The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-04-21
paaca al Last!


A few DAYS ago we published the news of
the final establishment of peace among the
beligerent powers of Europe. The last steam
er brought word that the treaty of peace had
been signed by the several powers, although
the terms and details would not be made known
for several weeks. This news will be hailed
with qualification throughout all civilization,
excepting among certain produce spectators!
While the citizens of this Republic have
been looking with the indifference of uninter-
ested spectators upon the shifting scenes of the
terrible drama, in which nations were the ac-
tors, and death and carnage and devastation
the leading incidents of the plot-the powers
of Europe have each felt that its own destiny
in manner rested upon the progress and re-
suits of the play. Not that great principles
engrafted in the workings of their own govern
ment machinery were to be settled-not that
all Of these powers were directly enlisted as
combattents in the great strife-but that so
fearful an agitation among the elements ofmon
archy and despotisln, at time when a strong
revolutionary spirit is secretly at work every
where, and kings sit uneasily upon their
thrones, might develop the hidden dangers, and
bring results developed in their turn by the
ruins of crashing governments. Peace will be
a welcome sound among these monarchial ma
tons. But more particularly must those ma
tons which have been bleeding at every pore
and exhausting their treasures in this terrible
war; feel to their hearts the gladness of peace
restored.
Yet happier than all will be those thousands
and tens of thousands Of families, from whose
bosoms fathers, sons and brothers, have been
dragged, to peril their lives in deadly con-
fict, the causes and results of which are to
them as blind mystery, as their own ulti-
mate fate when brought before the pointed
guns Of the enemy on the eve Of battle. They
are now praising God for peace, and fondly
looking for the return of loved ones, and the
closing again Of tho family circle in holy rest
: But alas, Peace comes too late to dry the
tears for those whom war has sacrificed. Peace
cannot restore the dead. Peace blessed as it
is cannot bind again those households broken
anu scattered Dy OclCn. SlCS' may DS
holy and happy word to the nation and to the
people, but the curses of bereaved families de
prived Of their sole props, and the walls ofmoth,
: ers and wives and sisters and orphans, for the
loved and lost, will rise to high heaven mingled
with the shouts of gladness. There is fear
f full accountability somewhere for this desola
ton. The curses of the widow and orphan
, never yet were unheard in Heaven.
When we reflect upon the immense dcstruc
ton Of human life, the waste of treasury, the
desolatious by land and by sea, and the myriads
of evils created by this strife in so short space
of time, the contemplation of WAR should
f teach US a nation a lesson of fearful import
= With us it should be the last resort. It should
be regarded an evil so terriblea nature, ever
in its most honorable results, as to be Stunned
: and hated. No morbid sensitiveness to ma
t tional honor should make it even familiar
' word on tie tongues of the people. Like
!, "Disunion," it might we'll be driven from the
) very thoughts.