The banner of the South. (Augusta, Ga.) 1868-1870, December 12, 1868, Page 5, Image 5

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ing his proselytes y ; ! ' r Se “ SOal ' ' "iV. Joes not teil h' s toa.lers tk,t the , .Iman, ft- ,u-»ct._ turn, his Fast lVl . t aud is permitted to indulge \ ratification of every sensual appe :l‘ the iun rises again. A few Vurther on, hr not only describes ,ed’s Paradise as <XH*> stlß g of ’ |, ut sel) vual pleasures, hut seems ;- b up on his notions of happiness as .p >;s well a' natural; for, he says: "/tii wndd be the Resurrection of i v nn it were restored to the , and exercise of its worthiest . -’mcs, and the union of sensual and . ' .■nia! enjoyments is requisite to ~ { ,T e te the happiness of the double ai.i --•;’/the pci feet man. j> , t in assigning reasons why all the ,o , rn barbarians became Ohnsyians i’urop*?, aud Mohammedans in Asia, in ustice to the Christian Church is >liil more glaring: , , . .p e Xorlheni swarms or baroarians wa - ver-pejad both Europe and Asia, , v »aen irreconcilably separated by the -jurncc' of a similar conduct. . „i !r the Moslems, as among* the < - ians, their vague and local traditions i.v Melded to the reason and authority i the prevailing system, to the fame of ' • iitv, and the consent of Nations. i!u he triumph of the Koran is more , r . nd merit- rious, as it was not assisted hv v visible splendor of worship which | j : g], allure the Pagans by some resem blance • >f Idolatry The Northern tribes of Asia, properly ; leaking, were not converted by the \ t MUiauiroe laus, and no Nation ever was. Thev were conquered by the sword The ••native was -Tiered them of death, or -lavory and loss of property, on one side, or haedom, power, and plunder on the other. No w- aider they accepted the altenative that suited so well their wild and r'stless character, particularly when • oy aw those that resisted massacred j without mercy; the women and children | ni:r|. 'laves, and the hoys trained as Mu-- Tuan s-. Itlieis. The Turkoman and Tar: trd-es knew nothing about the \ i"e , bin * hay understood the language j - : th sword. 80 much for the purity and men: of the triumph of the Koran, which Mr. ( ibhoii thus sets above the Christian • I -p-.;. As for the fame of Antiquity, M thamiuedans had none to refer to, is lie well knew: for he tells his readers, ; aimse.t, that, in h-ss than eighty years Tom be death of Mohammed, the very ' ish ot Arabian fanaticism had rr - ; the banner of the Prophet to the of Gibraltar on the West and the h-dies m trio East, and beyond the Oxus in: > i artary on the North. On the other i. a :ho Nor thorn barbarians of Europe 'a re not converted by the sword. Thev, 'at-inse! v**s, wore conquerors, and carried Tie -.vord. To them, faith came by •(*’•• g As to the insinuation that Tici.' conversion was assisted by any visible spieu'.i- rot worship which might allure menu by any resemblance to Paganism, T > only necessary to say that the N or*hoen Nations of Europe were eon- I by ( atholie Missionaries and nat i was long after their conversion t' Tir ’hey had any opportunity of seeing -i f - ( hurehes-, or any visible splendor Ci -.ship. Throughout, almost from imnencement of Christianity, he 1 Tuigts the Church with idolatry, eomc :|me - he only insinuates it; at other -tits, ne asserts it in an off-hand wav, as K he was merely stating a well known ami admitted iact. The injustice of such 1 j ; h-nge becomes less excusable and more ~ iriug, when it is considered that he, TTirself, was, at one time, a Catholic, lu Me-), when he was in his seventeenth ' ear, ie came across a copy of Bossuet’s u A* the study ot which induced him to L " l ‘ 0!l a Catholic. He made a; plication U T * l * * n London, and, in die month '!' eio, in that year, solemnly abjured Uie Protestant Religion* His father, uuwe\ er who, though a Protestant, did • - h Tieve in this right of private judg ai7- w! ‘°> »g a prudent man, Ttg-it Catholicity rather too heavy a t0^ s st 0. t 0 carr N »*‘ Protestant England— ■* -y angry with his son. How *hey remained at variance, is not • ' t.'' in his biography, but it l!i at ~h e was sent by i.is offended “;: ,erto re ’\ Kie a oiong the Calvauists at u t VJ p and placed . a vbhard, a Calvauist Minis , 1 a h> i said, in auoihcr place, > • ‘ J ‘ u:n his exile in the -■•on-'’ 1 V )N - 'hiving gone to be ‘ ''‘tea, of couise he was recouver ed. j. I ’** l . n a man precociously learned, , ta “‘ t 0 that* no one ( : j M ’ ‘ u Ppoi'unity of knowing, or *• .