Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-07-27
,erIeci state Of society among the nations Of the


hours OF darkness, the sufierngs and The horrors
OF war, as any OF them while on the other hano,
he was true palTot-his heart, and The hears
of his soldiers, were so fIm and brave aud trueto
their cause, that they have won lame which
shall ring through The world, increasingly and un-
diminishpgy, as deep into The years OF eternity,
as this earth may be appointed TO pursue her an
pual path among The sister siaIs. We may lheIe-
fore AXE his sentiments on The subject. as mol iaf
from just. He lett sword, EACH 10 his nve ne
phews in his last will and testament, "wIh lhe
Injunction not to unsheaihe them for The purpose
Of shedding blood, except il he in sell defence, or
in defence Of their country and is rights, and in
The lauer case, 10 keep Them unshealhed, and pre-
Ter falling with them in their hands 10 the Ieln-
ouishment thereof"
The military spirit Of The country has unques-
,ionaby attained high and honorable elevation,
when the only two important cour.mar'ials We
have had during this war, have not been he'd Tor
the trial oil such men as Arnold and Hull, but 10
try Gen. Gaines and Lieut.. Hunter, both for leap
ing into the service OF the country, with quick
ness and spirit which outslrpped their auhoTl-
". And mol 10 NEEDLE with the different views
which different PERSONS may entertain with I'M
questionable honesty, concerning matters OF S'a'e
policy during The past year, II can proeaDiy te
made matter Of just pride BY all parties, lha'
since the srh and 9th OF May, one twelvemonlh
pasr lis, had teen added 10 The catalogue Of bat.
lle-felds honorable 10 America; luslTe has been
shed around our arms; a respect inspired Tor The
yalor and skill oil our troops, and contribution
made 10 The weight and influence OF our name and
our councils abroad, which will be found hereaf-
Ter 10 have been no Idly wasted treasure, nor any
cflusion OF blood for naueht, whether We may be
called on 10 project others or 10 defend ourselves
There has been fighting done on those fields, lar-
" comparable 10 The Italian campaigns, The best
and bravesl of The fighting OF Napoleon; indeed
vel more suitable comparison, because more
splendid one, is suggested. We think rather o.
lbe high chivalry, and The splendid and piclu-
rescue batlIe-feds OF The palmy and beautliuldays
Of Edward iii and Harry V OF Eng land to which
the English nation still looks back, through The
vista OF four hundred years, with lofty pride, a
the fountains OF their military homer. Alison,
vol. 3, page 2s7.l And when they DO SO lcok
back, and their eyes tall upon The ancient slories
Of Crecy, Poicliers, and Agincouu, they see NJ
better fighting, no Drawer men, no nob'er deeds,
scenes no richer in what nations call their glory,
than, through the wel-remembered space OF
lwevemonth and little more, we can see a! ia
10 Alto. al the Palm Ravine. al Monterey, al
Bnena Vista and al Cerro GoTdo.
Ii, as has been thought, free government and
large standing army canRo, long exist together,
The question has in all probability, been recently
seultd, al least az far as we are concerned, lEata
Tree government needs no large standing army
for when he voice OF The country calls he chi.
gems around their standard, and heI drum
beats. and her eagle moves against he enemy
although The wise men may be dlvided--as IS Inc
case in aimoo. every war every where abcu: CUES.
lions oil Slate-policy involyed-her citizens viii
hear her voice, and 90 around their standards.
from Unborn love OF couniry, and because they love
mol 10 be still and sluggish, when her drum beat;
and her ase is up. and her voice calls-and with
a si9-monhs' training, and with hearts which
know moi how 10 falleT or 10 fail, they VIII encoun
ter the same dangers, and face The same ODDS, a.
regular veterans-and when they are on he bat
tle.field though some may ingloriousy run away,
vet enough will stand firm 10 grasp victory, arc
Buena Visa is a Monterey.
w Truth will probably not permit language
so complimentary 10 be employed in speaking
81 the spirit of The country in The civil and 70
litical walks Of life. Il is to be regretted thai
il is mol as much The custom 10 read publicly
Washinslon's Farewell Address, on the Other
political festival Vi The county, his hir.h.
