To charge an entire people with barbarity, because its rulers sanction
crime, and a vile and venal press applaud the motives and the deeds,
should not be maintained without long deliberation. "History has the right
of suspecting without evidence, but never of accusing without proof." The
rank and file of the rebel army were drawn from the classes of poor
whites, who were essentially rural in their populations, and who possessed
some trace of the morals and the natural sentiments of generosity that
belong to people who cultivate the earth. Although their instincts were
modified by the contact of slave labor, they never sank so low in the
social scale--to that level of the vile populace of the Roman or medieval
times, when the crimes of the emperors were applauded. These men on the
battle-field exhibited feelings of humanity; and it was only under the
direction of their leaders that they became unkind and ferocious.
It was the leaders who were responsible for the crimes of the sedition;
and what of humanity could be expected from men degenerated in blood? What
of noble intelligence could be looked for from mental faculties long since
degraded? What evidence of a Christian spirit could be hoped for from men
who had openly perverted or denied all the divine precepts, upon which
revolve the well-being of the human race? "If we had triumphed," says one
of its apostles, at this late day of forgiveness and repentance--"if we
had triumphed, I should have favored stripping them naked. Pardon! They
might have appealed for pardon, but I would have seen them damned before I
would have granted it!"
When Suwarrow forced his way by the sword into the heart of Poland,
dividing the realm, devastating the land, and destroying multitudes of
people, he offered blasphemous thanks to Heaven for victories obtained
over men fighting in the sacred cause of liberty, and for all the human
heart holds dear.