The Daily Dispatch: March 31, 1865., [Electronic resource]

The self-deception of human nature is one of the most charming provisions for human happiness. It is possible for a man to be the greatest scamp in the world, and yet to be on most excellent terms with himself. This is especially the case when fanaticism comes in to the aid of self- esteem, and gives him a dispensation for any little indulgences of the carnal man that, in other people, he would consider unpardonable. There is a priest in the breast of every fanatic, who gives him absolution without confession or repentance. Whenever he commits an offence against morality or virtue, he has only to ask his own pardon, and it is readily granted.

Our "Northern brethren" of the Puritan persuasion are happily endowed with the felicitous quality of always looking at the bright side of their own character and actions. For example, we suppose that between them and the rest of the Christian world there would not be one moment's dispute about the practical duties of Christianity. They would not deny that forgiveness of enemies is the peculiar and cardinal virtue of the Christian religion; that the man who does not show mercy to others can expect no mercy from God. They will argue that the rules of civilization, not alone Christianity, do not permit any barbarities in warfare not essential to the end for which war is waged. And yet, the community which holds these excellent principles is not aware of any inconsistency between their faith and practice when they exult in the deadly hate that they bear the South as if it were a first class virtue; when they pant for our extermination; when they rejoice to read accounts in their daily papers of the Southern farm-houses and towns that have been burned to the ground; of the defenceless women and children that have been turned out of doors, and exposed to destruction, and sometimes worse; of the prospect of starving to death whole communities of innocent people; of prisoners dying miserably of cruel treatment, or cold, or famine. Nay, their very preachers get up in the pulpit, and, Sunday after Sunday, invoke their hearers to rain fire and brimstone upon the accursed rebels, and to spare none of the infernal crew. All this time they call themselves Christians, and think they are so, and have no doubt of their being as righteous in the estimation of their final Judge as they are in their own. The Scriptures somewhere speak of a "strong delusion" being sent upon some wicked men, that they may believe a lie. But the victim of a delusion never believes that he is the man. It is always his neighbor.

Only a few years ago the North considered itself the most Christian, evangelical and vitally pious people in the world. It had its American Bible Societies, American Tract Societies, American Foreign and Domestic Missionary Societies, and its daily Union Prayer Meetings, all of which, of course, were of American inventions, the rest of the Christian world, being too cold and dead, and benighted, even to have made any efforts in those directions before. What has become of all that vast stock of piety and benevolence? Where are the fruits thereof? There is a certain much neglected precept of the Bible: "Be not righteous over much," --not that any man can be too virtuous, but that he may be intemperate in zeal, and overdo things, either by extending his own duty beyond the Divine commandment, or by correcting even the vices of others so severely and unreasonably that they are exasperated instead of amended, like the little Scotch boy who, when asked if he did not want to go to Heaven, inquired if his father (a grim and repulsive old Pharisee) would be there, and on being answered in the affirmative, promptly responded, "Then I'll no gang."