passages from an old volume of life-第18节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
looks upon the face of God himself reflected in the unsullied soul of infancy。 〃Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength； because of thine enemies。〃
The simplest course for the malcontent is to find fault with the order of Nature and the Being who established it。 Unless the law of moral progress were changed； or the Governor of the Universe were dethroned； it would be impossible to prevent a great uprising of the human conscience against a system； the legislation relating to which； in the words of so calm an observer as De Tocqueville； the Montesquieu of our laws； presents 〃such unparalleled atrocities as to show that the laws of humanity have been totally perverted。〃 Until the infinite selfishness of the powers that hate and fear the principles of free government swallowed up their convenient virtues； that system was hissed at by all the old…world civilization。 While in one section of our land the attempt has been going on to lift it out of the category of tolerated wrongs into the sphere of the world's beneficent agencies； it was to be expected that the protest of Northern manhood and womanhood would grow louder and stronger until the conflict of principles led to the conflict of forces。 The moral uprising of the North came with the logical precision of destiny； the rage of the 〃petty tyrants〃 was inevitable； the plot to erect a slave empire followed with fated certainty； and the only question left for us of the North was； whether we should suffer the cause of the Nation to go by default； or maintain its existence by the argument of cannon and musket； of bayonet and sabre。
The war in which we are engaged is for no meanly ambitious or unworthy purpose。 It was primarily； and is to this moment； for the preservation of our national existence。 The first direct movement towards it was a civil request on the part of certain Southern persons； that the Nation would commit suicide； without making any unnecessary trouble about it。 It was answered； with sentiments of the highest consideration； that there were constitutional and other objections to the Nation's laying violent hands upon itself。 It was then requested； in a somewhat peremptory tone； that the Nation would be so obliging as to abstain from food until the natural consequences of that proceeding should manifest themselves。 All this was done as between a single State and an isolated fortress； but it was not South Carolina and Fort Sumter that were talking； it was a vast conspiracy uttering its menace to a mighty nation； the whole menagerie of treason was pacing its cages； ready to spring as soon as the doors were opened； and all that the tigers of rebellion wanted to kindle their wild natures to frenzy； was the sight of flowing blood。
As if to show how coldly and calmly all this had been calculated beforehand by the conspirators； to make sure that no absence of malice aforethought should degrade the grand malignity of settled purpose into the trivial effervescence of transient passion； the torch which was literally to launch the first missile； figuratively； to 〃fire the southern heart〃 and light the flame of civil war； was given into the trembling hand of an old white…headed man； the wretched incendiary whom history will handcuff in eternal infamy with the temple…burner of ancient Ephesus。 The first gun that spat its iron insult at Fort Sumter； smote every loyal American full in the face。 As when the foul witch used to torture her miniature image； the person it represented suffered all that she inflicted on his waxen counterpart； so every buffet that fell on the smoking fortress was felt by the sovereign nation of which that was the representative。 Robbery could go no farther； for every loyal man of the North was despoiled in that single act as much as if a footpad had laid hands upon him to take from him his father's staff and his mother's Bible。 Insult could go no farther； for over those battered walls waved the precious symbol of all we most value in the past and most hope for in the future；the banner under which we became a nation； and which； next to the cross of the Redeemer； is the dearest object of love and honor to all who toil or march or sail beneath its waving folds of glory。
Let us pause for a moment to consider what might have been the course of events if under the influence of fear； or of what some would name humanity； or of conscientious scruples to enter upon what a few please themselves and their rebel friends by calling a 〃wicked war〃； if under any or all these influences we had taken the insult and the violence of South Carolina without accepting it as the first blow of a mortal combat； in which we must either die or give the last and finishing stroke。
By the same title which South Carolina asserted to Fort Sumter； Florida would have challenged as her own the Gibraltar of the Gulf； and Virginia the Ehrenbreitstein of the Chesapeake。 Half our navy would have anchored under the guns of these suddenly alienated fortresses； with the flag of the rebellion flying at their peaks。 〃Old Ironsides〃 herself would have perhaps sailed out of Annapolis harbor to have a wooden Jefferson Davis shaped for her figure…head at Norfolk；for Andrew Jackson was a hater of secession； and his was no fitting effigy for the battle…ship of the red…handed conspiracy。 With all the great fortresses； with half the ships and warlike material； in addition to all that was already stolen； in the traitors' hands； what chance would the loyal men in the Border States have stood against the rush of the desperate fanatics of the now triumphant faction？ Where would Maryland； Kentucky； Missouri； Tennessee；saved； or looking to be saved； even as it is； as by fire；have been in the day of trial？ Into whose hands would the Capital； the archives； the glory； the name； the very life of the nation as a nation； have fallen； endangered as all of them were； in spite of the volcanic outburst of the startled North which answered the roar of the first gun at Sumter？ Worse than all； are we permitted to doubt that in the very bosom of the North itself there was a serpent； coiled but not sleeping； which only listened for the first word that made it safe to strike； to bury its fangs in the heart of Freedom； and blend its golden scales in close embrace with the deadly reptile of the cotton…fields。 Who would not wish that he were wrong in such a suspicion？ yet who can forget the mysterious warnings that the allies of the rebels were to be found far north of the fatal boundary line； and that it was in their own streets； against their own brothers； that the champions of liberty were to defend her sacred heritage？
Not to have fought； then； after the supreme indignity and outrage we had suffered； would have been to provoke every further wrong； and to furnish the means for its commission。 It would have been to placard ourselves on the walls of the shattered fort； as the spiritless race the proud labor…thieves called us。 It would have been to die as a nation of freemen； and to have given all we had left of our rights into the hands of alien tyrants in league with home…bred traitors。
Not to have fought would have been to be false to liberty everywhere； and to humanity。 You have only to see who are our friends and who are our enemies in this struggle； to decide for what principles we are combating。 We know too well that the British aristocracy is not with us。 We know what the West End of London wishes may be result of this controversy。 The two halves of this Union are the two blades of the shears； threatening as those of Atropos herself； which will sooner or later cut into shreds the old charters of tyranny。 How they would exult if they could but break the rivet that makes of the two blades one resistless weapon！ The man who of all living Americans had the best opportunity of knowing how the fact stood； wrote these words in March； 1862： 〃That Great Britain did； in the most terrible moment of our domestic trial in struggling with a monstrous social evil she had earnestly professed to abhor； coldly and at once assume our inability to master it； and then become the only foreign nation steadily contributing in every indirect way possible to verify its pre…judgment； will probably be the verdict made up against her by posterity； on a calm comparison of the evidence。〃
So speaks the wise； tranquil statesman who represents the nation at the Court of St。 James； in the midst of embarrassments perhaps not less than those which vexed his illustrious grandfather； when he occupied the same position as the Envoy of the hated； newborn Republic。
〃It cannot be denied；〃says another observer； placed on one of our national watch…towers in a foreign capital；〃it cannot be denied that the tendency of European public opinion； as delivered from high places； is more and more unfriendly to our cause〃； 〃but the people；〃 he adds； 〃everywhere sympathize with us； for they know that our cause is that of free institutions；that our struggle is that of the people against an oligarchy。〃 These are the words of the Minister to Austria； whose generous sympathies with popular liberty no homage paid to his genius by the class whose admiring welcome is most seductive to scholars has ever spoiled； our fel
