The man who could stand by a deep river, and himself knowing the art of swimming, could behold, without an effort at deliverance a fellow-being struggling against a current that threatens to engulf his person, is justly considered a heartless and inhuman being whose own proper punishment would be to throw him into the same stream, with a millstone about his neck that would sink him forever to the bottom.
Mr. Crittenden, of
Kentucky, professes to believe that the
South, his own section, is engaged in a contest for life and death, in which she must certainly be the loser, and he knows that in losing she loses all — every civil and political right — life — property — the sacredness of home, and he not only refuses to give his aid, but joins the aggressors and urges them on in their bloody purposes!
We have never heard of the position of any public man which has filled us with such surprise and horror. "Put not your faith in Princes," says the good book, and "put not your faith in" politicians, is a maxim equally enforced by the universal experience of mankind.
How powerful must be party spirit, when it can so thoroughly crush out from a man's heart all patriotism and humanity as to lead him to desert his own country and join her implacable enemy in such a struggle as this.
Happily, her situation is not as helpless and hopeless as
Mr. Crittenden supposes.
She has "buffeted" the opposing stream with "lusty sinews," and in spite of those who stand indifferent upon the shore and others who are seeking to drown her, she will come safe to land.
Nor do we believe that
Mr. Crittenden will carry
Kentucky with him. The Republicans declare that the time has come when she must take sides and be with the
South or against it. Can she will she draw the sword against her own mother,
Virginia?
Will she bathe her bayonets in kindred blood?
By every affinity on nature and interest, she is called upon to detach herself from the despotic
North and join the Southern federation.
We rejoice the thousands of her gallant sons are already arrayed under the
Southern flag, and believe, are long, the will come gallantly to the column which is marching in victory under her own
Davis, her own
Johnston, the
Louisiana Beauregard, and the
Virginia Johnston and
Lee--nanies which are destined to hallow and immortalize our age and country.
