14 sures his mischief. Waterloo was a battle of South and North. The victory was the power of a simple negative. Such was Corinth and such was Gettys- burgh. But the courage of principle is not alone the power to stand. Being passionless it is prudent, and as the highest prudence consists sometimes in quick and vivid action, so, on occasion, it is no less bold in assault than brave in resistance, and plucks victory out of death’s very jawTs, and such was Donelson and Fort Henry. The South had forgotten the opinion of Washington, that in a conflict between them and the North, though they might win the early fight the quality of endurance would give the final victory to us. Out of this prolific misconception of character sprang the first act of rebellion. Had they known us as well then as now, it is safe to say, the gunner at Charleston would have plunged his port fire into the sea. There was another misconception that lay by the side of this like a twin-brother, rocked in the same cradle. It was the persuasion that a predominating portion of the North would coalesce and act with the South. Even if they had no direct assurance of this, there was enough in the political history of the country to suggest the thought. In the Caucus, in the Congress, in the Cabinet, they had been accustomed to dictate and always with power.
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