Smyrna times., 1866-06-13
NJ ISC ELLAN EOUS.
Mischief Making in Richmond.

To say that words are things is only to re-
peat rather stale saw. Every rejecting man
will comprehend what a hinderance to genuine
and honest reconstruction is the lingo of re-
luctant and more than half stimulated loyalty.
We have more OF this in Southern mouths and
newspapers because there are Northern men,
In Congress and out of it, who set the sore
souled malcOntentS Of the late "COnfcderacy"
perniciOus example by insisting upon the Sc
parate and indisputable individuality of the
States lately in insurrectiOn, who will not Weld
to the idea of perfect political unity only be-
cause that idea has been particularly asserted
and held up, by the Union party. Opposition
has betrayed too many into habit OF reprcsen-
ting the Contederacy aforesaid as an indepcnd
ent power. Now, such an admission as this,
coming from any considerable portion Of the
Northern people, Is Just the inch which cnti-
ties eX-rebcls to demand yard or two and
they are not III the least modest about it, All
they want is to keep the idea of the individu-
ality of the late Slave States, and they have
pride, passion and prejudice to work upon in
the dubious future For instance, here is a
Nirglnian gentleman who has been allowed per
sOnally to cheer the sccuSion Of Jefferson Da-
Wis. Being gallant man, the visitor, writing
to The Rtcimond E:ramtncr, most alttudin-
ousy compliments Mrs Jefferson Davis
Her conversation" he informs us, lis the
same that so often charmed visitors when she,
the wife Of the President of A BRAVE NATION,
struggling .for their liberties, dispensed the
cOurtesies and hOspitalites Of the Presidential
mansion. Now, we have nothing to say of
Mrs. Davis manners. We will take it for
granted that they are those of well-bred wo-
man; nor do we think the worse of her for
clinging affectiOnately to her misguided hus.
band in his downfall and peril. But when you
| come to "a brave nation, struggling for their
llbcrtles,' We insist upon filing a special de-
murrer. We totally deny that such words are
III the least appropriate. We admit the BRAY
cry, for the sake, at least, of our own military
reputation; but we deny the nation and the
struggling for liberties" IN toto We have a
respect Tor words; and it hurts our feelings tc
see them perverted and abused. The C0nfcd
eracy never was a nation" never had i
breath of national existence; never was recog
nized by the powers of earth as "a nation >
never got the least standing in the family, ncv
er had a Minister, nor so much as a Vice Con
sui, received at any court; never made thC
shadow of treaty, never accomplished more
than the assertion by itself of its nationality, t,
which all the rest OF mankind responded: Ne
by no manner of means, turning the cole
shoulder automatically, and keeping up thc
theory Of a friendly understanding with tn,
authorities at Washington. The Confedcrac,
was no more a nation than vagrant is house
holder, or pauper the equal in wealth witt
MIR. Astor 1t is one thing to struggle for na
tlOnallty-it is another to- attain it and tn
South never did attain it, nor the semblance @
1t, nor had the least chance Of it, for the
, merely. played at nationality in Richmond, an
found 1t rather hard to maintain even the com
pement OF decent Cabinet, although ther
was nothing to do except in their extern norizo
Aar mo rfV11nn i
object to this little game of assumption, feebl
. as it IS and harmless? 1t is quite importar
to get certain theories kicked out of this worlC
never to return to vex the peace and endange
the life of the real nation" If the Slay
!. States have been national once, why NJ
C national" again? If they ever had the frar
;, chise, it is fair argument that they have bee
e deprived of it by force, and are at liberty
n force to regain it. To admit this is not on
e to write ourselves down tyrants and usurper
= but theoretically to give up what we have bee
fighting for. Admit the Confederate natiol
= atty" and there is no reason, morally, wi
= /; we should not have another rebellion to-mo
a NOW. There is mischief in the very idea
v "a brave nation struggling for their liberties.
IN Consider how the last words may still be use
is ito fire the Southern heart" 1t means
"YOu were free, and you are slaves; yC
c. are the victims of unmerlted public mistu
lg tunes; you have succumbed to superior ph
h sical force you are crushed, conquered, al
j., cruelty subjugated." What will come mex
,, ,, What but
70 BE ye men and suffer this dishonor2"
And so we shall have no peace, no fxedncs
nothing but semi-annual fights, and chrol
explosions after the Mexican manner
Do we object to allowing disappointed IN
- the liberty Of their tongues? Certainly NJ
while they cOnfne themselves to mere talk
is the brain that perverts and the heart til
pOisons speech, and about the Southern bra
V and heart we cannot help feeling a trihe of an
iety. We object to everything which needle
" complexities good, solid reconstruction, a
postpones il even for an unnecessary hour.
is a great stretch of faith to believe in a maj
LOYALTY when he is ceaselessly talking of Sc
oI fcderate nationality" OR Of "a brave natl
1I struggling for their liberties" If these
not idlest words, will anybody tell us by wi
rye authority, human or divine, poor Mr.. Davis
or locked UPS to be tried-is to be put in Dc
l.. Of his life? Admit the nationality" a
~, 'un whv ISM the unfortunate j. ID. like Willis
=" Tcil3 or Kosciusko? ? or Kossuth? or Mazzi,