Year: 1861

At the outbreak OF their patriotism, they
reckoned upon intimidation. They expect
ed that their immense military demonstra-
tion would scare US from our propriety.-
They INDUCED in terrible threats of confs-
eating the property and taking possession
of the women. But the mistaken ideas of
Southern character on which all this was
based, soon began to become manifest
Their fierce demonstrations were met by a
stern and composed aspect of determined
resistance. Their gasconading threats did
not disturb the calm and digni6ed deport.
ment of wronged and insulted people,
The forces of the South mustered as rapid
ly as their own, and an aptitude for war was
displayed by her people as great as that of
the North for commerce. 1t was no nation
of braggarts which the North soon found
confronting her; it was nation represent
ed by such calm and self:poised minds,
such high-souled and courteous gentlemen
as Davis, Lee and Beauregard. 1t was a
nation which rose up-men, women and
children-with one heart and one arm, to
defend its liberties against oppression, and
its soil against INVASION Such nation,
Occupying such an extent of territory, can
not be conquered by "short, sharp war"
1t it will be war much longer than the
Revolution. fthey overrun us, they can.
not hold us except by an immense standing
army. Maryland, one small border State,
without arms, and under the very shadow
of the central despotism, requires an i'm
meDse force to be held in her present posi-.
tion, and though, by no means homoge-
nous people, and having large alien popu-
lation, Maryland is unconquered in spirit,
and can only be held by force of arms -
How, then, can they expect that more
Southern States, of larger territory, more
homogeneous, whose population is rural,
so that if their cities were burnt up or oc-
cupied by the eenemy it would not affect much
the general strength and prosperity-how
do they expect such States, if overrun, to
be held and retained, except by a standing
army which our enemies will not be able to
maintain ?


A short and sharp war, indeed The
men who talked thus have no conception of
Southern character, or else we are altogeth-
er mistaken in our estimate of it. We be-
lieve that there are no people on the face
of the earth more patriotic, more jealous of
their political rights, more ready to make
sacrifices for the preservation of their rights,
than the people of the South. There are
few among them who do not consider death
a smaller evil than dishonor; and how
could they, as people, be expected to lie
down in quiet under the feet of detested
foe? We imagine that the Russians can
scarcely be supposed to surpass the South
ern people in love of country and determi-
nation OF character, and if they could de-
vote their dwellings, to destruction, we shall
do more. If we are worthy to have coun
try, we shall burn up every town, destroy
every bale of cotton, make the whole land
wilderness, before these greedy and fero,
cious beasts of the North shall appropriate
the fruits of the land. A 'sshort and sharp
war;" 1t may be "sharp" enough for all
parties, but it will be much longer war
than those who began it imagine, and task
the best energies of every human being
within our limits before it is ended.


Richmond Dispatch.