The Continental Monthly, Vol. 2, No. 2, August, 1862: Devoted to Literature and National PolicyVarious
History
The Continental Monthly, Vol. 2, No. 2, August, 1862: Devoted to Literature and National Policy
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- 19th century -- Periodicals
The army of the United States at the present day contains within itself
the best part of such free labor and intellect as is needed to reform
the South. That dashing and daring energy which gladly enters on new
fields, and loves bold enterprises, has streamed by scores of thousands
from the farm and factory toward the camp and the battle-field. There it
is doing brave service for God and for freedom. Every day sees martyrs
for the holy cause drawn from the ranks of these good and noble
volunteers. They die noble--ay, holy deaths, and as they die new
aspirants for honor step forward to fill their places. When the war
shall be over, it is to the army that we should look to revive the
wasted South, to farm its exhausted plantations and employ its blacks.
Is there no significance in the numerous anecdotes which reach us of
Northern intellect already displaying itself in a thousand forms of
restless activity? The newspaper before us states that General Shepley,
in New-Orleans, has threatened that if the bakers of his conquered city
do not supply bread more cheaply he will remodel their whole business
and employ bakers from the army. 'Bakers from the army!' Ay, smiths,
engineers, editors, and every thing else are there, amply capable of
reoerganizing the whole South--of tilling its fields to greater
advantage, of developing its neglected resources, of making the old,
desolate, lazy, dissolute Southland hum with enterprise. Let them do it.
_We_ may as well do it betimes with a good grace, for it is very
doubtful if those who venture to oppose the settlement of our soldiers
in the South, will not stir up such a storm of trouble as this country
never saw. An army of half a million after a year or two years of
battle-life, will not calmly return to its wonted avocations,
notwithstanding all that has been said to that effect. A warrant for
Western lands, which will possibly bring a hundred dollars, will seem
but a small matter to men who have seen unlimited paths to competence in
the rich fields of the South. They will not comprehend why the enemy
should be allowed to retain his possessions while they themselves have
been thrown out of employment. There is to be some end to this
protecting the rights and property of rebels. And it is very certain
that a vast number of those who were non-combatants will perfectly agree
with them.
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