Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-01-18
MONDAY, January Is, 1880.
PEACH. OR W AR 7

having assumed So far the public arc appr'sed,
any new pha,e, Cor all knew tina, Mr.. Barton
SEA, ,o return from Paris before he reached our
shores, and tina, Monsieur Paeeo wou'd Inmcdi-
atcIy thereafter leave Washington, thus, as a ne
cc.,ary con.cam nee, suspcndfg all diplomatic IN
,crcours. between the American and French 20.
,.rnmcnis,) has suddenly not only excite inorea-
sed apprclcnsions Of War between tLc tive na-
lions. but absolutely raised the War-cry--as il TIE
cynccta,on of Tic c, >h, ud induce to court lis
! coun".
Is there any ground for the approximations which
evidently exist on this subject unqnestlonah'v
,hcrc are. To say nothing of the extensive pre-
para,ions making b., France, and "hic'', whatever
may be the result of this controversy, Will lead 10
corresponding preparations on our part, stEey
unqncsrionably ought to do--and 10 leave out Of
view entirely the spcculations Of the French news
papers and leticr-wr,crs and Of their American
commentators, the quarrel itself has reached that
stage, when it will not require The heavy sword OF
Brcnnu, to turn the scales but when a feather will
incline them either for Peace or War--so tritlin.
are the circumstances upon which great questions
o. state policy frequently hinge. Could this qucs-
ton have bren kept free from the pcrsonai fr6lngs
which, in It's progress have been so wanIoI'ly and
unnecessarily obstrrdsd in I'll" dcussiou-hal
t',crr Lrrn little more discretion among the ncuo-
tiaor,, and less of that hrady valor" which is cv-
as blind rs it is uiScLrvou>--no serious difficult
~ would lave arisen il it, ad ns,mcnt or, having
occurred, spir, Of mutual confidence and conccs-
Al ;,x II, 4 III
have been exhibited by both parties, would have
speedily and certainly removed every obstacle,
and restored between the two rations that harmo-
nv and good understanding, for the serious interrupt
ton of which there has been really satisfactory
cause. And even now, the breach may be healed,
if wisdom aud love of peace inspire the council,
of the two countries. We are compelled, however,
to believe, that, clai.d by mutual rccriminalions,
the E1tcutirss, both Of the United States and
France, have become at least Indifferent to the re-
snlt-and that, If they do not, by rash and unadvs-
ed measures, precipitste hosiliiies, they will make
no very strenuous efforts to prc,cnt appeal TO
arms. Our hope OF peace, then, rests exclusively
upon the discretion of Congress, and upon the will
linsncss of France to fulfil the conditions of the
treaty Of 1881, provided no measures of hostility
arc sanctioned or recommended by that body,
! And surely this cannot be slender hope when
We remember, that, thus far, the two Houses of
Congress have displayed commerdable .piri, Of
furbcarance and conciliation--and above all. tina,
they are the representatives Of tho people, who how
ever ripe for wall some oithem may bc, must be suf-
fcrers, to unnas Unable extent, should that worst
Of curses now come upon us. Tlcy will initiate
til, example OF their predecessors, in not very
distant bu, better age of the Republic, and exhaust
the cup of iorbcarancr, before ley resort TO a
measure, which, iraught in the abstract with so
many ard such dreadful evils, would, a, the prcscn,
moment, fall like blight rp,n all the interests of
The country, spreading devastation and ruin over
ide-eXtcnded districts which are now enjoying
"ns Sampled prosperity, and employing their am
pie resources IN invigoratng the springs of nation
al wealth, and diff,sing abroad the blessings of
unrammclled and sel-rcwardrd enterprise.
But, as we before remarked, the War-cry has
,rcady been raised and the action of Congress
will, Of course mainly depend on the exhibitions
Of public sentiment, which must al last be tic
guide Of it, conduct, and the controller of it's dcc-
sions. l, behooycs, then, all those who have any
influence upon public opinion instead Of mislcad-
ing the Judgment, and eyasperating tho passions
OF the pcop'c, by erroneous statements and H.
Judged defamation, Is cndeavor to "turn their
thoughts on peace" until it shall be rendered GER
tam that War not only e1pcdicnt, but necessary
"hen that time arrives, we shall not be found in
tho ranks those who may attempt to cnbarrass its
successful prosecution, or to weep over victories
winch may be achieved by our gallant country
men, But let US not, we repeat, endcayor to mis-
lead and caasperate the public mind for, unfor-
tuna,cly, there is War-spirit latent in every
community, which may be easily innamcd by "a
ny accidental excitement, and which REQUIRES no
great effort TO kindc into Il wide spread and con-
Stunning fire. True tbs is of individuals. i,
much more strikingly so Of communities, for as
CRIME, when pcrpetratcd by masses of men, loses
much OF its Nervousness, so War, its dangers d.
m'nslicd and lis sacrifices rendered apparcntly
'rih'ng by the numbcr who must participate in them.
IS stripped Of at least mociy of its horror in the
public apprehension. There are, too, always
numerous classes of men, in all countries, whose
interested and ambitious views NAV be promoted
by state of bclligercncy-mcn who lanyui,b
in tho shade" and who consequently nan, for III,