Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-05-07
For the .8nfi-S iaecry Eagle.
War and Warriors.
by JOHN D. BEAcH-No. VI.

"Hell and Destruction are never full.
SOLOMON.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war;
lBip.
Doubtless enough has been said 10 con.
vince the reader that war, even in our own
time, is no inconsiderable evil; that its reck-
lessness of human life and happiness is truly
appalling. Yet l suppose | have not given
you even a tolerAble idea Of the system in
lis natural, real, necessary workings. have
indeed, stated that war alone has already to-
tally depopuIalcd forty Woyids like this. |
have said that one human monster sinrly, has
destroyed almost twice as many people is
inhabit this vast Republic. | have spoken
OF the frequency Of modern wars, and the in
calculable deyastuti'n which they occasion.
You may admit all this, but to realize it is
impossible. You know from the public
prints and floating rumors, that war exists on
our Southern frontier; but you neither do,
nor can conceive the solemn, every day reali-
ties Of that protracted struggle. To make
those realities our own-to fix them fast and
forever in the mint-we must behold them
with our own eyes; we must ourselves be
baptized with the dreadful bar tism Of war.
For the sake therefore, Of getting the subject
somewhat more distinctly before our minds,
let us bring the scenes and operations of war
nearer home.
Were our peaceful borders threatened by
The Armada OF a powerful foe, whose avowed
object was universal conquest, and whose far
reaching plans embraced the overthrow of
Republicanism on this continent, what cir
cumstaDce attending The approach Of The VIC
torlous invader wot Id not awaken every slum-
bering fear, and chill the very life current
that pulsates in each member Of this vast be-
dy polite! Two hundred ships Ct the line
are anchored off Halifax, ready to make a de-
scent upon The United States. New Bruns-
wick, Nova Scotia and half the Canadas, at
the proclamation of the British authorities,
are rising in arms. Our shipping, chased
from the banks Of Newfoundland and hunted
over the bosom of the Northern Atlantic, may
lie seen pressing in all directions for tile ports
OF our Eastern sea.board. At the same time
a splendid Armament cruising The Gulf, holds
the adjacent region in continual alarm, whilst
heavy transports, hourly debarking from the
several harbors of the West Indies, are land
ing a powerful army upon our defrnceless
Southern coast. Within iorty-eight hours,
by means Of telegraphs ard expresses, the
disastrous intelligence is spread over half the
Union, and the public intellect aroused to ten
fold vigilance in war-like preparation. Cou-
rlers are seen riding in hot haste over our
hills, transmitting general orders from depart
ment 10 department Of State. Handbills, or
dering out the militia, are placarded at the
corners of cur streets. Proclamations, cali
Ing for volunteers, come flowing in upon us
from the seat Of Government. Troops are
seen marching from town to town. Steam
boats, no longer laden with idle passengers
or the heavy freight Of the inland merchants.
are stored from hold to upper deck with the
valuable munitions of war. Barges of State,
crowded with martial men, come thickly
floating up the beautiful Ohio, and wild
strains of field music echo within her wind
iEg banks.
hide through this western region. Almost
the entire population are up and marching for
the s%eacoast or the Northern frontier. You
see orchards, and garden, and houses, and
waving fields of grain; but no inhabitants.
The conscriPlion has left only the aged and
the feeble, the mother and the child. The
highways are still and tracklrss. The plough
stands rusting in the old furrow, and the stur-
dy OK gTazes unmolested in The meadow
Old men this year thrust in the sickle, and
with trembling hand gather the rolling har.
vest. Young boys swing the heavy fail, that
their mothers and sisters may not lack bread.
In the forest, where lately echoed the stroke
Of The woodlands axe and the crash of falling
timber, The timid deer unconcerned champs
the tender boughs.
The enemy makes a descent upon us-the
U. s. potts are declared to be in a state of
blockade-American must be de-
stroyed. His shipping stretches southwark;
the fleets Of his hundred allies cruise the sea-
board, drawing a limo Of FIRE along our extend
ed coast. Our commerce, which before glad
dened every soil willis, il enriched our