Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-07-20
.MISCELLANY.
The Great Rebellion"

written book on the "grcat rebellion" The
following criticism Of the book is from the
"New York Tribune: -
The school of philosophy which teaches the
necessary sequence of national events, and as
cribcs large influence to physical causes in
the solution of historical problems, claims in
the author Of this work distinguished advo-
cate. In his view, the laws Of intellectual
development are MS uniform and inevitable rs
those of the material universe. No move
ment in either sphere is the result Of chance.
The system of casualty which governs the
rise and fall of empires is no less incxorablc
than that which prevails in the revolution Of
the planets. Societies advance in pre-. or
daincd course The life Of a people, like tho
life Of tho body, has its periods of growth,
maturity, and decline, and the causes Of its
evolution arc to be sought in the record of its
antcccdents
school admit the influence of human agency
is not helpless slave under the tyranny of
Mature. He can avail himself of the the yery
laws tc which he is subject, in order to coup
teract their effects. Although he cannot di-
rcctly resist the power Of outward circumstan-
..
establish harmony in the midst of conflict, and
even convert apparent disasters into pcrma-
ncnt blessings. Numerous historical Incl
dents attest his ability to escape the action of
natural laws, if hc cannot change their char
acter, or arrest their operation. As an illus
trntion Of this, DIR. Draper refers to the occur
renee of great, famines and pcstilcnces in the
history of the world The cause of famine is
to be found in meteorological, or other physi-
cal conditions -drouths, wet weather, untimc.
ly frosts, excessive heat, or vegetable disease.
The terrible famine in 1880, when the dis
tress in Europe was SO great that men were
compelled to cook and cat human flesh, was
not produced by special act of Providence !;
it was the natural result of certain physical
laws; and our own exemption froma similar
calamity is due to the improvement of agricul
ture, and the development Of commerce which
compensatcs for the scarcity of one country
by the plenty of another. The history Of pes
thence teaches the same lesson. The plague
of Athens broke the spirit and power of that
capital. The pcstilcnce that was brought to
Rome by the army Of Yerus inflicted mortal
wound on the civilization of tho ancient world
A century later half the population were car
ried of by the plague of Gallicnus These
visitations were ascribed in their day to the
vengeance of the gods; but soundcr philos-
ophy regards them as Incidents Of nature
which men may avoid and opposes their
power by cleanliness, fresh air, light, and 9TH
or sanitary means.
In like manner, the progress Of nationa!
Qaairs is controlled by the necessary laws
Of the universe; but their operation may be
affected by the agency of man. The study
Of the causes of political conflicts prepares the
way for their settlement, and suggests the
methods to prevent their recurrence. In np-
plying these principles to the history of the
Southern Rebellion, DR.. Draper enters into
an elaborate discussion Of the elements Of the
American character, and the physical condi-
tions which have presided ovor its develop
ment. The roots of the conflict n,c to be
traced, in the first instance, to the discordant
tendencies of our original civilization. From
nearly homogeneous English stock, the At
lantic coast received two different mmigra
tions. The South was first settled by persons
devoted to material objects and fond Of case
and pleasure. The colonists of the North were
Of more austcro disposition, and devoted to
moral and religious ideas. Though reared. in
common ancestral home, they had been
parted from each other during the civil wars
Of England.
The. climate which they found on the wcs
tern shores of the Atlantic was adapted to
their respective tcmpcrameuts The lover of
enjoyment found congenial home in the soft
and luxuriant South the meditative Puritan
amidst the bleak and dcsolato scenes of
Northern Winter Climate thus augmented
and perpetuated the original differences Of
character, and conyertcd what had been mere
ly different clnsscs in England into distinct
types of national character in America.
With those diyersitics, tho sentiment Of
union was fostored by tho same external pres
sure. At first the colonists were alike cx-
posed to ass"slts from the Indians; they had
gfterward a comii'.,, enemy in the French
and still later, both suffc,. i fro,r,.thc tvrauny
Of the mother country. The fccf., q, Grad ually
gained strength that it behoovcd stiO. sceblc
Communities TO unite for mutual protccfie.
In this feeling, the Union had its origin.
But a strong element Of antagonlsm was
presented In. the influence Of. climate. The
Tcutontc charaeteristics Of the Northern peo.
ple were thus rendered more intense, while
4 the Southern population assumed those quail.
ties which mark tho nations on the southern
8 border of the Mediterranean. a deep sense