Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-06-08
From the american weekly Messenger.
Summary of Foreign Affairs.

To those connoisseurs in pictures OF carnage
who can survey with delight bloody field of
battle, and in rapturous admiration expstiate on
a few splendid figures amidsthosts OF dead and
dy'ng-who can descsnt upon brilliant achieve
ment, without vulgar intrusion OF sadness fol,
the torrents OF blood by which 1t hiss been gain
ed, and think piece OF striking effec. cheapy
purchased by the Immoiation of some thousands
OF human beings---as Wat Shandy thought
thousand lives nothing to syllogism-ro such
people the late train of intelligence from Eu.
rope must have afforded considerable sa,isfac-
lion.
We do not now talk Of those persons who
conscientiously imagine that the iect for
which those ssnguinary struggles are made, il
SO essentially necessary 10 the future safety
welibeing and guilty of MANKIND, that it ia
worth the sacrifices made to OBTAIN II. For we
know that there are multitudes sincerely of
that opinion And for ourselves we must saw
thatno,hing is riartaer from our hearts than to
disapproye OF just and necessary war-On the
contrary, we thiDk that associated man never an.
pears in a more noble, more majestic attitude
than whens having the wisdom 10 forsee any
danger TN at threatens his independence and CT
vii security, he evinces spirit to encounter IL
with effect; and that war, though the most Sc
we're and painful Of worldly evils may for that
very reason be, according TO the motives for
waging it, among the highest and purest efforts
OF human virtue.
We ailude merely to those who, though
they Gould see without breaking their hearts
about it, the AFFECTION and prostration of a
| nation, at the feet of a cruel foe. can con-
template with vast pleasure such scenes as
those to which we now advert, az thew
would Curious spectacle in which few
iayouFed individuals are to show their geui.
us, their courage, and their address, at the
expense of the slaughter of millions, and
r,CI, e.
every day added to its duration spreads
havock more widely-diminishes The NUNS
Der OF the human race, aud to an incalcula.
] bic exteut increases its calamitios.
| For aHording such pleasure as the har-
| dencd spectator can derive from scenes os
| that sort, or such consolation as the most
splendid display of talents and valour can
afford to tho feeling heart, sickened as il
must be with one unvaried de all of carnage.
Z. the transactions to which we allude may be-
| put--we will not say in competition with.
| bit at the head of whatever has been n.
chieved most illnstrious i'll military science,
IN ancient or in modern times. Even the
snemles OF Napoleon must perforce ac>
knowledge that, whatever they may say os
his cause, his struggles against the over
whelming force which has rushed UPON him
| in thousand torrents, places him in a rank
OF military glory. which in the barbarous
and credulous ages of the world would
have caused him 10 be apotheotized. Wel
do not by any means intend to mingle in thi/
| opinion the slightest aliusion to moral coz
| sideratons, or to discuss how fxMAil
hero may be justiialla -
| ing his efforts at
mendous wasS
| where all RI
| raHASss--wt
| cumstances imagy
Invading armiesy~ I1O an.
| tages TO encounter from which VSHvrr-
saries are exempted by their situaton-b,t
they have their advantages also among
those IS the power to select their time and
| place OF attack, to choose their own means,
ana 10 move upon their object when and