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242
T HE COUNTRYMAN.
TUftyWOID, «A., MAY 3,1804.
“United We Stand, Divided We Fall.”
Eight millions of Southerners, all
animated by a determination to be tree;
oblivious, for the time, ot every thing
else; inspired by ‘one heart, one mind;’
resolved to endure even extermination
rather than subjugation, would be ‘in
vincible by any force that their ene
mies, the abolitionisms, could send a-
gaint them. Oh that our people could,
to-day, present to the world just such
n spectacle as that of which we speak
—the spectacle of a people with a
firm, unyielding, united front that pre
sented no opening through which an
enemy could hope to penetrate—a
people resolute and single in purpose
to attain the great and important end
they have in view, and deferring all
minor points till the main ouo were
forever disposed of! Who can doubt
that, if such were the attitude of the
Southern people, at this moment, the
efforts on the part of Northern men to
subdue us would immediately cease?
Certain it is, that if the vankees
were perfectly convinced of the
determination of every man, wo»
mau and child in the Confederacy
to postpone private griefs, to forget
personal wrongs, quarrels, and ambi
tion, till Southern independence Were
established, they would not pursue the
suicidal course of continuing a contest
that they would, in a moment, per-
ceive to be hopeless.
But they see that our people are
not all moved as with one stern im
pulse. They see us often almost los
ing sight of the main object in view,
and indulging in petty disputes, bicki
©rings and jealousies—things unworthy
the champions of our great and holy
cause. They derive encouragement
from the fact that we, like themselves,
are frequently torn with dissension and
division, ^iud that we suffer ourselves
to be diverted from the paramount
consideration of conducting the war to
a successful tenm'nat’on.
It is with the deepest pain that we
observe these things. It is with sor
row unspeakable that wo recognize a
disposition, on the part of many men
amongst us, to forget the cause in'
which we are engaged, and to seek
the gratification of personal ambition,
or a desire for notoriety. We accuse
none byname. We abuse no particu
lar class or party; but we declare that
there is not that harmony of action,
that there should be as regards the
*
action of our state and our national—
aye, wetci7/use the word, in spiteof the
ravings of certain new lights, for along
with the confirmation of state rights,
vye do hope to see the day when the
people of the Southern States shall
constitute a great, powerful, and.hap-,
py nation—we say the national and
state governments are not working to
gether as harmoniously as they should.
The abolitionists we fear not. All
their power will be broken when hurl
ed upon the rock of an united South.
We are frightened, though, at tho idea
of division amongst our own people.
This discord amongst ourselves is what
we dread above all earthly evils.
“Take any shape but that, anil our firm nerves
Shall never tremble.’ 5
We are so well convinced of what
will be the result of certain tendencies
amongst our people, unless they be
speedily checked, that wo are appall
ed by the prospect. Just so surely
as dissensions and divisions at home
are allowed to proceed to the
length we fear they may, we will
see brother imbruing his hands in tho
blood of brother, on Southern soil.
. Some time ago, we heard some
rumors, which afterwards turned out
to be very much exaggerated, as to
the attitude occupied by certain gen
tlemen with regard to the action of
congress, and, under the impulse of
strong emotion, wo penned an article
in which we used language that was
stronger than the information we had
would warrant. Soon after, our state
legislature met in extra session, reso
lutions were introduced, and passed,
condemning th3 bill suspending the
Habi-as Corpus act, and requesting its
repeal at the next Session of congress.
These resolutions, however, did not
attempt to nullify the act of congress,
nor incite individual resistance to the
law; and then, we thought, as the
legislature had spoken out, and refer
red the matter back to congress, that
an admirable opportunity was afford*
ed to settle the difficulty without fur*
ther controversy -—to let it drop easily
and quietly’, thereby avoiding the ap
pearance of serious division ; and act*
ingon.this idea we refrained from saying
any tiling further calculated to wound
or excite anger. We hoped that the
newspaper quarrel which had sprung
up, and become very personal, would
entirely cease. In this hope we have
been disappointed. The contest has
been continued, and with an acrimony
that serves HO purpose but to embit
ter parties against each other, and give
to our foes evidence of otir own weak
ness. The best possible method, now,
is to let the whole subject drop as
quicky as possible; and we are quite
sure that the sooner this shall be
done," the less will he the mischief
that, will result. w. W. T.
Who Shall Have the Prize?—
“There was once a meeting of the
flowers, and the judge was to award
a prize to the one pronounced the
most beautiful. ‘Who shall have the
prize V said the rose, stalking forward
with the consciousness of beauty.
•Who shall have the prize V said the
other flowers, advancing, each filled
with conscious pride, and each imag
ining that it would be herself* ‘I will
take a peep at those beauties,’ thought
the violet, as she lay in her humble
bed, not presuming to attend the meet
ing; ‘I will see them as they pass,’
but as she raised her lovely head to
peep out of her hiding place she wai
seen by* the judge, who pronounced
her the most beautiful, because the
most modest.”
The News.—Reports of successes
to our arms come in from every quar
ter and with great rapidit} . The cap
ture of Plymouth and its garrison, as
well as the siuking of two gunboats,
is a brilliant feat, and reflects the high
est lionoi on Gen. Hoke, while tho
late information to be found in our
telegraphic column, that Hick
Taylor has captured seven thousand
prisoners, four hundred wagons and
nineteen pieces of artillery, in Louis
iana, is another source of exultation
for our people. If this last statement
be true, it is evident that auother bat
tle lias been fought and the result was
a victory’ to our arms.
Thus bas the spring campaign open
ed. From every part of the CJoufed*
eracy the intelligence comes that