Year: 1865

Let the government determine what it
needs and what it can use, and if it be our
lands, our houses, our negroes, our horses,
our money, ourselves, it must have them.
Strange that we should cling most tena-
ciOusly to what is of least moment
Strange that we should give ourselves and
grudge our property! Our patriotism
must lay aside such sel6shness.


It must be generous as we'll as brave.
Our authorities must do more. They must
take care whatever befalls us, and save US
from the Yankees. If adverse gales and
devouring pillows should cons.rain our
storm-tost ship into some port, let it be no
Yankee port. If an unpropitious Provi-
dence should condemn US to q master, let
it not be q Yankee master. Of all the
people on earth, we should have most rea-
son to loathe and dread them. Any terms
with any ether would be preferable to sub
jugation to them.


This is the sentiment of our people.
This is their conviction, and it is wise
conviction. Let our readers remember it
and heed it. Our Constitution was made
as the development of our national life 1t
may not provide for all the exigencies of
war questions Of State may arise, in our
experience, as they have arisen in the ex-
perience of almost every other nation,
when our best welfare will require of our
| rulers the exercise of bold responsibility.
The acquisition Of Louisiana in 1908
was justified only as a question Of State,
something over and above tie Constitu-
ton. If in times Of peace statesmen have
sometimes thus to throw themselves upon
the intelligence of their ceuntrymen, and
seek their advantage by irregular methods,
! such occasions may we'll be presumed more
likely to arise during struggle for life
with a powerful, unscrupulous and fero-
! cious enemy.


The clouds that have thickened over US
admonish us of the possibility that the
time may come when craftsmanship, if it
cannot deliver us, must at least secure to
Us the utmost palliation of our misery. If
| it cannot save us, ii must at least save us
from the Yankees.


We lately published from a thoughtful
correspondent suggestion that, Il in the
event of being unable to sustain our inde-
pendence, we should surrender it into the
hands of those from whom we wrested or
purchased it, in the hands of Britain,
France and Spain, rather than yield it to
the Yankees 80


From the favor with which this 81 gges-
ton has been received, we are sure that
in the dread event which it contemplates,
our people would infinitely prefer an alli-
ance with European nations on terms as
favorable as they could desire, in prefer
ence to the dominion of the Yankees. We
will not dwell upon the suggestion now.
Wespeak OF them not out of any gloomy
forebodings, but simply as a man of health
speaks of his will.
What we ask now, in the name of the
people, is, that the government strain
every energy and develop every resource
for the public defence. Remember that
to hold back anything is not to save it..
The only question is shall we have the use
of it, or shall our enemies. Such q ques-
tiOn lesves no room to hesitate. Upon
such efforts and such devotion heaven will
surely send its blessing. But if nisfor-
tune should still pursue US and our hopes
all fail, let Us have the election of throw
ing ourselves into the bands of those who
are cold and Indifferent rather than to fall
under the yoke of malignant enemies rails
ing the VOLTS howl for our blood.


We could not have avoided the strug-
gle into which the North has forced Us.
Long ago Lincoln declared that the repub-
lie could not exist half slave and half free.
In various forms the people of the North
pressed the issue upon Us. Our enemies
hedged US round and finally drove US to
the wall. The worst that can happen to
us in prosecuting our defence is the best
that they designed for US in the beginning,
and far better than they will accord Us if
they triumph in their aims Providence
has marked out our path, and both led and
urged our steps. It has been to Us the
inevitable path of duty.


II, in pursuing it, we fail, this were to
fail as nations never failed before. Prov
idence will not suffer US to 90 down if we
show proper devotion, proper wisdom
and proper courage. Let our wise men
plan, let our brave men fight, and let our
good men pray. God will NbN up way
of escape for US and will disappoint our
enemies. Let our faith not fail. ,


The Richmond Enquirer, in q column
OF editorial review of the above article,
concludes as follows A decent respect for
the opinions of mankind required our an
csstors, when about to dissolve their polit-
lcal bands with Great Britain, to declare
the causes which compelled them to the
separation, That high, noble precedent,
was not followed by these States "wben
in the course of human events it became
necessary for us to separate from the
| United States" ... ~ -


The absence of such declaration has
enabled our enemies to misrepresent our
cause, and to place US before the world as
nation seeking not self-government, but
the perpetuation and extension of slavery.
Why" said Mr.. Golden, in his recent