Vienna,
March 16, 1862.
My Dearest Mother:
Before this reaches you it is probable that the great tragedy will have
approached its fifth act, for the grapple with the Confederates on the Potomac
can scarcely be deferred much longer. I feel awfully anxious when I think that
this great struggle is perhaps even now taking place, although I have full confidence
as to the issue. This secession was always a rotten, rickety concern, based
entirely or mainly on the confident hope of assistance from England and France.
The blunder of Captain Wilkes came very near giving them this advantage; but
since this alarming matter was satisfactorily adjusted there has been no hope
for the rebellion in Europe. France and England have made their minds up to
await the issue of the present campaign.
But I am much more anxious as to the possible policy of the
government. I live in daily dread of hearing that hideous word “compromise”
trumpeted to the world. Slavery is bad enough as an enemy, but the Lord deliver
us from it as a friend! If we do not smash the accursed institution now that we
have the means, we shall have the rebellion back again before we have been six
months at peace, and we shall deserve our fate. However, I comfort myself with
the reflection that revolutions of this kind do not go backward very often. The
majority which elected Lincoln in 1860 is larger now than it was then, and I
believe the 600,000 volunteers who have turned out from their peaceful homes to
fight slavery and nothing else will all come home determined abolitionists.
Slavery has trampled upon the Constitution, aimed its murderous blows against the
very heart of our nation, turned a prosperous and happy land into a hell,
plunged us over head and ears in debt, and for all these favors I do not think
that we shall be for giving it anything but the coup de grรขce under its fifth
rib. It is rather late in the day for it to talk about constitutional
guaranties. Last March was the time for that. Compromise was killed at Sumter.
The carnival being ended, there is an end to balls. There
are now evening receptions, several in the week, and Lily rather enjoys them.
She would like to make a visit to America, too, and will do so if it can be
managed, although it is hard to isolate ourselves from our children for so
long. Vienna is like another planet. One of Lily's partners asked her if Boston
was near the river Amazon. This was rather a geographical achievement for
Vienna, as, after all, the Amazon is in America.
Ever your
affectionate son,
J. L. M.
SOURCE: George William Curtis, editor, The
Correspondence of John Lothrop Motley in Two Volumes, Library Edition,
Volume 2, p. 250-2
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