New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-01-08
From the National Intelligencer.
THE TRUE CHARACTER OF WAR

We are not among those who tatter ourselves
that war between Nations has ceased upon earth
All that contend for IT, that war Utthout necesSs-
IN is crime and disgrace to civilization. Holding
this opinion, in common. believe, with the great
body Of The People Of the United States, il always
pains us 10 hear w spoken OF lightly or IN any
other way than great political and moral evil
We were the propretors of this paper some time
before the commencement OF the war oil lel2, ana
were the advocates of that war, believing lie decar
alton and prosecution to be inevitable necessity
We were young at the time it is true, but, when
we doubted, we followed the counsels OF the Fa
theirs Of the Republic, then living amongst US. we
have therefore lived and played our part in one
war, and are not without experience oil the charac-
ter and consequences OF that ultima ratio Regum,
which ught with much stronger be The last
resort of Republics.
In listening TO the debate going in the
House of Representatives and observing the mar
lal spirit which glows in the speeches OF the young
Members of both political parties in that assembly,
we could no, help wishing that they could, without
our age, have had the benefit of our experience 1t
is not possible that some practical knowledge
should not have inspired them with very different
ideas on the subject from those which they appear
10 entertain.
Thus thinking, there came 10 our recollection a
passage in the writings Of famous author in our
mother tongue, who had occasion to speak of the
true character of War without reference to the
grounds upon which it is waged. We have turned
10 the works of that writer, from which we make
the subjoined extract which We trust will give OIL
fence to nobody. 1t ought not to do so. for truer
picture was never drawn by pen or pencil!
"As war is the last of remedies, all lawful eXpedents
must be used to avoid IT, AS war is the extremity OF
evil is surely the duty OF those whose station enrusts
them with tho OF nations TO avert 1t from their
charge. There diseases Of animal nature which NO.
thing but ampuation remove SO there may, by the
deprivation OF human passions, be sometimes gran
creme In collective life for which fire and the sword are
the necessary remedies but in what skill or caution
be better shown thnn in preventing such dreadful opera
lions while there Is yet for gcntler methods
at il wonderful with what GOODNESS and indifference
the greater part of mankind see war commenced
Those that hear of at distance read OF IT in books
but have presented its evils to their minds con-
slider 1t little more than splendid game. procla,
nation army. battle and r triumph. Some indeed
perish in the successful field, but they die
upon the bed of honor resign their Tires amidst The joys
Of conquest and, filed Nth glory, smile IN decth :"
The life of modern soldier is illrepresented By
heroic fiction. War has means of destruction more
formidable than the and the sword or the thou
sands and Of thousands that perish in the contest
very email part feel the stroke OF AN enemy the
auguish in tents and ships amidst damps and putre
faction PALE torpid spirttless, aud helpless gaspne
and grooming unpted among men, made obdurate by
long continuance Of hopeless misery aud at last
whemed in pits heavcd into the ocean, without notice
without remembrance. By incommodous encamp
ents and unwhoesome stations, where courage is use
less and enterprise impraccable, fleets silently dis
peopled and armies sluggishly melted away
Thus IS people gradually exhausted, for the most
part. with little effect
The ware of civilized nations make very slow changes
IN the system of empire The public perceives scarcely
any alteration but increase of debt and the few in
dviduals who benefited supposed have the
the cesrest right their advantages If ne that shared
the danger enjoyed the profit and after bleeding in the
battle grew rich by the victory he might show his gains
without envy. But at the conclusion OF years
how are recompensed for the death of nulttudes
and the expense of millions but by contemp plating the
sudden gores OF and agents and
commissares whose equipages shine like meeors and
whose palaces rise like exhalatonsl
These are the men who, without virtue, labor, or
hazard. are growing rich their country is impover-
ished they rejoice when obstinacy ambition adds
another year TO slaughter and devastation and laugh
from their desks at bravery and science while they
adding inquire to figure and cipher cipher. hoping for
a new contract from armament and computing
tho profits of siege tempest.
Those who suffer their minds to dwell these con.
sideratons will think great crime III the Ministry
that they have not snstched with easerness o
portunity of rushing into the field when they were able
obtain by quiet negotiation ali the real good that VIC
tory could have brought US
EH CAssIUs NJ CLAY arrived in this CITY YES.