| day, rs il is 10 ,ead the Decai alton OF hide
pendence on this day In that Address occurs
this language "There is an opinion that PAL
ties in Tree countries are useful checks upon
the conduct Of The government, and serve 10 keep
1 alive int SpHH Vi lIbcliy. uio "'h" sei'n'h
| limits is probably true, and in governments OF
mona rchical cas patriotism may look with in
diligence, if not with favor, upon The spirit q
party. But in those OF The popular character, IN
governments purely elective, il is spirit mol 10 be
encouraged A fire not 10 be quenched II
demands a uniform vigilance 10 prevent lis bum
ing into hame, lest instead 81 warming il should
consume"
q hf MS esnYstdhht H" as once did-Ihar
old high spirit, under which men hold their per.
sonal and partisan predictions as mail things,
and count IL an honor 10 sacricc them on The al
| lar Of 4 common cause-which prompted John
Adams OF Massachusetts To nominate in the con-
linenlal Congress and carry The election 81, Geo.
| Washington, OF Virginia, 10 The command in
chief OF The armies 10 be raised for The war o!
Independence, over the head Of at least one brave
officer OF The North, who thought he had righl
10 The place from rank and past seryices-Ihe spi-
| rit in which one OF The Nelson's Of Virginia
set fire 10 his own house at York Town, because
il was in The way Of his counlTy's arms-lhalh high
| spirit of Justice which in old times prompted
leading man from New York (Grosvenor) 10 say
in his place in The House Of Representatives Of
great Southern statesman, then and now, (Cal-
hounl though they we're on opposite sides in po-
litics, and personally not on speaking terms, "Mr
| Speaser-I will not be restrained. No barrier
/
pose OF offering 10 that gentleman my thanks ior
the independent course he has pursued in this
| House for The las, two years" ] will mol
say, that that spirit is dead-bul, surely, il
is now less often seen-those noble sacrifices
OF personal and partizan interests 10 higher con-
sideralions, surely appear fewer and farther be-
tween. That which used 10 stand ever first in The
heart OF the statesman, too often now stands last;
and that which once STOOD much lower in impor-
lance, holds now the uppermosl place.
And this wane Of patriotism and increase OF
The paIlizan spirit may be supposed 10 throw
| cloud over cur future prospects. The existence
OF those fierce and jealous fanatics Of The Norh,
The Abolionisrs, denouncing our institutions,
ourselves, and our Union with Them; but with
all their zeal and fire, exceedingly poor in any
| manly power Of intellect, or any high impulse
OF feeling, may be thought another cloud; and, as
natural consequence, the attachment Of the
South for The Union diminishing; and perhaps
other similar things might be named, were there
any special demand, which are 10 be regarded as
shadows or clouds.
II will, however, be no more requisite 10 any
purposes Of utility Than j, will be in good taste
10 allow too much place TO The fear and The tore.
bodings Of evil on such an occasion as the
present TIE foundations OF this oouniry>
existence OF lis union, and Of its general posPe-
ry have been too deeply laid in RICH, reason,
and The laying oil them was too solemn work,
BY hands too sacred and venerable, and The hand
OF Higher Than human care has been too often
seen moving over The structure and directing lis
rise, share and FORM 10 leave moments room
10 tear lha, that Hand will desert it now 10 be
overturned, and with il, The hopes Of future Tree.
dom in many foreign hearts 10 be subvelted and
destroyed, BY weather SO ralIy and unsublime
as snch clouds can bring. Unless We can bring
ourselves 10 believe that The Supreme Dispo.er
OF events would create new continent, with
great commercial facilities, and pave it with un-
usual fertility Of soil, and spread out in its wide
latitude Of Territory space Tor The dwelling places
of many millions OF human beings, and al The
right time inspire the navigators with magic wis
dom 10 discover j! and settle il with The leading
race Of men Of modern ages, and SOW heir hearts
thick with seeds of freedom from various sources,
and ase them up wise men, and great men, and
pure men 10 win freedom, and give them then
great beginnings-all for nothing and vanity
then we cannot cease 10 have hope of the nation