WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1863
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negro. They want him to remain a slave, and to have the benefits arising to them from the proper direction of his labor restored. Besides they are dissatisfied with Mr. Lincoln. His tyranny, his violations of their Constitution, his disregard of the habeas corpus, his political arrests, his emancipation proclamation and his miserable conduct of the war, have aroused their indignation. He seems to defy their wrath, and confident that their chains are finally riveted, he dares them make the effort to be free. Poor tool of the basest fanatics on earth! he may yet find that the spirit of freedom dwells not alone in the South; but around his pathway will arise men, who, in defiance of his myrmidons, will strike the tyrant to the earth. The people of the Northwest are conservative: they are sub- missive to the law, and slow to revolutionize. But who can be- lieve they will be so base and despicable as to submit to the con- tinuance of the usurpations which they have condemned at the ballot box? They are about to be put to the test. The army is to be forced to remain in service. Desertions will ensue by hun- dreds. Mobs will arise when the effort is made to arrest them. Regiments will be sent home to quell them; an,d if this is to come, like the National Guards of France, they will affiliate with the people, and turn their arms on their• oppressors. Depend upon it, things look ominous, Mr. Lincoln, in the West, and you must manage carefully? Besides, I hope for much from exhaustion through the rapid depreciation of their currency. Money is always the sinews of war, but particularly so with a commercial nation. We do not feel any of the effects of the depression, of our currency; from outside causes. North, it is different. A panic in American securities in the foreign market makes a panic at home; and as foreigners acquire confidence in our success, so will they be chary of the Northern currency. The capitalist at home is already afraid of it. Its downward tendency is now apparent. This will affect the soldiers. The Northern army is not composed of like material with ours. Our gallant boys have gone forth to struggle amidst privation and want, for the freedom of those they leave behind. They know that the value of the pay they get is nothing in comparison with what their toil would bring in peaceful times. Not so with the great mass of the Northern army. They have done better in the army than they could do at home. The South- ern soldier knows that he is entitled to full rations; but the Gov- ernment is too poor to buy it for him, and he is satisfied. But how
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