The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-05-27
WAR AND RuMoas OF WAR.

| There can be no question of deeper national in
tcrest than war or peace. The era of Essays is
past and We will not 6lhbsstcr the field of polii-
/ cal ethics. A brief sentence. vigorous idea is
| what the reader wants. 'I.et us have peace" was
the pledge of the last election; but Talleyrand
! has said that ''langHAge was made TO conceal our
thoughts" and it may have been only sugges-
| ton. We have passed from the age of gold TO the
age of greenbacks The days Of virtuous and
simple people, undisturbed by glory and uncor-
| rupsed by luxury, gone forever, and their
pence is in the hands IF ambition and power, un-
der that oigarchcaf clause "by and with the ad-
vice and consent Of the Senate" We are an Oil
garchy, not Republic. A ready casus belf is al
ways kept by q sagacious ruler among his private
papers, and the great problem is when to "bang
the cannon and when to 'twang the Tyre" The
Republican party is falling to pieces frOm internal
diseases and the daring attacks of Sprague and
others 1t rose TO power through convusion and
war, and would die, despite the party LASH under
the sunshine of peace. The compression Of war
can alone hold together its broken arches, and
they know it. They, therefore, reject the Ala
bama treaty, aud send England the ultimatum,
not only of indemnify but of humiliation. In the
MEANWHILE they reopen the recruiting service
and stir up the navy yards, while gold is steadily
rising The defence of Canada is matter of Eng
lish honor-not of inlerest-and English honor is
that fruit is ripe it will fall from the tree, and it
does not seem hardly worth the plucking.
The United States were secure before the re-
cent trouble from foreign invasion, and in case Of
war, could prvateer and destroy an enemies
commerce and retreat with little fear of reiala-
ton. But now large portion of the country
groans under an unbearable despotism, with the
heel Of their former slaves forciby kept on their
necks, and it would he unsafe to rely on the sub
missive spiris of o people who's, heroism and de.
volion have been the admiration Of the world.
Freedom first and loyalty afterwards, Is is the
cardinal doctrine Of American faith What is the
loyalty of slave worth when the mailed hand of
stranger offers him even II momentary freedom
Is Ireland loyal to England? No! neverl wait
and see. If war comes, the South will have TO
furnish its quota, and, perhaps, General Lee has
told General Grant, the other day, that even his
great name, written in golden letters upon the
hearts Of his people, could not raise a corporals
guard until they were reconstructed some more.
They would prefer to buy substitutes "withont
distinction Of race, color or previous condition" T"
The South wants peace and something of freedom.
| But growing out of the rottenness of the times,
the smoke of the inevitable cigar sits upon the
air like crown, and We are asked TO listen with
satisfaction to the sounding tread Of Imperialism.
Some say the splendid shadow is upon us, and
cry out, 'Great is Diana ef the Ephesians !'
we VIII Searcn nlSiery 1A vain lot the quleI
passage of an Established Republic or Common
wealth under the magnificent columns of an En-
pre. The Roman Commonwealth, with its won
derful fexblity, could submit to the dictatorship
of Sylla without despair, and witness the confu-
sion of the Gracchi without anarchy. With
Mount Avcntinc in sight of her Capitol she cher
ished the ashes of Virginnius for five hundred
years, and expired, like Cleopatra, from the pui-
son she had injected in her own bosom. But even
in Rome Imperialism came through despotism,
and despotism from war. If in our Government,
with its utopian balances and checks it required
despotsm to hang an innocent woman and suc-
ceed in difficult struggle, will it require less
now The crowned height Of Empire must be
stormed and carried in blood. War brings despo-
tism, and despotism will make the Inpertalist an
official organ-which some say it is now. If so,
look out for Wilt mot "short sharp and deoi-
sivc," but long enough to wear the people out
completely, accustom them to arbitrary power,
and make them. shout, "The Empire is Peace l''
''Long live the Empire!" Then again that debt,
taxes and loans included, 5,00O,0O0,0O0! The
average increase of property from 1860 to 1866 is
$3.50 U00 900 per annum. This makes us So, ,600, !.