-% better, that tlie ckaige was \ e h 111 wading over hm work ncy of hostility ■ j- leans one to the conclusion, that J- - vis lota ot the Saint. T 1 [\ n ‘ r ; )J>m ot rile Martyr he a bail ' hurch, his pride t»f character wa> so mortified, and his moral sense so i niy wounded, tliat he never forgave lie;’ for the act which he. himself, had committed. In his biography, it is stated that he became acquainted, in Lausanne, with a Miss Curehod, the daughter of a poor Minister of ( rassy. She is described as a young lady of wit, beauty and erudition. He loved, addressed her, and was ac cepted But bis father did not believe in the right of private judgment in ehositig a wife, any more than in chosing a Reli gion, and would not hear of his marrying Mi>> ( urcbod. So he gave her up, be cause, be says, “without his consent, I was, myself, destitute and helpless.” Mr. Hi hi. on was too fond of the good things f hi> life to court poverty voluntarily, and i: is not at all unlikely that the same cau.-e tea, b*d him to abandon the woman ne loved,induced him to abandon the C Lurch he had chosen. * This World a Fleeting Show. MOORE. Hii' world is all a fleeting show. For man's illusion -,'iven: I’he smiles of Joy, the tears of Wo-. Deceitful shine, deceitful flow-- Th -re’b nothing true but Heaven. And false the light on Glory's plume. As fading hues of Even; And Love, and Hope, aud Beauty's Bio >m. A>- blossoms gathered for ibe tomb— There's nothing bright but Heaven ! I'uor wanderers of a stormy day, From wave to wave we’re driven, And Fancy’s flash, and Reason’s ray, Serve but to light the troubled way— There’s nothing calm but heaven. For the Banner of the South. ESSAYS. TV “COLOR” Vv hut is C-o 1 or ? Is it a mere accident, or is it a sign ? When we look abroad in the world, we see that men differ in a point tliat is visible to us almost as far as we can distinguish the hunnin form. Now. is this distinction nothing, as some would have it, oris there really a sublime meaning mit l Arc we to believe that the great Creator paints His creatures hap hazard, as a toyman paints his toys — sending them into the world rod, or black, or white, or brown, or yellow, as chance may have it—or are we to think that, by this sign, as by all others. He means to indicate qualities not visible to the outer eye ? These arc great questions. Upon them depends the solution ot the ehiefest of these evils that now afflict us, the effort to make all men equal in politics, irre spective of hue. By those who, for some inscrutable reason, are now permitted the governance of this great country, it is asserted that color is nothing; that all men, because they are men, are equal; ana that, m the most prominent of race characteristics, there is nothing worthy a statesman’s slightest attention. Let us see. When we view the ma terial world, we see that its great subdi vision is into signs aud substances. To use an old illustration, Nature is full of sign-posts, and, to the eve, these sign boards indicate the road the mind must take. If we will suppose that a fossil tooth has been discovered, we will find that the first process of the learned man upon it is this : How does it look ? If broad, smooth, and flat, he says at once, the animal from which this came was a ruminating animal; it fed upon fruits and grain: its disposition was peaceful. It the tooth be long, sharp, and power ful, he says this came from a beast ot prey. Here we see that the outward sign indi cates the inward quality; aud thus it is with color in the human race. Wherever white men are found, we find a race of supreme intelligence, activity, energy, and pluck. \\ here brown men are found, the race is fierce, cruel, bloody minded, and deceitful—born Thugs, as sassins, idoiators, and pirates—like the Malays, ( ’oreans, and savage South Nea Islanders. Where there are yellow men, the race is gentle, passive, unsusceptible of great activity, and yet versed in manv arts as the Chinese and the Japan ese. When we come to red men, we find them wild men—brave, eloquent, and faithful, but horribly cruel, and absolute ly beyond any possibility of civilization or change. Coming to the black race, we reach ihe “mudsills” of creation: an unfortunate race, given over to the dark est stupidity, and, yet. of a good disposi tion aud a cheerful heart. Here and there, in these tribes, we find exceptions. Some white men are debased, ignorant, superstitious, cowatdlv. and false. Some brown men are upright, peaceable, and honest. .Tome yellow men are rrodisies of intellect, like Confucious, or miraces of valor, Jike Ghetigis-Khan. Some red uieu debased, timorous, and drunken, like t sc remnants that yet linger amon*'* us, oi the once great Indian tribes. this is so, who can tell ? Man . .