The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-08-23
THE DAILY DISPATCH
WEDNESDAY MORNING. AUGUST 2. 1854.
THE VlRNlNlA arkINH

THE vlRCatNlA SPRINGS.
Persons leaving homo tor the Virgins
Syringe end other Summer retreats, can have
he Daily Dispatch mailed to them for any
sngth of time they may want II.
-
OUR COUNTRY. RIGHT OR WRONG
Our able and respected contemporary Of
the Stauston Messeager. tfor whose iiatter-
ing nosice--the prompting of a kind and ge-
nervous nature-but far above our humble
deserts, We fesl grateful.) has an article com
menting on our endorsement, In some re-
marks On the Greytown affair, of the senti-
ment Of Decatur, Our Country! May she
be always in the right but right or wrong
our country" The Messenger contends that
such sentiment is dangerous when "acted
on by this nation, whose government is foun-
ded in reason, right, justice and high moral
principle, and which is looked TO by the old
world to set the highest example of stern mo.
raj rectitude, net only in its action over us
own people. but in its intercourse with other
nations. The wish that our country may DC
always in the right, must find response I'D
every bosom. But when our country Is
clearly in the wrong by the corrupt act Of
our rulers, or any act of her agents, moral
and religious principles forbid That we should
sanction this wrong, while we admit opposi-
ton should not assume the form of rebellion.
1t is not necessary we should trace out the
= suits to which the principle we oppose
would lead Every refecting person can 90
this for himself. The paraphrase is this -
Our country may do anything and we must
sustain it. Contrary to the genius OF our IN
situations; to the very forms of the Constltu'
ton, men temporarily conducting the gov
eminent may produce oppression at home
or Iawless acts abroad, and according to
to this principle we must sustain it. 10 gra'
tify private malice, a defenceless town may
be burnt, but our country right or wrong
To satisfy cupidity, or a desire for our neigh
boris land, we may, against the Constitution
and the laws and treaties of the country, take
that which is not our own, but our country,
right or wrong We may Cypress the de-
fenceless Indians, and excite them to acts OF
retaliation. and then destroy them, but our
country, right. or wrong
I'VE may with as much moral justice say,
our church, right or wrong; ourselves, right
or wrong; our sons, daughters, wives or
neighbors, right or wrong"
We presume that if our friend of the Mes.
senger could agreewith us as to the true mean
ing of Decatur's sentiment, we should both
concur as to its justice. What is that sonti-
mentl First, "Our Country! Welove
her above all other countries, not because she
is better or wiser than any other country, but
because she is our country, just as we love
our parents because they are our parents
She Is our mother; we do not come to love
her by investigating her merits, and compar-
ing them with those of other people,-no, we
were born of her, and she has nurtured and
protected us,-therefore we love her better
and, to US, she is better, than any body else 6
mother. So far our friend of the Messenger
and ourself are perfectly agreed. And We
are not at variance on the next aspiration Of
the patriot, MAY she be always in the right. y
We would always have her act on her true
foundation of treason, right, justice, and
high moral principle" But human nature il
fallible; governments, which are composed
ofmen, may err; nay, they may unjustly and
unnecessarily involve the country in for
eign war, and it is only in reference to for
eign war that Decatur uttered the sentiment
or that we would applaud it. Now, in such Z
case, what are we to do Must the honor o.
the country suffer from the error or from the
wickedness of the government Take this
very Greytown affair, and, granting that the
bombardment Of San Juan was unjust and
unnecessary, and suppose that, in conse.
quence of it, q war with England should en-.
sue.
Doubtless the country ought to use all Just
means to avert such a war, and the admins
tration ought to be held responsible to the
country for its folly and rashness. But if war,
nevertheless COMMISSIONERS from the imt e.
cility or the crime even of the Government,
and British arms FIRE upon4our ships and
invade our soil, what can we do? Certainly,
it seems to us, our duty is plain; We cannot,
asloyal citizens,permita any other government
to come here, even to settle manifest wrong,
without resistance. The principle of Decatur
seems to US as sound as it is patriotic II
would be disorganizing in the extreme, where
war is made by the regularly constituted au-
thorities of the country, to allow the right of
every citizen tosit in judgment upon the mer.
its of the quarrel, and determine to support
it or not just as it happened to square with
his particular notions of right.
Should the question become a practical
one, we feel very sure that our friend of the
Messenger would act on the sentiment of
Decatur, no matter how perilous he might
consider the theory. A man who sees his
father or brother in quarrel and in danger,
will come to the rescue without much refe.
renee to the merits of the controversy.
The CAPTURE OF WAsHISeTos.-The Lon
don Times, in mentioning instances of inva-
sion by sea, which have been exceedingly
rare, thus refers to the capture of the Ameri-
can capital during the last war with Great
Britain
..The success Of tho British force that dashed nm
the Potonac, landed. and, after Quick march, de-
sttoyeA Washlnetnn. and then a. speedily beat re-
tseaf can hardly be cons6 an ssir of
wsxlare being lit e than pireticsI ana frnt
les aufpTise ON en- u1srned and nnsuspecfin, nom,