Southern patriotism.
We do not believe there is on the pages of history the record of a people whose greatness of soul presented such an impenetrable coat of mail to the shafts and "arrows of outrageous fortune" as the people of the
South.
They fully comprehend the sources of their weakness and their power, and they will hold to a rigid accountability those unreliable instruments of their will, who, like a broken reed, pierces the hand which leans upon it.--There has been in the history of this struggle a sublime development of the most glorious and beautiful qualities of the human character.
If, amid the ruins of the once grand and perfect temple of human nature, we should seek for some few touches of the original architect, which betrayed their divine origin — same fragments of pillars and of handiwork worthy of such an edifice — we think we should find it in the generous self-sacrifice and lofty heroism displayed by the
Southern people in this remarkable struggle.
All this, however, we were prepared to expect from the unselfish and noble cast of the
Southern character; but we were not prepared to expect the ravenous spirit of self-seeking and of greed which has been so balefully conspicuous from the beginning of the struggle, and which, more than any other cause, has brought upon us the misfortunes and calamities under which we are now laboring.
We are aware that so far as sordid money speculations are concerned, the greater part of them have been carried on by a class who are among us, but not of us, and yet the native quota of this plundering host is by no means as insignificant as we could desire.
We refer particularly, however, to the insane eagerness for official emolument and distinction, and the callousness manifested by those who have successfully installed themselves in comfortable places to the sufferings and privations of those below.
In such a war as this, no one ought to have asked or thought whether he should be General,
Colonel,
Captain, or
Lieutenant, and the pay of officers, except strictly official expenses, should have been the same as the men. Instead of this, we have seen men grabbing at as many offices as they could hold, both civil and military, each one of them furnishing a princely revenue.
We have seen Congress, whilst the enemy was thundering at the doors, spending days and weeks in debating the amount of its own pay. Such shameless selfishness as this has a disastrous effect upon the public mind.
The contrast between the popular generosity and the official self-seeking is fearful and inexplicable.
If our cause comes at last to ruin, it will not be difficult to trace one of the chief agencies of its destruction.
But it will not come to ruin.
Crushed to earth, it will rise again and become stronger by the lessons of experience.
We are satisfied that the
Yankees can never, under any circumstances, conquer back to the old
United States anything but a few Southern cities, and these will only remain their property as long as they can hold them in possession.
But whilst the ultimate success of our cause is certain, it must throw off and purify itself of the spirit of selfishness and greed in public men, and kill off all fools and traitors.
In the meantime, we have happily many military leaders whose capacity and loyalty are beyond as question.
There are no better
Generals than
Johnston,
Beauregard,
Bragg,
Price, and others who might be mentioned, and a whole host of subordinate officers capable of serving their country with the most conspicuous talent and gallantry.
Our army may well have confidence in such officers — men who, by their competency, efficiency, and fidelity, redeem the disgrace brought on us by others of a different character.