-i\s old Chaucer, ' L shoii , d not knoic of Lrodde spneitee," nor, if we would know, can we. ihe reason ot this inequality, this marking, this grade and division of color, and its consequent and attending qualities, is something we shall never discover this side of the great River of Lethe, and yet, how ridiculous to say that, because we cannot comprehend, therefore, we will not believe. Old his tories tell us that, when the soldiers of Ponce do Leon landed in Florida, the simple red men of the forest gathered about them in wonder, awe-stiuckat the shining armor, the prancing steeds, tbe roaring muskets, and the strange cast of countenance. Conscious themselves that they were dusky, the Indians looked on the white man as a god, and were ready at once to fall down and worship, as be lieving that this strange and beautiful race were the first-born and the favored of great Manitou. So with books of travel that tell us of earlv explorations in Africa. On seeing, for the first time, a white face, the natives would bow in ! adoration, and could never sufficiently • admire the countenance that was like the i soft, tieccy clouds that float in the sum mer sky. Even in our own day are di vers instances of this recognition of color-superiority. Some years siuce, a roving Englishman landed in Borneo, and there, among the brown-skinned na tives, reared up an empire of which, to the day of Lis death, he was absolute j King. Later even than that is the story I o! AV ard, the American, who became the head of a Chinese army, and led it on, j conquering and to conquer, till he fell by j a I artar ball. Later still, in our own! country, there peers out the indisputable reverence that the inferior hue pays the superior in that deference the poor, de luded Negro of the South renders the carpet-bag scoundrel who prostitutes his white face to unholy aims. To say that color is nothing, is to say, tliat the wings of the eagle a/e nothing, that the claws of the lion and teeth of the bear are nothing. It is to say that God, who makes nothing in vain, and has His providences even in the fall oi a sparrow, lias enacted most startling dif ferences b>r all ages, and among thou sands of millions of human beings, as an idle freak. The idea is preposterous. It contravenes not only that beneficence of Deity which most men believe in, but, also, that doctrine of utility that is so proudly vaunted by infidels themselves If color has no use, wherefore docs it ex ist : And, since it does exist, what is its function, if not as a varying outward sign 11 varying inward qualities! The sign changing, so changes the substance, and, as one sigu-post points to one road, and another to another, so it is that the white skin points to one manner of man and the black to another, and the red to still another, and soon. Rut, to argue the significance of color, is almost to insult the intelligence of those to whom thi.' Essay t.- addressed. They know, though others, not having so much personal acquaintance tvith the matter, may not, that, back of all argument, lies that natural instinct which utterly revolts at tne bare idea of there being no differ ence between those complexions that have been made to typify; the one, the dark night, and the other the bl ight and beau tiful morning. And, knowing this, they know, too, that, as these outward differ ences point to must unequal mental quali ties, the rotten huts, styled Governments, that have been reared up in the South, “irrespective of color,” were doomed in their very erection, and must, ere many days roll over, and fall headlong into irretrievable and shameful ruin. Tvroxi-; Power*. Some Negroes have sense and intellect, like Soulouquc and Toussaint L’Ouver ture. But, when we come to whole races, the characteristics are as stated, and color marls the man. Red men are wild: brown men arc bloody; yellow men yielding: black men most ignorant: and white men the pride of humanity, and the kings and rulers, by divine right, of all the world. Wherever the sign appears, there ap pear the qualities: and how then can be asserted that color 4 goes for naught? Skin a white man; and he is stili a white man, prompt, vigorous, intellectual, and aspiring. Skin a negro ; lie is still a Negro, facile, ignorant, chiid-like, easily guidi and. Take away the color, and the traits remain. Tear down the sign-post, and yet the road it pointed to is there. Those who say that color is nothing dis regard all teaching. In the rnosf an cient book in the world, it is said Ilam was made subject to his brethren, and Ham means blade. In the oldest fresco, those paintings that stil linger in the Pyramids of Egypt and the submerged temples of the Nile the same fact still appears. Always it is the brown man or the yellow man that conquers, aDd the black man that is the captive and the prisoner of all. I roru the Natchez Democrat. 