Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1852-07-15
The last erected spirit that fell

of Moloch, but of Mammon;-
''--The last erected spirit that fell
From
The question was lately discussed in Eng
land by two men among the most competent
in the world to discuss it and settle in favor
of the Military Man. They were Samuel
Gurney, Chairman of the Peace Society,
and General Sir William Napier. The
Times reported that Gurney, at a meeting
of the Peace Society, in reference to the
Caffre War, had said that it was a bad
principle to have the Governor at the Cape,
that there had been since 1887 "a constant
reference to the Sword'
General Napier addressed letter to
very date, 1882, Sir George Napier become
Governor of the Cape, and for eight years
peace and christianity had been cultivated,
the Colonial debt reduced, public schools
founded, and every thing left in peace and
prosperity. Napier concludes, as to the
comparison of military men and commercial
men, with this pointed question: "What
manner of men be they who have supplied
the Caffrcs with firearms and ammunition
in their savage and deplorable wars? As
suredly they are not military Gurney, in
reply, admits these facts; but says, Sir Geo.
Napier is an exception, and appears to the
present Caffre war; but says of military
men-"Trained up as they are to the sword,
they are far too liable to look to the sword
for the settlement of international disputes -
This is general proposition, and Napier
sweeps it down at once BY incontrovertible
facts. He writes: Il say unto thee, that
since the days of the Marlborough, military
men have never had recourse at all to the
sword for the settlement of international
disputes, and it is not becoming to charge
them with it as an offence. Mark, friend,
political, and commercial men they are who
have always had recourse to the sword
He makes war, but he does not declare it.
| The political men declare war, and gen
orally for commercial interests; but when
the nation is thus embroiled with its neigh
bors, the soldiers save it from danger"
General Napier then significantly asks
whether Greenville, who made the Stamp
act and the war with America, was mill
tary man? Whether Pitt who made the
long war with France, was a military man?
Whether the East India Company, who con-
quered India, We're military men? Was
Warren Hastings or Lord Wellesy military
men? Was it military men who made the
Afghan war? the Punjaub war? and war
to force opium on China? And was it mill
tary men who caused the African Slave
Trade, with all its African war? We say
that in the history of England and America,
for the last hundred years, that question is
settled. Military men have fought battles,
but not made wars. We have Just had a
most signal example of this. Who made war
with Mexico? and who fought its battlcs?-
Mr.. Polk and his civil administration, not
one of them military, made war with MeXi-
Co while Scott, Taylor, and their fellow
| patriots won the battles.
ScoTr, the great military Captain of the
country, is, perhaps, one Of the most peace
iul men in it, and who has, on more than one
occasion, preserved the peace of the country,
when very little indiscrction would have
caused war. Witness the Maine frontier
when troops were marching on both sides
Scott, by availing himself of q personal
friendship with the British Governor, pre-
vented q collision and saved the administra-
ton from its difficulties.
So on the Niagara Frontier, when the
slightest outbreak would have made war, he
moved about, the minister of peace. And
so IN Mexico---he is at this moment charged,
as a crime, with waiting and listening to
the overtures of peace. Peace was the OBJ
iect Of his movements, and he resorted 10
battle only when negotiation failed.
1t is a little singular that an idea as plaus-
iblc, and SO caught at by many people should
be so peremptorily negatived by actual his
tory as that military men are disposdd to
make war, for wars sake. Young men may,
and do desire the glory of victorious battle,
but young men do not command even regi-
ments, and experienced military men do not
desire war. Why should they
TI.Thp ubnat cron II, Niscopst, - s,id