Des Arc weekly citizen., 1867-07-20
SOUTHERN POLITICS.
SPLENDID SERIES OF PATRI-
 OTTO PAPERS.
NOTES ON THE sITuATION-No. |.
BY HON. 'B. H. HILL, OF GEORGIA.

BY HON. B. H. HILL, OF GEORGIA.
 ''Never despair of tKe Republic" i" was a much lauded Roman maxim. But maxims never saved a country, and this one did not save Rome. She was very gfcst. fne combined world was too weak to harm her. But she fell FELL BY HER OWN HANDs-and for centuries has remained fallen!
 If good hberty-loving Americans almost despair of their country, the events of'tke last thirteen years would seem to be sufficient to save them from reproach. From the repcal of the Missouri Compromise till now, no pe- riod in human annals of thrice the du- ration exhibits such deception among leaders, such treachery by f6lers, and such energetic self-destruction by the nation.
 The United States have done more in these years to weaken confidence in free institutions, and have inflicted more injury upon their own people, and created heavier burdens for their children and children's children, than the united armies and navics of the earth could have accomplished in fifty years. Before these notes close, may undertake 10 show the real causes of the evils. It is sufficient now to say that from 1854 a spirit which is enmity to the life of the Constitution has been dominant. The Government has been in the hands of enemies. We read of a great man, who, while an infaht, was nurscd by wolf. This may have been and may again be possible; but it never has been and neySr will be pos sible for men of extreme tempers and opioions to 1fstrse constitution whose only life is mntihl concession for the common good.
 The Southern people, greatly pro- vokcd and misguided, abandoned the Union to preserve the Constitution. While the Northern people, less pro- vokcd but equally misguided, made war to preserve the Union, by placing themselves under the lead of men who were the bitter, implacablc enemies of the Constitution, and who were fore determined to destroy or reform it.
 After four years of heroic struggle the So,rtbei'h people laid down their arms because they were assured by their enemies, and taught by long trusted but faithlcss counsclrors and office holders among themselves, that, by so doing, they would be again in the Union as before. The many be- licved this and withdrew their support and deserted their colors. The few who disbelicved were ovcrpowcred. But more than two years have passed
 more than half the period of the ac- tual conflict-and the Southern people, now thrice dcluded, have not enjoyed the blessings of the Union. Why. Bscaese these leaders of the North true to their original hatred, and per fectly logical fn thss hattta=-dcclare the Jnfon shah net De resrorcd 'eNcept upon terms which practically destroy the ConstitAtfeA, aasfd Which certainly leave no Unfoh except one founded in force. And thus far the Northcf'a people either have failed to compq.e- bend dr have consented to sestaia their treachery, and, to give tse last development of their most rerNarkablc history, we see some of our Southern cVensefors who urged us into Secession as fife '0hly peaceful method of secur- ing our rights, who aitcrward led us to subjugation as the only method of escaping military despotfstn, now 'boasting of the great confidence here toforc rcposcd in their counsel. advis- ing us to accept the bfcposcd terms for new Unioni
 With such experience fresh and still increasing, how shall we wonder if true men doeht, if brave men fear, and if good meA despair? t&A %tFN@
 For thisteen years the actual rcvolu- ton has been right onward. ifc is stupidly blind tffat does hot sec that the evils before as are far greater thai, the evils present and behind us. our people have drank bittcr cups, but they are as honey when coAhisarcd with the cups they must drink if the child is not taken from the wolf, if the Consti- tuition is not taken from the nursing care of those who hate it, if the Gov ernment shall continue to be admins tered by his enemies. s@ I n9
 anything I May say shall tend, however slightly, to avert the evils which threaten the country, shall not only be satisfied but happy. l have no party to serve and no personal ends to accomplish.
 frankly admit my opinions hereto fore have not been accepted by ma- jority of the people. l have never thought that what the ihajorii. teliet- ed was, therefofe, true; or that what the majority did was, therefore, right. My political life has been b,it strug- gle against pfesailing opinions and policies. Winch policies have been adopted and fixed in spite of Isis op, position, have labored to work good results in spite of my convictions that the policies were unwise. And when I sec the ruin Which has been wrought can but rejoice ih the reeblIectioiIs