'HISTORICAL CORRECTION" CORRECTED. lu l-athor ftvuuJJannkk or thu ."south, ut date October 24th, there ap peared, under the caption “Historical (correction,’ the following remarkable communication : Deer Lodge, M TANARUS., Sept. 28, *6B. uhtor of the tianuer ot the South: I see so many fa's 1 statements in re gara to the battles ot the late war, that, ordinarily, I deem it useless to try to contradict or correct them. But when I read such false statements, either iu your paper, nr “ The Land we Lore," I think they ought to be corrected; fur, so far as I know, when the public read anything iu either publication, it is taken for granted it is true. In your issue of May ‘Jbd, there appeared an article en -1 i'-led “Reminescence of the Battle of Spottsylvania, May 12th, 18fi4, : ’ (by Paul a Botto,) in which Harris’ Brigade of Mississippians and Ma hone’s Virginians get the credit of re taking the works, and holding them. Now, the truth is, General Ixamseur’s North Carolina Brigade retook the works, and held its position until night. Neither was this Brigade led by General Lee, but by Ramseur himsell. Neither were North Carolina troops ever led in battle by Gen. Lee. They never needed any such stimulus or persuasion. They did their duty, and their whole duty, on bailie-field wherever they received the necessary orders. her the truth of the above statement, l refer you to Gen. R. E. Lee. Respectfully, R.C. D. \\ e term this a remarkable communi cation, inasmuch as it is inaccurate in every particular; so utterly inaccurate and inconsistent with truth, tliat, although wo read it some time since, we then de termined to give it no notice, believing that its patent falsehood would be its just condemnation. But the reception lately ot several communications asking us, as the author of the sketch which the “His torical Correction” purports to contradict, to reply to "R. C D.,” induces us to publish such evidence as we have in our possession, to prove the perfect accuracy of our own statements, and fix the stamp of ialse-statemeni up m “R. C. D.,” where it properly belongs. Guicf among the communications to vincli we refer, is one lately received trom Gen. X. 11. Harris, who commanded Harris’ Mississippians in the memorable Spottsylvania campaign. Even at the risk of ofletiding the General, by violating the privacy of his letter to us, we pub lish, below, an extract from it, in order to show the generous spirit which animates the brave General ot that Brigade, from whose well-earned fame “R. 0. D.” seeks to pluck tiie brightest laurel. After di recting our attention to the communica tion ot “R. C. 1).,” Geueral Harris says: “To the pretended “Historical Correc tion, by “R. U. j)..' I earnestly desire you to reply, not only because it purports to correct your remenisence of the Rat tle of Spottsylvania, but, also, for tbe reason that a great many of the members ot the “Old Brigade’’ have called my at tention to it, and requested that the false statements therein made should have the proper stamp affixed to them. Knowing no one more competent to discharge this duty than you, who bore so active a part in tfic scenes of that memorable day, I confide to you the task, feeling assured that, at your hands, this anonymous writer will receive the attention he merits. “To North Carolina*’ lamented sou— the gallant Ramseur—who fills a hero’s grave, and to the noble men of bis com mand, we cheerfully concede all the glory and distinction to which they are entitled. We would not detract from their proud record one single page, line, or word ; nor would the lamented Ramseur, were lie living, permit auy one to claim for him, or lbr his command, whatever is justly due to the sons of Mississippi. Each and every command of the noble old Army of Northern Virginia achieved sufficient fame by its own deeds of valor. Between them, now, there should exist no particle ot jealousy, but rather a gen erous spirit of emulation.” These are tbe iieble sentiments that should auimate every one who fought in the armies of the Lost Cause, and Gen. Ham* ha* nobly expressed them. hi replying to ”K. \)." we shall not produce simple >iutements of our own, but the incontrovertible testimony of distinguished Generals, who commanded at Spottsylvania, witnessed the action of Harris’ Mississippians there, and rendered their tribute of praise and admiration to their heroic conduct on that day. First, we produce the letter of incut. Geu. Ewell, who was present upon tiie field: Hifqßs, Dept, of Richmond, ) Richmond, Va., Dec. 27. 