The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-06-25
The People and the Army-Tho volunteers and
the Regulars,


The People and the Arny-The volunteers and
tho Regulars.
The dread OF military rule has Tor many years filled
with anxiety the minds OF American palriois IL was
from the supremacy OF the regular armies OF Rome and
Greece that the liberties and authority OF the people Were
lost for very simple reason that, from the educa-
ton, associations and habits OF the captains OF those
days. they were exclusive, arisocratc and arbitrary
They were when young TO military school, or were
commissioned early and placed at once among officers OF
rank having nothing whatever 10 do Win the private
soldiers but to order Them. like many machines "to
do this do that" This system has been handed down
from age TO age, until implicit ODE Hence" and ''sIfct
organization and efficiency. But, tHe as these men
knew OF the private soldier, they knew less OF the citizen
With the citizen, indeed. they never walked talked acted,
sympahized Consequently there was Just that feeling
existing between them which always exists between an
arrogant, purse proud, or commissioned arsiocra and
the simple hard working and honest yeomanry OF land
AT first this feeling did not endanger the republics OF
ancient Greece and Rome. as The only wars which oc-
Cured were against common enemy OF removed from
their territories At first the military cheitans OF
those days satisfied with military glory But very
soon, with return OF peace. political elevation became de-
sirable the nation advanced power on the eart
AT this period arose the struggle from the philosophy OF
which history has derived useful lessons which II
would be well for the American people to consider
There were two kinds OF military leaders-as before
stated those whose profession was and consequent
y profoundly ignorant OF the feelings wants, instincts
and rights OF the peoplehe other military men, who on
account of emergency, were called from ciph NE
participate cooperators TO hight the battles OF there
country constant feud existed between these yoiun-
e
The volunteer officers talked with their men, Qhe most
of whom, indeed, their nelghbors,) sympahized
with them, and were beloved by them The regular oDt-
GERS favor of strict discipline. and looked upon
the rank and he-the bone and sinew-as mere slaves
This feud did not break out while on the campaign.
but on returning home The men-the common soldiers
the citizen sotdsrs"-were at last called out to pro-
nounce upon their former arrogant ambitious
and unleeng generals for these generals, not satisfied
with military glory (ofteD by the bravery oil the cit
gen. but orwhch the general gained the ced aspred TO
the highest civil honors History tells that at first
the voluneers conended against this ambition, for they
felt that these cheiians knew nothing of the peoples
but the spendor of military achevemens-the glory OF
arms-binded the masses. and The citizen soldier saw
elevated his head at the head OF the nation (pos
sessed OF executive and military power,) some regular
officer, general, some professional SOLDIER who
from his education, association, habits. ana nature. was
OF those times and the reflection OF good and wise men
since, have told us of that fearful contest-how the
military ruler (who had always learned ina. tle only
10 the sUord the first and only effective remedy-how
the laws were trampled on-how civil powers-how the
militia law (by which citizen is made to coerce refractory
czsn) laughed at and the army made the controller
of the people The fears of the volunteers who had
shed their blood like water for their country was real
lied History tells OF the struggle The ruins OF ancient
Greece and Rome-of Venice, with her twelve hundred
years OF freedom-te OF the result May the Amer
lean people, now that point, have the wisdom to proh
iii not by judgment and reaecton) by experiences! True,
we have elevated mauary men heretofore 10 the pres-
Dental chair; but iii all cases they were vottnteefs-c
gen. soLDIERsnen born and raised through all
the grades OF life citizens and whose sympates and
minds and feelings with The citizen, with one eI,
eeption.General Taylor Even ne IRON nus tastes anu
any other regular officer OF our army General Iaylofs
personal habs--hs indviital ocGupaions-gave him a
stronger hold upon the hearts and judgments OF the people
than his military exploits merely But even IN ms case,
in an imminent crisis OF the public affairs OF The coun
try he very arrayng thus country IN seconai
strife. And why! Because, IN opposing Inc Com,
/ premise, he could rot understand that ne should
nave submitted 10 the people, whose servant he was
10 have so Submitted would, IN ms eyes, nave oe
s.< d.c.sn nj ne
| sequenly, no actually projected campaign 10 De
carried by the regular army against easens Oh thus
country. Now venture the assertion, that IN the case
| OF a rot--say in Phladel phia-wben il could be with
put down by o process, that the ordering out OF
regulars to shoot down The ciisen would meet with un,-
uersd opposition whether rght wrong; Tor the people
will not submit 10 control OF the army We have our
ia,os. civil process our militia iorces-a variety OF
modes of enforcing the laws OF the land aud uphodng
their supremacy The regular army was created and
supported for the protection OF the people and should be
only used the last resort " 10 enforce the laws
How different the patriotic moderation oil the citiren-
Fllmore--from the ignorant military Iue OF the reg
uiar oGcer-Taylor The rash obsiinacy OF the one =
who only knew OF the people to command them, and OF
them obeyvery nearly plunged this country
into bloody strife The wise policy OF the other-who
bad been raised TO the will of the peope-saved
that country from all the horrors OF civil wise
| Providence saved Let not tempt that Provi-
dence too far. Our beloved country is bound once
more in mutual trust and affection. The people have
realized all the danger only OF military acqusi-
tons, but military rule, when the only knowledge and
the chief Characteristic OF that rule was military The
proposition OF the federal party OF this country TO place
General Scott the bead OF the government is truly
alarming. Who dreamed in the promotion OF the
army that the arslscratc tendency OF Che only fixed
and legal artsocraey have beside the navy should
one day isfeae the Executive much less control
and possess III Everything that is military-everythn
that is astocrac. pompous, and arrogant-s now pro-
posed to the people OF this great republic in opposition
TO everything that is simple democratic, and cons,ltu
onal. II the people wish 10 reward military service,
lei them remember that Pierce is the candidate OF the de-
mocracyhe cifisea-solderwho has not been reared in
titled arrogance like that avowed arsiocrat, Winfield
Scott, whose ambition has always been military whose
tastes, habits. symPathics education and associations
are military (the regular army too) and consequently.
whose tastes, associations, and habits will remain milf
tary. Blu, than all may not his ambition still
main sol In my next will draw the comparison be-
tween Pierce and ScouL-the citizen and the military
cheftanthe democrat and the aristocratc federalist
under the title OF parallels OF Plutarcb;" .,,,,
| A VOLUNTEER.