The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-10-19
The Moral Influence of Bull Run.

within the experience of every one who has
been in such position, to exclaim peccaoi
SO variable is man. however, and so forgetful
in prosperity of his forlorn and miserable con-
dition in adversely, that the good resolutions
he then formed, are after awhile forgotten
and when be fails to remember the low estate
out of which he had been raised, by kind
Providence, or some event which he regards
as most fortutous. Under these circumstan-
ces he APPLY illustrates the popular distich,
so familiar to our readers .-.'s
I" The devil was sick-the devil saint would be:
The devil got well--the devil saint was he"
This moral vein has been suggested on re-
hecting upon the present course of the radl-
cal party towards the Southern States and
people, and contrasting it with its professions
and promises put forth and pledged under
circumstances Of deep soemnity, when de-
cided and disastrous defeat had induced the
most sober reflection and examination Of their
position before the world, as we'll as IN their
own estimation The disaster of Bull Run
like the husks upon which the prodigal had
been feeding, and which caused the turn in
his destiny that made him arise and go to
his father-brought radicalism to reflection,
and, in solemn justification of the business in
which they had been engaged and which had
met with terrible and most humiliatng re-
verse forced from it the resolve, with scarcely
dissenting voice, contained in the solemn
declaration, three days after the terrible DIS
aster-which reads as follows aB -
Resolved, That the present deplorable civil
war has been forced upon the country by the
disunionists of the Southern States now in re-
volt against the Constitutional Government,
and in arms around the capital--that in this
National emergency, Congress, banishing all
feeling of mere passion or resentment, viii
recollect only its duty to the whole country
that this war is not prosecuted on our part in
any spirit of oppression, nor for the purpose
of conquest or suhjugation, nor for the pur-
pose OF overthrowing or interfering with the
rights or established institutions of those
States, but to defend and maintain the SUI
premacy of the Constitution, and all laws
made in pursuance thereof, and to preserve
the Union with all the dignity, equality and
rights of the several States unimpared, and
that as soon as these objects are accomplished
the war ought to cease. .s4.1 ts5i <r
Here the devil was unmistakaby sick,
We observe the subdued tone of the patient
which was designed to elicit the sympathies
of the nations. The abundant preparations
without regard 10 Cost, which had boon made
to celebrate tho anticipated victory which
was SO confidently calculated upon-the feast
of fat things which was to have been made
upon that memorable day on which their
enemies were to be overthrown and utterly
put to f1ight-the confidence the boasting, in
the strength of their own right hand, which
was to fall like the hammer of the son of Odin
upon the rebellious heads, and crush them to
the earth never more to rise-the grand aud
joyous fete looked forward to with eage:ness
in the metropolis, where there was to be
Sound of revelry by nigh" these bright,
and glowing anticpations-which, like the
cup of nectar, had been dashed from their
lips by the dispersion of their vast army
and its disastrous fight into the city
and country round about-had no doubt
risen in Judgement against them, and in their
sick condition they uttered to the world the re-
solve which we have reproduced.
Time, however, rolled on New armies are
levied, victories elevate and embolden-the
rebels after an unequal struggle of four years
are defeated and lay down their arms-the
ensign of the Republic, embracing the stars
representing the ten Southern States, floats
over every land and every sea, and upon
every battiement and pinnacle throughout
the once rebelous border-and the day of
humiliation, the grand and memorable route
of Bull Run and the three days subsequent re-
solve, are all forgotten.
The devil got we'll And the devil a saint
was he The husks of Bull Run are forgot
ten and the golden apples of prosperity are
alone remembered The "objects of the war
have been complished," but ''the Union
with all the dignity equality and rights of the
several States unimpaired," has not been
preserved" The feelings "of mere passion
and resentment have not been banished, !" and
the duty to the whole country" has not been
'recollecteG" ..r .....T'
The solemn declaration that, "this war is
not prosecuted on our part in any spirit of op-
preston, nor for the purpose of conquest or
subjugaton, nor for the purpose ofoverthsow
ing or interfering with the rights or establish
ed institutions of these States" has been
shamefully falsifed, as well as the solemn
avowal that the 'object" was to defend and
maintain the supremacy of the Constitution,
and all laws made in pursuance thereof"
f'The devil was sick-the devil a saint would be:
do oil he dc vii H.