The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1848-09-13
A NEW IDEA.

senator COIwIn, oil ONO, severe lecture
for having had the hardihood 10 express
the following sentiments in a certain letter
Of his, which was published:
al have been asked, how can you. who
denounced the Mexican war, vote for its
herol My answer is, to me, plain and OBJ
vous Gen. Tay Tor was an officer Of the
regular army. He took his commission
when a youth. lie contracted TO fight
when and where his country called. and 10
obey the orders of his superiors in COM
mand. The President was Commander
| in. Chief. lie ordered Gen. Taylor o.
beyed. lie acted as Scott and hundreds
of others did. Ii was and is the view of
their duty, taken by all officers Of the ar.
my and navy" Thomas Corwn's Letter
10 J. NJ. Clements.
! Mr.. Riches structures on the above
are, in part, these:
/ Thus it would appear, that, according
10 the opInion Of the Wing Senator from
Ohio, the officers of the regular army and
navy are bound 10 cut, new, mnnglc, and
slaughter their fel!ow.n.en belonging Ia
ano,her country with whom their own Is
at war, without regard 10 the justice Of iha,
war. They are bound TO do it, because
they are are paid for it by the government
that employs iheml They, are, accor.
ding TO MIR. Thomas Corwln, more n,ur-
dererS upon hire-jus, as Croanirgshie!d
was the hired murderer Of ilr X apps
Of Salem, TO take the lie Of poor old Jo.
seph White. What foul libel upon brave
generous men We do not believe that
there is one brave man belonging to the
army or navy who would fight 10 a cause
which he did rot believe TO be ju,,-no G.
ven General Taylor. The high. ptincFled
and chivalrous officers Of our army and
navy are not cut ihroats opon hi'c. They
do not mangle and slaughter their fellow.
men for The yearly stipend they receive
from their government in consideration e
their services. They are not mere ON.
thinking machines, nor unprincipled rdilians
who commit crimes because they are or.
dered ;" to do H."
! We will make few comments on these
passages from the Union.
The doctrine Which they enbo1y is, IL
subsistence, that an officer Of The army OF
navy Is, at all times and under all clfcunl
stances, TO be himself the Judge Of what i
right and what IS wrong IN the orders
which are given him by the Government,
or, in other words, TINT when War has been
declared by tie constituted authorities c}
the lend, the officers, soldiers, ard sailors
are no. bound to serve in the field or on the
water, when called upon to 90 so by the
respective Departments which have control
over The aTn,y and navy, it perchancc they
may happen to entertain the opinion, ind,
ridaGfy, that the war Is improper or IN.
Iust. We say that this doctrine is direct.
" and totally at yariance with ibe estab-
ilshed principles upon which the military
code is based. II would be pretty state
OF things, indeed. if the Government was
dependent for the execution Of lis orders
upon the private Judgment Of officers aud
men who are trained al its expense 10 the
use Of arms FOR the express purpose OF de-
tending and protecting the rights and IN.
'erests of the country when war arises
To vary little The language Of the Union.
"we do not believe that there is one brave
man belonging TO the army or navy" lei
his irira'e opinions he what they may,
"who would - not, hen his country called
for bis services, 10 case Of necessity,
hesitate to obey the Summons. 1t is BOT
for him, when the cXigency eyis's-wheu
battles are TO he iouah and an enemy to be
subdued-to question the pfopric'y and
justice Of the call which is thus made upon
him. Ii is sufficient, for him to be suits.
fed that war eyls's; that the honor Of the
nation is involved III is issue, and hat he
i professionally bound to act uadef the or.
ders Of The Government, when they are
issued 10 him. In Consideration Of the
rules and regulations of the army, Of which
strict subofd.na,iaD Is the scul-In cousJi-
Grafton Of the high responsibilities Which
are attached TO his character rs a solder
and Of the vast interests with the guar.
dianship Of which he is entrusted; By al
these solemn considera !ons he is hound to
take the field when Ills country calls upon
him to do So vitout stopping to euqGisc
whether She is fright or wrong" The
well known noble sentiment which vas Ut.
tered by the brave and patriotic Decatur,
and " bich has never been referred to bat
/ 10 be admired, is perhaps the bes' answer
/ that could be made TO the strange article
from the Union which we are noticing. =
Can any war be woged without armies and
nnriest And can these a mics aud uasie,
be Of any service, il 1t is 10 be the prlyii.
ege ofany officer, soldier and sailor 10 iis,t
or not to fght inst as he NAV choose to
think about The .iasfice or injustice OF the
war! This Is the pain viow which we
take Of the mater, and We think that we
sill be sustained by every intelligent man
10 the country.
. We do not hesitate to express the opln.
ION, that If the tu'c Of military morality
laid down in tie Union vas to be enforced,
there would be a complete DISCRIMINATION
Of the whole system under which orr off
GERS and soldiers and sailors have hitherto
been trained to the art of war. As TO the
/ Il - II