18d4 f ‘ Gen. N. H. Harris : * tiencrab. f have omitted to acknowl edge the valuable services rendered bv your brigade on the 12th May last, at Spottsylvania, not from any want of ap preciation, but because I wished my thanks to rest upon the solid foundation of official reports. The manner iu which your brigade (- urged over the hills to recapture our tost works, was witnessed by me with in cme a miration, for men who could ad \atKc so calmly, t 0 what seemed aud proved ahuost certain death. i * a L , Teu " Johnson, since his ex r °° e A ha * assUie d me that the whole • ° t ie enemy’s army was poured mto the gap caused by the capture of his command. He estimates the furCe engaged at this place on their side, at forty thousand besides Burney’s command of perfectly liesu troops. Prisoners from all of their tiiree corps were taken by us. “Two Divisions of my Corps, your Bri gade and two others, (one of which was scarcely,) engaged confronted successfully thisimmense host, and not only won from them the ground they had gained, but so Shattered their army, that they were unj able again to make a serious attack until they received iresh troops. I have not forgotten the conduct of the 16th Missis sippi Regiment while under my command from Front Royal to Malvern Hill. .1 am glad to see from a trial more scveie than auy it experienced while in u i}_ Division, that the Regiment is in a Brigade of which it may well be proud. ‘A ery respectfully, “[Signed] R. S. Ewell, . . “Lieut Gen. The italics above are our own, and given in order to show she falsity of “R. C- D.V statement that “Harris’" Missis sippians got the credit of retaking the woiks, while the truth is that Ramseur’s North Carolinians retook them. ’ No General in the army was less lavish of praise than Gen. Ewell; and the above, coining trotn him, will be amply sufficient to controvert ‘“R. C. D. - ’ Bur, we have yet further proof, from the gal lant and lamented Maj. Geo. Rodes, of Alabama, who was also an eye wituess, and commanded the troops at the salient. llis untimely death alone prevented him giving expression, over his own signa ture, in writing, to his admiration of the remarkable daring and courage of Gen. Harris and his Brigade atSpottsylvania. It is the following: ‘ Gen. N. H. Harris : Having often heard Gen. liodes express his determina tion to forward to you a testimonial of his high appreciation of the bravery of your Brigade, and the bravery and skill display ed by yourself at the Battle of Spottsylvania Court House, in May, 1804, and being well aware that his sudden and lamenta” blc death at the Battle of Winchester, prevented him carrying out his wishes, I have taken the liberty of repeating what I have often heart! him say, believ ing that any one might be proud to retain any written evidence of the appreciation of an officer who, of all the brave men in the army of Northern irgiuia, was the bravest, and knew so well how to appreciate true bravery when displayed by others. “Gen. Rodes often spok v in terms of the highest praise of your co dne ; s and bra very. and of the very skillful manner in which you handled your Brigade, when ordered at Spottsylvania to support a Brigade in his division, which bad been broken by an overwhelming charge of the enemy. The expression used by him on the occasion, wa>: 'it iva* the Woven deed Ihoxe ewe s°eti performed} 1 “Hoping’ that I may be excused for this liberty, allow me to subscribe myself, \ our obedient servant, W. S. Mitcheli., Late Chief Surgeon, Rodes’ Div’n. A. N V. • As further evidence, if any were need ed, we make the following extract from the official report of General Harris him self: “On the morning- of the lfith of May. 18G4, orders were received about •'» o'clock, to move at double-quick, in the direction of Spottsylvania Court House. Halting near the Court House a few minutes, orders were received from Gen. Lee, to move by the Hank, on a road leading in the direction of the works lost by the Division of Gen. Ed. Johnson. The command was soon under a most galling fire of grape and canister from the ene my's batterie', through which the men moved at double-quick, displaying that coolness and steadiness under fire, indi cative of the veteran soldier. “Arriving near the lost works Maj. Gen. liodes informed me that mv com mand was expected to form on tiic rijht of llamseur’s Brigade. ‘Moving’ with this view, the two rl 'ght Ilcgiments had filed out of the road, and were moving by the right flank, parallel with the lost works, when the enemy, discovering the movement, opened a most terrific fire of musketry and ar- 5