If I were ask'd _persona_ to specify the one point of America's people
on which I mainly rely, I should say the final average or bulk quality
of the whole.
Happy indeed w'd I consider myself to give a fair reflection and
representation of even a portion of shows, questions, humanity, events,
unfoldings, thoughts, &c. &c., my age in these States.
The great social, political, historic function of my time has been of
course the attempted secession war.
And was there not something grand, and an inside proof of perennial
grandeur, in that war! We talk of our age's and the States'
materialism--and it is too true. But how amid the whole sordidness--the
entire devotion of America, at any price, to pecuniary success,
merchandise--disregarding all but business and profit--this war for
a bare idea and abstraction--a mere, at bottom, heroic dream and
reminiscence--burst forth in its great devouring flame and conflagration
quickly and fiercely spreading and raging, and enveloping all, defining
in two conflicting ideas--first the Union cause--second _the other_,
a strange deadly interrogation point, hard to define--Can we not now
safely confess it?--with magnificent rays, streaks of noblest heroism,
fortitude, perseverance, and even conscientiousness, through its
pervadingly malignant darkness. What an area and rounded field, upon
the whole--the spirit, arrogance, grim tenacity of the South--the long
stretches of murky gloom--the general National Will below and behind
and comprehending all--not once really wavering, not a day, not an
hour--What could be, or even can be, grander?
As in that war, its four years--as through the whole history and
development of the New World--these States through all trials,
processes, eruptions, deepest dilemmas, (often straining, tugging at
society's heart-strings, as if some divine curiosity would find out how
much this democracy could stand,) have so far finally and for more than
a century best justified themselves by the average impalpable quality
and personality of the bulk, the People _en masse_.... I am not sure but
my main and chief however indefinite claim for any page of mine w'd be
its derivation, or seeking to derive itself, f'm that average quality of
the American bulk, the people, and getting back to it again.