
continent are 10 be found in those favored
eastern States, or have radiatcd from them,
illuminating the land. Most Of the senti-
mcnts given by the chairman were such as
We all remember: 90 New England she
needs no apology-thcre she stands "
plymouth Rock :" "Tho Women of
New England" SC. But in the list of
toasts are two which we are uuaccustomed
to, and have failed to understand very pre-
cisely: The needle-gun Of Germany
ltStirst shot pierced tyranny to the quick.
May its next yolley wake from the grave
the ghost of Saxon freedom ~ If the
assembled Puvitaus who hailed this elo-
quent gibbcrish in bumper knew what
they were drinking to, il is more than you
know, reader. Ii the triumph Of the Ho-
benzollern monarchy over the defcncelcsS
minor States of North Germany was a shot
that wounded tyranny, We have not read
the history of the past year to any pur-
pose. The King Of Prussia came back from
Sadowa, emboldcned by that military sue
cess, to walk into his Parliament with a he'll
met on his head and sword by his side, and
10 tell them that as he had ruled the Coun-
try for three years without law, so be
should continue TO do, if necessary ; and
that he would Judge Of the necessity. As
for the annexed countries which he has
taken possession Of against the viii o! the
inhabitant. Just because he said he
wanted them, they are not so much as ad-
mtted to any representation al all in that
helpless Berlin Parliament; aud untortu-
nate Saxony, that "grave Of the ghost Of
Saxon freedom" is simply held by militia
~ occupation. Yet we imagine that the
sympathy between these sons Of New Eng
land and the ncedle-gun king may be cX-
plaiued-hc is engaged in destroying indie
pendent States and rccOnStructing them,
without consulting the people, in open de-
fiance Of law, by the power Of the sword
alone. II is a noble precedent, and one
which the New England statesmen are
about to follow to the best of their ability
Immediately after New Years day. Why,
then, should not our PuritanS hail with en-
thusiasm the great European RECONSTRUCT
tor and that potent instrument by which
he is enabled to defy constitutions and ride
rough-shod over courts Of justice.
The next sentiment on The list is not
much more Ineligible "Thc Free South,
LET her but sign the pledge of liberty,
land she shall taste all its sweets aud
share all its honorS,' Free South
is no doubt q touch Of Puritan irony
country taxed without representation, and
having no voice in the making Of its own
laws, is hailed in Living Hall rs the Free
South. The banQucters, however, gra-
ciously promise (but not, we believe, by
Official authority that the Free South,
though not now free, shall he so on certain
TENSION "Signing the pledge OF Liber-
ty." This means the constitutional amend
lncnt: bnt the sentiment might have been
more plainly expressed, thus: "Thc re-
"bcls shall enjoy all the honors Of liberty
"so soon as they attest their own black dis
"honour under their own hands" What
southern Legislature can resist the blan-
dishment of such an invitation, so ioyially
uttered over the wine Declare, ye Re-
bells! once for all, that you are pcrjured
rufIiaus, and then come to our arms, and
share our "honorS"
These sentiments, though proposed after
dinner, were presumably prepared before
that meal; which makes the extreme con-
fusion of ideas apparent in them only more
incomprehensible. These sons OF New
England are evidently in the dark. They
understand not what has been passing in
Europe, and cannot in the least understand
why we at the South should not Sign and
seal our own eternal inidmy. They, per-
haps, would do so in our place.
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