The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-03-03
WAR AT LAST.

The New York Tribune of the 2lst has an
interesting article on the prospect of n gem
eral European war. We quote portion OF
it. After dcprecating tho evils which will
inevitably grow out of such contests, the
loss of life. mutlation Of limb. poverty, pau
pcrism and crime-thc rctarding Of reforms,
and oppression of the masses, the Tribune
continues as follows:
Still there is no evil without its attending
good; and if this war shall force the Car to
mind their own business in future, it vii! be
gain to Europe worth some part at least OF
the expenditure it will cost There is reason
to hope that such may be the result. lie
challenges the world to deadly combat. Even
Napoleon proved unequal to the requirements
OF such u struggle in his German campaign
of 1913, and Nicholas cannot surely regard
himself MS the superior in Military capacity
Of the first French Emperor, however light.
y he may esteem the second. Superflclally,
| the AutOcrat would seem to be rushing blind.
| ly on disaster, and couriing humiliation.
But he doubtless knows what he is about,
or thinks he does. lie knows that every Eu-
ropcan despot, big or little, regards him as
the only reliable support of what is termed
Order, and that the reduction Of Russia to
her normal insignliicancc in Christendom
would be mourned in every Court from
Stockholm to Naples. lie knows, therefore,
that he has powerful though covert allies in
the very councils of his ostcnsiblc enemies;
that if Francis Joseph docs not now declare
for him, it Is owing to any thing but want OF
will, and that the blows of all his adverse
rics but the Turks will be bcrcit of half thelI
proper force by dread Of damaging him toe
much.
And yet, we can hardly see how he can
even hope to triumph in the war into which
he is now.nlunging. That his fleets arc t1
be instantly swept from the ocean or sealed
up in his harbors, would seem to be beyond
doubt. And how then can he expect to SEIZE
the great object of his ambition, Constants
nopc! Suppose he can bring into the field
One Million men, send half of them across
the Danube, instgate rcbcllions in Seryia
and among all the Christian races of Euro
pean Turkey, it would still be miracle Of
hardihood to advance to Constantnoplc with
the adjacent waters covered by the Allied
Fleets and with One Hundred Thousand
CNoltc IcHCIl anu Ii's hnH " o'l'' ""'.'' " ~
the whole force of the Turks in its defence
If Russia has never yet carried her arms tc
the gates Of STEAMBOAT when the Porte was
without allies, who can believe that she vii
be able to do so in defiance of banded Eu
rope!
1t is not likely that the War now begun
will be short one. If Napoleon could ne
yer consent to sit on Il dishonorcd throne
that is, to make peace when his last battle
had not been victory--how can Nicholas nj
ford to rccoil before the formidable cOmbna
ton which now conironts him! TO seem
omnipotcnt in the eyes of his Russians is Il
necessity of his positions and humiliation Il.
broad would very possibly be fatal to his dcs
potsm at home And besides, a War which
one or two battles is to finish is seldom SC
long in coming to hcad as this has BEEN
The very fact that the Car las provoked i,
so wnntonly will render his escape from il
more difficult. TO be moderate and concila'
tory now would imply the scycrest censure
on all he has done or mcdtatcd for the last
twelve months.
Either the war now commencing is to be
one of the most evcntful and memorable in
History, or the age Of CORY conflict, of mu.
tual human slaughter, has passed. and that OF
all.potent Diplomacy has replaced it. A few
months must determine whether this is to be
n war of politicians Or war Of extermina-
ton. Present appearances do not favor the
former hypothesis.