The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1847-08-20

meeting for deadly strife. The work
commenced. Oh, what a a0Ork it was!
Shooting with rifles. muskets, cannon,
&C., cutting, hewing. Slashing, bayonet-
ing, shouting. shrieking, cursing. riding
the dead and dying, where the min
yled bodies lay piled one upon another,
stratum, substratum. They fought, and
killed, and butchered. until the men had
lashed themselves into demoniac fury;
on they dashed, angry, vengeful, reckless
as fends. The air was rent with the
screams of the wounded and the groans
ofthe dying; and the whole surrounding
atmosphere tinted with the imprecatisns
and b!asphemies beIched forth from the
throats of The infuriated adversaries.-
The blood poured forth from thousands
of wounded and murdered victims, until
in torrents, like water in gush Of rain.
rushing down the declivities Of the ada
cent hills into the %ravines below. Alas,
what a scene was there exhibited! Ma.
lign spirits ofperdilion might well stand
aghast, and look with amazement; for
such a spectacle was never enacted in
their dark domains!
No sooner we're some thousands ofpoor
affrighted spirits d~islodged from their
frail tenements, and sent bowling into an
awful eternity, than c%ouriers were dcs-
patched to carry the news. The telc-
graph also was put into requisition, and
the swift winged lightning flashing the
tidings over the earth. Something of an
appalling nature was just then looked
for with intense interest; hearts pulsated
with strong emotions; and what was the
~resultl Why peans of joy and shouts of
triumph pierced the heavens. Glory,
glory, glory, re-echoed over the M
tains and through ourvalleys! Whyl be-
cause thousands of our fellow mortals lay
weltcring in their blood on the battle
field, while their poor gnilt.laden souls
had been precipitaled unprepared into
the awful presence Off sin-avenging Cod
Eighteen centuries have now elapsed
since the advent of the Prince of Peace,
whose message breaths peace on earth
and good will among men. We profess
to be worshippers ofthat Prince ofPeace
and admirers of that glorious message.
The Mexicans profess the same. Both
nations proclaim themselvcr Republicans
free, enlightened, liberal, asking naught
but justice, and prompt to yield TO eve.
ry we'll founded claim of equity. And
yet these are the governments that are
thus embroiIed in angry, deadly conflict
O, what a scene for internal spirits TO gas
at! what inconsistency of conduct; VIVA
a mockery of profession we present t.
their scornful derisions! With what in
efabIe contempt the tyrants of Europ'
and Asia will point 10 the greedy. grasp
ing dispositions of Wanted republics; ant
to the gross contradictions of p~rofessec
Christian nations! Republics have new
er been satisfied with their own territory
D but in all ages have been unduly ambl
a tious, and aimed at conquest and enlarge
i ment. This has been the prelude {
: their downfall and ruin. We are treat
j ing closing upon the heels of our aspirin
: predecessors; and five escape their fate
our deliverance must be repentance an
Q reformation.
Is it not a shame that we, by profess
n ion the most enlightened and liberal RI
publicans on earth, and the most arder
admirers Of the Prince of Peace, eigl
e teen hundred years after the promslgi
ton of his message of good will, shouI
II advocate the decision Of n%ationa! dife
a ences by a savage appeal 10 the swor'
ID If victory necessarily perched upon Il
Ie banners of those who have right on the
Or side, there might be found in this consl
r. Grafton some apology. But generally
is not on the side of right, but on that
is might.-The ablest men and the be
,e enginery of death, usually prevail; al
h. how very seldom physical might is ile
is tilted with moral right, the history oft
st world abundantly proves.
Ill fright always triumphed there won
be no such feverish anxiety TO learn t
IA result of the latest battle.
Give thousand of our fellow beings
Is says a contemporary. have been swe
SO into eternity.-There is now no distir
N ton between the Mexican and the Anne
oy eau. Their disembodied spirits ha
met. Do they still glow with hatel
not when did their feelings change! A
lie they now happy that they have hberat
m, each other from the body, to decide
boundary question, all fortheir couuir
70 goodl We say nothing about the ris
ID or wrong ofthe contest according to
vi man precedent or national laws; but
NJ do say it becomes every christian 10 we
not to reioice-uot to praise but 20 p
90 that our national sins may be forglv
in & that hea,henishp rinciples & heather
of practices maysoon be driven from all
ON protested abodes ofthe gospel ofpeace
hly "As religious men, as ministers. as
ely tors, uttering the sense of religion an'
ing Gods church in this nation, are we
ian bound to say it, without in so doing al
,ho speaking evil of dignitaries. that
be blame Of this guilty war, and the tren
nan dous, responsibility for these late ira
had dies Of blood-a responsibility which
her Atlantean shoulders Of Sa,an himself
of not broad enough to bear--rests U
avs. that of those rulers and statesmen. by
IL ann.ant Of xuhOr1