The Fall of the Confederacy. 477 
tendency to worship the power of mere numbers, which 
may have some disastrous consequences. It will, therefore, 
be of vast service if it can be shown that however probable 
the ultimate triumph of the North, the immediate cause of 
the fall of the Confederacy was not the numerical supe- 
riority of her antagonist. 
Besides, it is a gross libel to assume that the North has 
gotten the victory solely on account of her superior num- 
bers. Who will be so unjust to the genius, the perseverance, 
and the high spirit of the North? Not the Confederate 
administration, for then they would be self-branded with 
infamy for beginning and continuing a hopeless conflict. 
The North did not gain an easy victory. Her defeat was 
always possible, and would have been certain but for her 
determination, her valour, and her immense sacrifices of 
life and property. For nearly four years there was a 
harassing strain upon the resources of the country. Any 
faltering would have been fatal. A people prone to violent 
partizanship, forgot all party differences, or at least made 
them secondary to the prosecution of the war. A trading 
community became so lavish of its gold that it ceased to 
count the cost of the costliest conflict of the century. A 
nation accustomed to the most unrestrained liberty gave 
virtually despotic power to its chief magistrate. A nation 
peculiarly sensitive with regard to its foreign relations kept 
the peace with Europe in spite of some actual or apparent 
provocations. Had the North failed in one of these things, 
had she been niggardly, or divided, or hesitating, or in- 
capable of controlling her feelings of anger and resentment, 
then the Confederacy would not have died in 1865. With- 
out superior numbers the North might have been unsuc- 
cessful ; but with her superior numbers she would not have 
succeeded as she did had it not been for the exercise of 
those virtues and talents which in all ages and countries 
are the source and support of national greatness, and to 
‘which are due the might, the majesty, and the glory of the 
English speaking race. 
It may be said that the Confederate administration 
ought to have known in advance that the people of the 
North would act as they did act, and that, therefore, the 
superior numbers of the North would be triumphant. 
Perhaps so. The Confederate administration was perhaps 
unwarranted in supposing that the North would not fight 
for the Union, that the West would not join with the East, 
that the Northern people would not incura heavy war debt, 
