The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-04-14
Moral.
In Peace, Prepare for war.


In Peace, Prepare for War.
1t is the fashion of English writers to
cry up the advantages of war. Peace,
we are informed, enervates and demorali-
zes, but war gives nation thousand
generous and manly virtues. Years ago,
Alison stated all this in very phiiosoph-
ieal form, in his History of Europe. "In
war, selfishness," he declares, "giyes
place to patriotism, cupidity to disinter-
estedness, luxury to self-denial, and he
roic virtue arises out of suffering" We
have never believed all these glowing ac-
counts; but even supposing them all true,
the real question is whether there is no
better, juster way, for men to acquire all
these humane and generous virtues, than
by cutting each Others throats. That
the combatiye energies with which man
is endowed by his Creator must have
some proper sphere of action. in which
they may benefcially find vent andscope
for useful activity, we have never doubted.
And if, in order to avert the horrors and
crimes of war, we should ever succeed by
education in tanning human nature of all
its combative energy, it would be no good
service done TO our race. There ought
ever to be cherished that principle which
makes the very presence of difficulty an
enticement to its mastery, and the inmi-
nence of danger arouse men tonew vigor.
Even the spirit enterprise and dchiyalry,
inducing the strong to defend the weak,
and all men to love the triumph of right,
is one of the noblest parts of our nature.
Better war with all its horrors, than such
an emasculated humanity as shoulderad
icate principles like these. So far as the
possession of such qualities 90, We even
agree with Hobbies. the philosopher, who
asserted that " the natural state of man is
one of perpetual warfare
But the politicaleconomistasksif if there
is no cheaper method of cherishing these
manly virtues in nation than by bloody
combats of man against his fellow, and
the philanthropist inquiries if there is none
more humane? We reply, there is
Let the combative energies of human na-
ture be carefully directed to those objects
in which they will be Immediately bene-
fetal. Thus will all the supposed advan-
tages of war be better preserved by peace.
"a life on the ocean wave" developes,
through its perils, all the manly virtues !:
and SO does a life in new country
Thus all the treaties which peacefully ex-
tend our fishing grounds, produce thou
sands of recruits ready for our navy, and
all the hardships of Western life, from
Texas to California-every bear killed in
the woods, or buffalo on the plains, is
training for us a soldier. There is even
as much courage, presence of mind, de-
cision, and physical exertion often requi-
red by the captain of fire company in
city confagration, as by captain of in
fantry in taking battery.
All these occupations are preparing a
body of men to become effective soldiers,
should they ever be needed to defend
their country's honor, while practicing
the self-denials of war amid the blessings
of peace. But the stagnation of peace
demoralizes the mere professional soldier
of Europe, who, with no other oceupa-
ton than the morning drill, becomes from
inanity and idleness, fit for nothing but
to figure in the ballroom, or indulge in
the nocturnal designations of the wine cup
or the mess table.
We at least have no necessity for war
and astanding army to keepup manly yir-
tues nor would England, if her sailors
had sufficient pay instead of impressment,
or if her sons in distant colonies were
equitably treated, as integral and repre-
sented parts of her empire.
Almost every avocaslon of peace, right
ly conducted, needs a daily aggressive
energy of mind and body to its success
full prosecution, provided only it be not
smothered in the swaddling clothes of
governmental protection. The lawyer,
in defending an injured client /; the states
man, in exposing and combating party
maneuvres; and even the divine, in de-
nouncing the sins of the day-ail must
exercise much combatiye energy. to fill
their vocations rightly and successfully.
Indeed, all the history of modern ciyili-
zation in Europe shows that the successful
struggle for liberty in the State is always
preceded by the prior battle for the reli-
gious freedom of the mind and conscience.
Courage to speak the truth, and act upon
1t in defiance of all opposing power, is no
where so conspicuously illustrated as in
the life and teachings of the Prince Of
Peace. Where ali things are left free,
there viii be plenty of courage and every
other manly virtue equally and use
fully diffused among all classes, in
stead of being concentrated in q few, and
crushed out of the many.