The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-09-15
Much Ado About Nothing,

NOW Is INC time NilSu you 49, -
lots Of rush aud llumbug in the papers
relative 70 the Revolutionary War and
the Patriotism and glorious deeds
and other doin's of our noble ancestors.
II is all very nice. But the facts are
agaip,t il. The Revolution was a good
thing for America. and had we been
living at that day we should have las
many of our ancestors did drawn sword
for the colonial cause; but there Is no
use pretending the Colonists fought to
res.st oppression. They fought Tor
went through the motions) because
thev wanted to separate from the moth
er country and set up for themselves
Human nature was the same IN ltol
that it was in 1861. And the popular
leaders of (the Pat Heury's, Tom
Jeffersons, Ben Franklins, Adamses.
Hancocks, Lees, IT all were smart
enough md selfish enough to see that
the American ~colonie. if converted into
A set of Free Republics would at once
attract the restless spirits OF all other
countries, and swiftly expand to great
ness by the simple Influx of outsiders.
As for the ostensiblc causes OF the
outb eak, they were absurd. The
three cent tax on tea could not affect
one in every thousand of the popula-
ton; for outside Of the large cities not
a cart load of tea Was sold IN the whole
country. The clamor against the stamp
Act also was a mere subteriuge. All
colonies since the world began have
paid tribute to the ruling Power, and
without any claim of representation
If the ~coloniSts did not want 10 pay
tribute to the Power whose land they
occupied, they ought to have gone else
where. OF course it was wise IN the
American colonists to claim their lnie-
pendence, and we may we'll rejoice that
our iorefathers got up the fuss, aud
took advantage of England's death
grapple with France to throw oft all
claims upon themselves. But 1t will
not do to say there was any such primer
pie involved as would gloriiy the Revo
lu;ionary Wing and stigmatlze the
American Tory" This muse have
been better understood a century ago
than it is now, else We ought to blush
at the shame of the men OF l776.
who allowed small gangs OF 5000 and
1000 never more than that number)
british Red Coats to march up and
down the land from Boston 20 eavan
nah, almost unmolested, and AWAY
MISUNDERSTANDING treating the Rel els
with contempt There were three mil
lions Of colonists probably more, for no
census could gather up the backwoods
men). and they had every advantage Of
location, of food, of knowledge of the
country, craftsmanship. hardy life.
ETC.; yet England with several mighty
wars on her hands, with an hundred
chafeing colonies to watch, and with "a
divided public sentiment at home, Was
able keep larger armies in America
g, 900 miles across the ocean, than all
the Patriotism of the three millions
of colonies could keep in the field, 100
miles from their homes!
1t is true, the CoIonists, after seven
years Of fooling, finally escaped. But
it was not until England bad become
torn by internal politics, and fealfully
strained by her struggles with European
Indeed, the Revolution vas gained,
through the folly Of the British,
than the bravery Of the Americans.
The history Of the war reminds mt OF
the stories of lion bunting in India.
The natives pursue the Royal beast up
and down, never coming very near him,
Tor If they do, quickly getting a swipe
Of his paw that teaches them prudsnce)
At length they wear him out, and
trap him in = corner, and 6nally cap
ture him. Burgoyne, and CORVALLIS.
we're two big British Lions who went
roaring up and down the coast for sew
eral years, giving chase to the small
gangs of patriots" who composed the
"armies' Of Washington, CAFES,
and others.
At last, Burgoyne wandered two hun
dred miles north Of New York into the
around Saratoga, and was
worn out by a variety Of circumstances,
to his British phlegm. Stonewa.l
Jackson, "Jeb" Stuart, or any modern
general would have escaped from Gates
At Saratoga, and whipped him out OF bis
boots a few days later. But Lord Bur
in the pomposity Of his Red coat
would rather surrender han leave his
camp and artillery eve though he
have re-taken them in a week.
The anne story was repeated in LORD
Corvallis case. He contemptiously
walked about the country until, from
one cause and another, but chiefly from
Lord Howe's failure to GENE with his
he became trapped at Yorktown.
1t is needless 20 say there is no special
glory for the Americans in that capture.
Ii the I, 1000 French veterans, and pow
erful Frence fleet. had been absent,
would have "Chawed up
Washington and La Fsyetts without
50 much as wsgging his tail 1t is y
fact that the single State
of North Carolina with one million in
babitants sent TWICE AS MANY men
into the Confederate Army, as the whole
Is Slater, with millions of people, sent
to the Revolutionary Army.