Litchfield enquirer., 1846-06-25
PLYMOUTH.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES is i'll

Our transcendental" brethren have spo-
ken and written vast deal of mystical non
sense about the real as contrasted with the
ideal; and yet, the simple fact that stri-
king contrast does exist between the SEM
blance and the reality, even the most prac-
| tical and plodding will not attempt to deny.
| He who looks only at the surface of things.
will seldom arrive at wise or correct con-
clusion. AS in the Book of books there is
"hidden meaning" which the casual
| reader will often fail to discover; so, in
| many ofthe ordinary occurrences and trans
actions oflife, the careless observer of mems
actions he who is disposed to take
things as they seem, without stopping to
inquire whether they are indeed achal they
seem-will more often be deceived than
otherwise.
Most certainly there is such reality as
Patriotism, but we are very far from be-
lieving i'll the genuineness of every thing
which passes by that much abused name
For several weeks past, our eyes and ears
have been well-nigh surleitei with wordy
paragraphs and gassy speeches, the burthen
Of which -"patriotism What thrill
ling appeals have been made TO the young
men of the States, to volunteer their servi-
ces in defence of their country! That
certainly sounds palriotic-and where is
there heart so cold as not to respond to
such call? But is the war which is now
being waged on the soil of Mexico, a war in
defence of our country? Is it not rather war
Of aggression-o conquest-ofmigh, against
right? The eager thousands who are mar
ching in hot haste towards the battle fields
beyond the Rio Grande-wilh their eyes and
fancies bediZzened with the glare of military
glory--wiN, if we mistake not, find the war
of reality very different matter fom war
as painted by the imagination; and sober
reflection cannot fail to cause them at least
to inquire within themselves, if all those
appeals Of editors and orators which awoke
in their hearts the spirit of carnage, were
indeed dictated by pure love of country.
TO die for glory, is fine thing for poets to
write and orators to rant about; and even
ministers of the Prince of Peace have not
been found wanting to embellish it with the
charms Of fancy and the alluremehts OF
fame. Strip war of its false garb-its
glitter, music, tinsel, and, above all, its at
fractions as the pathway to honor and re-
nown-and nations would soon find out
some less brutal way of settling their quar-
rels, than resort to arms. We believe the
| day is not distant when the term christian
| ,Odrrior" will be as great a misnomer as
ga christian dru,akard," or ga christian,
murderer" would now be. But, discretion
cries, "Hold hold! beware of stepping in
| advance of the times!"
As our readers well know, we have little
fellow-feeling with that class of pretended
patriots who IRE SO clamorous in their de-
fence of our National Executive in relation
| to his course ON the Mexican war. But as
there are too extremes to most questions OF
importance, so in this. AS we have, when &C.
casion seemed to require it, pointedly con-
demned the course fthoSe who seem bent on
pushing the war into the heart of Mexico
so we feel it to be equally the duty of ali