The spirit of Nationality.
The New York
Express, referring to the struggle for Nationality in
Europe, says:
‘
"So, before long, this National spirit will assert itself at the
South; the people will feel the promptings of the instinct that makes them one with us, and will resist the attempt on the part of a conspiracy to make grievances, however real, the pretence for the dissolution of a great National unity.
Not only history, but the events of our own time, prove that no nation ever consents to be cut in pieces." ‘"One with"’
you! Rather one with any monarchy under Heaven — infinitely rather ‘"one with"’ the dust and darkness of the grave, one with the bones of our heroic and virtuous ancestry, than one with such a people!
The spirit of Nationality!
As if we could ever feel it again with such a race.
As if we could fall back into the companionship of men who have lighted the torch, drawn the sword, and threaten our men with extermination, and our women with worse than death!
No, execute every threat that the malice of Satan can prompt, and the impotent arms of his imps upon earth can execute, but insult us not with the unparalleled infamy of ever being voluntarily ‘"one with you. "’
The driveller of the
Express knows not the people of the
South.
If he did, he would know that the ‘"struggle for Nationality,"’ which he speaks of abroad, is the identical struggle here; it is the struggle of
Italy against
Austria; of a Confederation of independent States, occupied by a homogeneous people, against foreign oppressors, who have violated the common league into which they have entered, and threaten us with cruelties and barbarism, compared with which, the so-called despotism of
Russia is mercy and compassion.
Nationality with you!
Never! Only by exterminating us can you make one nation again of these once united sovereignties.
So long as one Southern man survives, he will be what you call a rebel — what we call a freeman — and all his sympathies will be with every nation under Heaven, rather than with those accursory tyrants who, after threats against the
South which make civilized
Europe shudder, dare to insult the
South by appealing to its Northern Nationality.
’
