The New York Herald upon the Situation.
--It has long been admitted as a maxim which cannot be dissipated, that of all enemies, the bitterest is a renegade to the cause he has deserted.
About six months ago there was no Secessionist in the country so strong as
Bennett, of the New York
Herald.
His paper overflowed with gall and bitterness towards
Lincoln and the
Black Republican party.
He wrote innumerable articles to prove that the
South was altogether in the right — that the
South was too powerful for the
North--that the children of the
South were of a character too martial for the
North to hope for success in a contest between the two sections — that the
South, in such a contest, would be able to bring out its entire strength, from the circumstance of its having at home a body of tillers who were fit for nothing else but to till the soil, whereas the
North could not subtract more than a certain portion of its population from agriculture — that the
South held in its hands the great maple which commanded the commerce of the world, and which it was impossible to substitute from any quarter — that the
South had no cause to dread the rivalry of
India, as the New York
Times had foolishly asserted.
Jeff. Davis and the
Southern Government underwent every morning the infliction of that nauseous flattery which seems as natural to the
Herald as its slaver is to the boa constrictor, and is about as tolerable to its victim.
There were no statesmen like the
Southern statesmen — there was no wisdom like the wisdom of the
Southern Government.--We were never among the number of those who placed any confidence in the affected zeal of
Bennett for the
South.
We distrust Northern men with Southern principles wherever we hear of them.
But we do not conceive them to be so bad as foreign renegades with no principle at all. We could not see how it could be possible that anything good could proceed from so vile a source, or how a man who had made money out of the stripes inflicted upon his own person, and who had notoriously connived at the dishonor of his own family, could be trusted in any circumstances.
The result has proved that our distrust was justly founded.
A mob threatened the
Herald office with destruction; the tone of the paper was instantly changed; from the warmest of friends it became instantly the bitterest of enemies, and
Bennett never had the grace to assign a single reason for the change.
Of all the base flattery of which old Abe has been the recipient, there is none so base as that which flows from the columns of the New York
Herald.
Like the Spaniard who admired the atrocities of Ferdinand VII on account of their extreme wickedness, he cries out, in an ecstasy of delight, ‘"he is all
King"’ whenever that Baboon perpetrates any new enormity.
His soul is the soul of a slave, who kisses the hand that is lifted to scourge him. He eats the words he uttered six months ago every day of his life, and he seems to delight in the meal.
He is in favor of suppressing all the journals in New York t think and speak as he thought and spoke before his sudden conversion by the mob.
We have before us a
Herald of the 2d inst. It is a curiosity in its way. It opens with the assurance that the ‘"North is at length entering seriously upon the business of the campaign;"’ from which we infer that it has been jesting all this time, and that if one of its armies fled ingloriously at
Bethel — if another was routed at
Manassas so thoroughly that all reports concur in the assurance that if our army had proceeded at any time within a week it could have taken
Washington without firing a gun, if the whole Federal force has been exterminated in
Missouri, and
Ben McCulloch is in full march for
St. Louis, it has all been nothing more than a joke on the part of the
Lincoln Government, who, until now, would never permit anything earnest or serious to enter into their calculations.
At last, however, the glorious affair of
Cape Hatteras, which consists in the capture of two sand-banks and 700 men, by a powerful fleet that never came within reach of the batteries on shore, the proclamation of
Fremont in
Missouri, and the stern discipline of
McClellan, which has brought the ‘"Grand Army"’ into such a state of efficiency that ‘"it is ready for an advance into
Virginia,"’ have put an end to the jokes of the
Cabinet, which, it is to be presumed, have not taken very well of late.
The country is called on to look out for great things from the energy of
McClellan. ‘"Henceforth if we cannot count on victory, we can at least reckon on the avoidance of such humiliations as the affairs of
Bull Run and Big Bethel brought on our arms."’ This means, we presume, that when the
Yankees are whipped again they are determined not to throw away their guns, knapsacks, haversacks, shoes and blankets.
