The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1846-03-05
Peace.

Much ink has been lately expended to presuade
our militia heroes that they should be very care.
fu not to soil their peaceful uniforms by encoun,-
ering more of the dangers attending
"The pomp and circumstance of glorious war"
than they will find in mastering with the awk-
ward squad; and even this is to too beligerent for
the war-hating sensitiveness Of some. They
would transform our people into nation Of fioil-
resistants, and have our spears beaten into mud
hooks without delay. Such lamb-like notions
find little sympathy among our hardy pioneer
hunters here at the west, but just now they are
decidedly popular among the money-loving traf-
fckers of the east, who already smell gunPowder
in the Oregon question, with about the same fa-
cility asses are said 10 snuff up the east wind.
"In time Of peace prepare for war;" was eau
tion given by Washington; but it is strange
aid to preparation, to confound the care; for
defence with the unprincped 10 We of bloodshed
and carnage. The internal regulations of nations
are by means of the press familiar to the world,
and the best mode of preserving peace is by a
well ordered system ofdefence making it apparen
that we are at all times prepared 10 chastise ag-
gression. Onr militia system is the cheap de-
fence of our nation, and every means should be
used to preserve its efficiency, though quite diff
ferent spirit has atserly guided our Legislation.
On this subject the National Pilot we'll remarks:
The dislike of war, then, which we are
told it is so important to cultivate, already
prevails universally, in this nation; and the
laborer, therefore, is scarcely worthy of his
hire, who tolls blndly on, among US, inces-
sanity endeavoring to plant and cultivate a
dislike for war, in soil every portion of
which is already, and even without the labor
of cultivation, yielding this crop in luxuriant
profusion.
But this labor, call it fanatical, or what
you will, is not the innocent thing which
mere " lost labor" is. 1t stops not at its pro-
fessions, but goes boldly against all the
means of self defence-lhus bringing the
question to one of strict passive obedience"
which is part of the doctrine of the Divine
right of Kings. 1t urges, for instance, that
we must not have military organization in
the land, because this, by keeping us ready
for war, serves as an nducement to 60 into
it, and in this way, it strikes at every at
tempt at readiness TO repel aggression. In
accordance with this ruinous sentiment, and
consequent upon it, we find sections of the
public press, from time to time, denouncing
even the lille we have in this way, as un-
worthy of preservation. As case in point,
nstlnce the New York COMMERCIAL Aduerti.
ser, which, in speaking of what it calls the
"Mili.ia nuisance" says, public opiaion " has
but one good work more 10 do, namely, to
sweep away the whole annoying absurdity
together" This is the tendency, then, of
this morbid sentiment Of which we speak,
and this is the end to which it would bring
US, at last Well: thus secuted out of any
and all system of self preservation, we should
fall very quiet prey to the first spoiler that
came. That fanaticism which classes war
as always the greatest of all possible evils
would triumph in theory, while it would
practically blot out from existence great
and once happy nation. Our Republic
would be first checked in its onward career
to greatness; then sink to slavery, and ult
mately 10 extinction, beneath the unresisted
blows which our ostentatiousy defenceless
condition had so unwisely invited,
Such would the inevitable result be-: and
which, let us ask, Of all the catalogue of the
virtues would be subserved by that course
and that consummaton? Is it commendable
to be quietly crushed to earth, by despotism,
without resisting it? You may have "peace"
to-day by submitting to this; but if you do,
you must tomorrow be the soldier of that
despotism, and aid it in subdung Others to
its yoke. The cannon which have just been
directed against the Argentine Republic,
and which European despots brought the
whole width of the Atlantic upon their bloody
errand, would far more likely have pealed
their deadly thunders upon cur own shores,
had not the little defence we could make
caused these piratical marauders to take
counsel of their fears. Let us, too, learn by
experience, and profit by the past; for, if
once found defenceless, or anywise lacking
in inclination to maintain our place in the
career that is marked out for us, we may be
we'll assured that, from that moment, we
shall never more suffer neglect at the hands
of those who now both hate our institutions,
and greatly dread their growing influence
upon the world.
The Quebec Gazette intimates that sedi-