Daily American telegraph., 1852-08-17
A Friend of Peace.


commends itself to the favor of every rejecting
mind. 1t is sometimes said that no friend Of
peace should sustain the political aspirations of
a warrior but how far from wise are such decla-
ratons The history Of our own wars but too
plainly shows how prone are drawing-room states
men TO provoke the unsheathing Of the deyasta-
ting sword A Mr., Polk in the Presidential
chair, yearning for glory aud renown, may, by
single dash of his pen, cause tens of thousands to
perish in an unnecessary war; yet from the en-
sanguined field how often arises the hero and
sage to whom the puny destroyer must give place
in the hour Of triumph
But to the article from the American:
"Those who have become familiar with the
evils of war are seldom its advocates On the
contrary, in proportion as they have been ex
posed to its pers, and witnessed its hardships and
distressing spectacles, their aversion to il in
creases, and none are 80 10th to invoke the
dreadful agency of arms in deciding the disputes
which disturb the friendly intercourse and rela-
tons of different communities. review of the
history of all the hostities in which nations have
resorted to the sword for redress will discover
that, in the majority of instances, they have
been fomented by those who never experienced
liO VI ~ DttHt, uOT expeCteQ TO GncOun-
ter the dangers and prvations of n campaign.
Statesmen and diplomatists-- politicians, at least
who are accustomed to form their ideas of
military life and its incidents from narratives
which conceal the deformities of the picture, and
present, in romantic coloring, the exciting and
heroic details, seldom regard. in their controver-
sizes, the terrible consequences of embroiling
their respective states in belligerent conflicts.
Nay, so far from being restrained by any wise
humanity in avoiding the waste of blood and
treasure incurred in such contentious, they con-
template only the glory and gains Of victory, and
too often precipitate nations into wars, which
just estimate of their calamtous effects, even to
| those who ultimately triumph, and temperate,
judicious negotiation, might readily have averted.
"Peace, in fact has no stauncher and more
devoted ally than the veteran soldier, who can
contrast her amiabe Inequalities, secure COM
FORTS and benefcent influences upon the happi-
ness and prosperity of mankind with the melan-
choy destruction and brutal spirit of war And
this is especially true of him whose whole mill
tary career has been limited to the necessary re-
sstance Of aggression upon those rights and
principles of international intercourse or social
| independence, the maintenance of which can
alone preserve the pacific relations Of the world,
and perpetuate the blessings which make peace
valuable.
"Such has been the experience and Office of
Winfield Scott, from the day when he volunteered
to defend his country against the unprovoked en-
croachments of Great Britain, previous to the
war of 1872, until the present time. He has
participated in no offensive movement-led no
aggressive army-conducted no campaign that
was not purely in defence of the honor and liber-
ties of the nation he served He has been ut all
times emphatically the champion Of right wher-
ever the United States have been forced to repel
invasion from abroad or to suppress intestine
disturbances; and in each difficulty of the state
in which he has acted part, his solicitude to
prevent bloodshed by all conciliatory measures
possible under the circumstances has been ever
conspicuously exhibited until every honorable ex-
pedient of peaceful and amicabe settlement had
been exhausted. Indeed his biography records
several memorable instances in which his wise,
moderate, conservative conduct pursuing the be-
nevolent, humane disposition of his heart has
happily alayed the excitement of asntending
parties and gained an interval Of cool, dispas-
sionate reflection in which rational councils have
interposed and removed the causes of luminosity
and trouble.
"Moreover, his uniform magnanimity to the
vanquished, displayed in thousand different
acts Of kindness and mercy, as we'll as his devo-
ted personal attention TO the sick and wounded
of his own troops, have eminently illustrated the
native goodness of his nature, and contributed in
no small degree TO mitigate the dreadful suffer-
ings of q campaign. In his presence, and under
the influence Of his noble spirit, grim visaged
war has indeed been made to smooth his wrin-
killed. front : and the signal efforts which he has
used upon all proper occasions to prevent any
actual employment of military power in the adj
justment of international or domestic misunder.
standing amply warrant the belief that were he
placed at the head of public affairs rs President
of the Union, peace at home and with al foreign
nations would be secured by the strong moral
force Of his administration, aided by intelligent
and honorable treaty; and that for one brief pc
Rod at least we should hear no more Of aggres-
siye extensions Of the national territory or pirat-
ical invasions Of the domain Of neighboring gov
ernments and, in short, that nll those outragcs
upon public law and sound, honest, patriotic pol
icy, which have heretofore been dignifed with
the title Of Democratic progress would cease to
disgrace the republic.
+" But we are not confined to General SCOTS
acts alone for testimony respecting his sent-
ments in relation to war. He has expressed
himself upon the subject more than once in his
speeches and correspondence; and opinions,
when practised upon consistently, as his have
heen are worthy Of implicit credit. Some years
ago, he was asked for literary contribution to
n Pence Album and Immediately wrote on
blank page of the book the following eloquent
words:
"'If war be the natural state Of savage tribes,
peace is the first want Of n civilized community.
| War no doubt IL, under any circumstances, q
great calamity; yet submission to outrage would
often be greater calamity OF the two parties
to any war, one, ut least, must be in the wrong
not unfrequently both. An error in such an issue
is, on the part Of chief magistrates, ministers of
state, and legislators having voice in the ques-
ton, crime of the greatest magnitude. The
Staying of an individual by an individual is, in
| comparative guilt, but drop Of blood Hence
the highest moral obligation to treat national diff
ferences with temper, justice, and fairness al
ways to see that the cause of war is not only