Year: 1861

may, after all, come down like the suck. ouch
result at least is possible if not probable, for
there is in the Southern character go much that
is empty and unreal, so much that is mere sound
and fury, 50 much that is only the bravado OF
the bOaster, that it is always difficult to measure
performance by promise. Not that we are
disposed in the slightest degree to underrate
the Rebels; not that we do not believe implicitly
in their earnestness and determination; not that
we would encourage for moment the fatal mis-
take of believing that, if We have to conquer
them they will be an easy conquesti on the con-
trsrv. we are very sure that 80 long as they
face us with arms in their hands, we could
have no enemy more deadly or braver. But
the question is how long they will face us,
or. in other words, how real the rebellion is
as the work of the Southern people. 1t may
| be very strong or it may be very weak. a
long and bloody war may before us, or there
NAV be peace in sixty days, so difficult is it to
come to on accurate judgment upon the action,
however seemingly popular, of people in whose
character there ia no basis of truth, and whose
babitual imitation in oil the relations Of life rend-
ers it almost impossible to tell how much reality
there is under any of their pretenses. We have
by wsy of illustratiOn-seen Southern members
| of the House of Representatives at Washington,
Barksdale and Pryor, for instance, rush forward
at some utterance offensive to their Southern
pride with such cOunteDances of wrath and such
0esticulatohs Of command that stranger would
think the whole Northern delegation should retire
before such overwhelming presences and such
fearful anger; but look Of unmoved contempt
and firm courage, with a single step forward,
from some quiet Northern members, and these loud
mouthed braggarts have fed with precipitation to
vent their fury 10 howls of rage and profanity in
the back seats of the Chamber. So characteris-
tic is this OF the South that we are always left
in the dark as 10 how much Southerner means
by his violent demonstrations.


We publish this morning news from North
Carolina that looks very much as if the rebellion,
40 far, at least, as that State is concerned, was
of the Pryor. Barksdale orders as if it had even
less strength there than had been supposed. North
Carolina has all along been very reluctantly drag
ped at the chariot wheels of jeff Davis. The
recent letters of our correspondent IN that State
which have excited 20 much attention and


which some Of our neishbOrs, who are in the


habit of preparing their correspondence in their


own Offices supposed must be manufactured in


ours-these letters have prepared US for Union
movement there which should put an end TO the
| insulTection. We did not however, expect it
quite 30 soon, and its seizDg this first favorable
moment, this first even incomplete approach Of
the Federal Government with aid, seems to show
that Secession in North Carolina is the emptiest
bombast of lOud-mouthed rufIisns who have not,
and never have had, the slightest support among
the sober, thinking people Of the State; that as
drunken vagabond may sometimes involve whole
family in the disgrace of his behavior TIL it be-
comes iutOlerable to domestic forbearance, so
that community has borne with the rampant
treason Of few in the vain hope of its wearing


itself out, till it finds, at length that it has be-
come its business to put an end to it.


Is North Carolina alone' We have asserted
q great many times within the last three months
that as it is now proved to be in North Caro-
lima, so is it throughout the whole South TO
some degree, and especially in all that region
forming the mountainous sections of the country
where Slavery has but feeble hold upon the
people; and our authority has been, not the
common hearsay Of the press, but the positive
evidence from their OVID lips, of many inteli-
gent Southera men. But We need go no longer
upon any other evidence than the positive
fact Of this outbreak of loyalty; single
assertion Of the authority of the Federal
Government, the banner Of the Stars and
Stripes flung to the breeze in single
spot along all that long line Of coast, and the
people rise with an enthusiasm Of loyalty that
sweeps all opposition before it. IL it not fact
to be Needed Shall we not hasten-ha4ten,
We mean, with that prudence which becomes
the deliberate movement Of q great Government
to hold out the helping baud t. these millions
who long to come back egsiD to the fold whence
they have been driven by violent men If there
is no insurrection except in that army with
which Beauregard insolently threatens Washing.
ton, it would be well 10 know it; eTen precisely
how much more formidable than that it may be
it would be well to know. An achievement 30
cheap in life and executed so quickly as this st
Hatteras, producing such results, may surely
encourage us 10 try the effect OF another expe-
dition. II the hope of aid to the Union men
Of North Carolina does 40 much what would be
the effect Of the actual aid that feet within
those inland waters might afford theml 1t
would certainly be point gained to find out
how much and where the rebellion is and there
seems to be no better way than to apply such
tests as have produced ,uch results in North
Carolina.


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