Year: 1863

Il hiCuutOHu EUltOF OH INT EVILS OF


a Democratic Government.


Believing that in the preient civil war
the two great elements at strife are the
spirit of freedom, on the side of the
Union, and the spirit of despotism on
the side of the rebellious States, we have
omitted no occasion to impress the fact
upon the minds of our readers We be-
lieve that the Southern rebellion is main
ly and essentially the rebellion of a po-
litical slaveholding faction against free
governmental revolt of an arrogant,
selfconceited, meagre minority-against
the voice of the majority. From time to
time we have published extracts from
Southern sources, showing the hatred of
the rebels for Democracy, but have never
published ANYTHING more plain-spoken,
than the following extracts from an
article in a late number of the Southern
Literary Messenger, published at Rich
mond, Virginia. We hope that no man
will run over the following article care
lessly. 1t is worthy of preservation for
future reference. The writer denounces
democracy, lauds slavery as the great
element of Southern strength in the pres
ent war, and urges the establishment O
a property qualification for uoters, and
reduction an the number of electire
officers, because thepeople hare too much
pO1cer


THE GREAT DANGERS OF THE CoNFEDERACY.


In discoursing on'"The Great Dangers
--ef the -Confederaey, the writer says:


The South is now engaged in death
struggle with a radical democracy, the
willing instrument of consolidation in
the hands of an Abolition oligarchy. We
may well afford to congratulate ourselves
that recent events have served to
strengthen that confidence in the glori-
Gus triumph of freedom, which already
felt itself doubly assured in our previous
victories, and in the resolute determine
ton of the people to be free But the
struggle will not end with the physical
triumph of the South over the North.
Our success will be a staggering blow to
tyranny, and will doubtless paralyze its
arms in many a fierce encounter. But
we must not hope for exemption from
that never-ending conflict of liberty and
despotism We have our safeguards,
and most noble defense do they consti-
tute. The States-rights theory of Gov
ernment, community of republics, each
separate and independent, acting through
Joint agent, who inherits none of the
powers or privileges of all or any OF the
States, distinctly recognized and adhered
to, permeating as current of vitality
every vein and artery of national organ
ism, will save us from that tendency
which threatens to gurgitate the North
ern people in that raging maelstrom OF
anarchy's strife which passing events
yisibly foreshadow as the inevitable
doom of that infatuated people. That
benign institution of Slavery which it is
now the pride and glory of the South to
ascribed to Divinity, and Which acar has
proUen to be ncrt to the dcpoted petriot-
ism and undaunted resolution Of her
sons-the great element Of po1oer an the
Confederdcy-will prove in preventing
too heavy influx from foreign shores OF
that class of population deUoted to men
idL pursuits, another bulwark against the
democracy, which have been the Pan
dora box of disintcgration and ruin to
all republics. The territorial physiology
of the South, with which Heaven blessed
her, in the decree which it proclaims
that the occupation of her people must
ever be mainly agricultural, affords an
other guarantee to that intelligence and
virtue which are so essential to the pres
ervation of liberty and law, but which
never flourish under the corrupt infu'
ence of an overgrown mushroom devel
opment of manufacturing and CONNER
cial wealth.


But all these, though powerful as ex
ternal causes, are yet not sufficient tC
place beyond the reach of the dema
gogue and tyraut the covenent of oul
liberties. Additional safeguards mus
be provided in the characteristic and in
trinsic mechanism of our social system
The dangerous tendency to excess vii
almost inevitably be with us as in th'
late Union, and in all free government
toward Democracy. The danger o
this tendency may not be appreciabl'
for many years Disgraced by th
crimes of her votaries in the Northern
States, humbled by her humiliating de
feats in the destruction of her chosel
empire the late Union, and abashed b
the proud triumphs of constitutional lit
erty in the success of the young Confede
racy, Democracy may call The feature
ofier Prophet, and seek in humility an
retirement from the theatee Of actire con


fict to efdce the bIOod-stained record Q
her crimes. Witnesses ourselves of tn
enormities and excesses of which an ur