The
Herald then tells us that in April, eighty thousand men marched to the defence of
Washington, a palpable refutation of its own lie, to the effect that there were but eighteen thousand at
Manassas.
It sounds the praise of old
Scott, for the infamous subjugation of
Maryland, and it then tells us that when this was completed, ‘"the nation, (that is the
Yankees,) felt that the capital was safe."’ Aye ! But did they feel so on the night of the 21st of July? Did they feel so the next day, or the next week?
Does it owe its safety, at this day, to anything but the magnanimity of our
Generals, who scorned to take advantage of a fallen enemy, when he lay entirely at their mercy?--After the disgraceful rout at
Manassas, and the disgraceful scenes that followed hard upon its heels — after the deification of cowardice by the
Yankee nation, in their splendid ovations to regiments that had disbanded when the enemy were in sight — or had fled from the field of battle without the loss of a man — how dare the
Herald insult the whole race, by telling them that ‘"the invincible pluck of the
American people,"’ (meaning still the
Yankee nation) ‘"showed itself to be equal to the occasion?"’ Was it not enough that they had made themselves the laughing stock of the whole world?
Was it not enough that the derision of both continents followed them in their unmeasured and immeasurable cowardice?
Are they to be thus openly derided, mocked, made game of, sneered at, taunted, by a journal in their very midst, professing to be their devoted friend?--When it tells us that ‘"foreign journals were unable to appreciate American character and American (that is Yankee) enterprise, "’ can it mean anything more than that these same foreign journals had formerly taken them at their word, and had believed them to be what they boasted that they were, until the
battle of Manassas tore the mask from their faces, and showed them in their true character, of swaggerers without courage, and bullies ready to fly on the first approach of danger?
Does the
Herald believe these people do not know the truth of the case? --that they are ignorant of the dastardly conduct of which they were guilty?--that they can take its commendations for anything but insults?
Where, except in Hayti, among the subjects of their friend and ally, Solouque, can they find an example to keep them in countenance?
Let the public, however, take note of one statement which the
Herald makes.
We quote its own words: ‘"Before the issue of the journals which contained these false predictions reached us, our five hundred thousand soldiers were encamped at
Washington,
Baltimore,
Fortress Monroe,
Cairo,
Western Virginia and
Missouri, and at our great recruiting stations."’ We know this statement to be false — utterly false.
But when
McClellan thinks proper to advance once more into
Virginia, let the
Herald remember what it now says, and let it not attempt to induce the impression that he failed (as he most assuredly will) from want of sufficient force.
We are assured by the
Herald that a glorious future is dawning upon the
Yankee nation.
‘"The Administration now begins to emulate the energy of the people, and takes the van in the onward movement,"’ as they will do, no doubt, on the next field of battle, as soon as the
Yankees begin to run. Report says that they have even taken time by the forelock, and are already moving from
Washington, to be out of the reach of all possible contingencies.
‘"The coming winter is to be the most busy, prosperous, gay and brilliant one we have ever seen,"’ on one condition.
What does the reader suppose that condition to be?
Why, that ‘"within the next two weeks we"’ (that is the
Yankees) ‘"give the rebels a tremendous thrashing along the
Potomac,"’ ‘"which, "’ he adds, ‘"we will do if they will afford us the opportunity."’ Afford you the opportunity ! Why, their advanced positions are in two miles of
Arlington Heights.
Their skirmishers drive yours like whipped curs before them whenever they dare to come in their way. You lie in your works like ground-hogs, rooting in the earth for safety ! Afford you an opportunity ! Why, you miserable slave of a Baboon, the
Confederate colors are in sight of the
Capital at
Washington ! Come out if you dare from your dens, and see whether you cannot get an opportunity.
When our men drive you from the next height, do not run into shelter like the genuine heroes of
Ball Run, but support your advanced guard with your whole force.
Send on your man
McClellan, if you really mean for him to advance.
Cease swaggering and lying, and turn to fighting, if you do not wish to retain among the nations the reputation which you earned at
Bull Run — that of the most arrant poltroons that ever hid a lily liver under a bullying exterior.
