The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-08-03
Moar OF THE rKopuIEs OF OUR WAR.

MoRE OF THE TROPHIES OF OUR WAR;
In those days, now historical, when war
was apolicy, TO which peaceful intervals
were dull exceptions; when the popular
mind was educated to enjoy the striies of
the battle field as the only. occupation be-
fitting the character aRd:tbe aspirations Of
men,--when what We now, IN these self
STYLED days days of civilization, are in the
habit Of calling Virtue, was the synonyme
of martial valor,-ihe pEoudest trophy a
conqueror could bring home, TO feast the
ewes of his admiring counirymen, and TO
enhance his own character and renown
for chivalry, was chain CT captives at
his triumphal charlot-wheel. We read of
those DAYS now, and call them barbarous,
and, thanking heaven, like the publican
in the parable, that: we are not as other
men, gIorify ourselves in comparison with
those who have gene before US, in the
trade of war.
But with what right or consistency?
The conqueror's chariot still rolls lis
wheels through our thronged thoroughfares
and in it he sits, triumphant, looking
down upon the conquest he has made
All the panoply of war, the muffied drum,
the half-lowered banner, the reversed i'm
plements of war attend the procession, and
it is Death, the Copqueror, who leads 1t
onwards. The prisoner who is borne along
in chains-hIs captiVe-Is not our enemy,
but our country-man; who has been ghtlng
our battles for us, and without asking why
or wherefore, has dashed into the thickest
of the fight,-and fallen Such IS the
trophy of modern victory such the cor
onation of contemporary glory. And yet
we sit In judgment on Caesars and Philips,
and Alexanders, and Pompeys
Since it pleased our rulers to involve
us III The war which is now carrying on
in Mexico. we have had several of these
ihiumphal professions lhroug h our crowd
ed streets Sometimes the caprives have
been borne along in pairs, sometimes SIN
aiy.-sometimes they have been of high,
sometimes oflow degree, but in every case
it has been gala day, and the throng has
looked on admiringly. and read lesson OF
the glory of war On the very day we
write this, there is parading our highways
a cortcgc, with corpse for It's centre a
bare coffin, with military hat and plume
upon it, and a sword by lis side, and a black
pail hanging below it, on which in white
letters, is inscribed Buena Vista; and an
armed escort is before it, and behind it -
another captive at the great Captains char
lot wheels,-going to his prlsOn,-hls last
the grave! What an Offering to family
and friends, in gratitude for his services
in the cause of his country,-a corpse, for
a husband, father and a son
And this day, too, in one of the most
beautiful, quiet and peaceful towns in
New England, is there going on another
ceremony, equally imposing, and equally
instructive. There has come home an
other of these trophies of glorious war, d
with much pomp and parade. the remains
OF one, by many loved and by many
mourned, are borne along, III the sight OF
10 show what a splendid thing
is war The centre of many relations in
lifc,-thc tenderiy reared son, the alice
tlonate husband, the fiona father, the de-
soted brother, The attached friend, the gal |
liant, ingenious youth, who was formed
and educated, by birth and culture, to be
an ornament and pride to society,-he
has fallen victim TO the policy of self
ism government, and has come back, TO
show whit are its legitimate effects.
In the discussion. after all is over. who
began this war? for what was il begun ?
and what has beer., or ever will have been,
attained BY it !-lei these seems, las they
surely will, } rise up in Judgment against
the authors and contriyers Of this war
and lustre must pass. ere such an enor-
nifty can ever be perpetrated among US,
again = N. Y. Express.