267
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPAR'.rE LAMAR
without feelings of horror and dread amounting almost to despair. ~ot only her prosperity and happiness, but her very. existence is indentified with an institution which it is impossible that iihe can surrender, or even permit to be touched by the savage hand of fanaticism without in- volving her in a train of calamities which the imagination cannot easily conceive nor the pen describe, and yet against this very ins~itution the whole world is colleauged, [ 8fic] and is now prosecuting an unrelenting war as if no misery, nor life nor ruin were involved in its overthrow. Behold· her begirt by foes, assailed by every hand and calumniated by ev{!ry tongue. There may be som~ apology for foreign denunciation; but what possible excuse or palliation can be rendered for the fright- ful persecution of those who are united with her in the same govern- ment, who have long prospered upon the fruits of her industry; who have never received from her even the shadow of a wrong and who are bound by every obligation that man can contract or honor impose; to succor and sustain her to respectand vindicate her rights as their our [sic] and to rejoice in her prosperity and happiness? 'rhese were the promises ·of the Union ; and yet in the very face of all solemn pledges of peace, friendship and security on the part of the northern states, they have never rested day nor night in their fanatical pursuit of our destruction as if this were the sole delight of their existence and the only reason of their connection with us. Every energy of the mind and soul is brought into active operation against the south. The press, the pulpit, the college and school, and indeed all the institutions of the north are made to minister to this m-eat malignant enn.. and a.re con- tinually sending forth their Stygean streams of falsehood, vitupera- tion and slander. Even the women and children are taught in their daily prayers to invoke with the spirit of a Puritan, and ·the ostenta- tion of a Pharisee the maledictions of heaven upon our heads so that this Union, which was intended to be a· shield and bulwark to every section - which was expected to make of the states a political Pleiades. shining together in harmonious brotherhood has now assumed the aspect and character of a ferocious confederation of malignant powers for our utter ruin and dessolation. Nor is the South exempt from insidious 'foes in the bosom of her own society.- Her arch-enemies have their agents and emissaries everywhere scattered through the country, whose duty it is to preach the virtues of submission and to depict the horrors of resistance. In their estimation the greatest patriotism is a patient resignation to injury, and the highest of all possible enormities is self-protection. The better to secure our confidence and to practice unon our creilulit,v. they unite with us in our denunciations of "the abolitionists," and say 'that we have many just causes of complaint ag-ainst the .northern States; but so soon as the slig-htest allusion is made· to the necessity of some action on the part of the south, the cry of disunion is raised; and without proposing any remedy themselveR, for acknowleded griev- ances, they oppose everv meae1ure su~!!'.ested hv others. If in defiance ot their clamors. the faithful patriot shaJl still pershit in demanding ·re- dress. he is at once denoun<'ed for R disunionist and m11rked for pro- scription. No wonder then under these circumstances, that the cause of the south should lang-uish within her own bt>undaries, and that many of her sons should be found in the ranks of her :foes; for in those
Powered by FlippingBook