The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-02-05


right claim may be lost the council which directs The
contest Rarely indeed does the composition Of quar-
rel which has broken out direct hostes, ever carry
with il acknowledgment Of the right indemnea-
ton for the wrong that led IT, defensi war is sell
dom of voluntary choice It's conduct demands the
very highest skill for in every presents some new
difficulty Of the artall decisive engagements 10 be
Stunned yet the enemy to be constantly harassed and
necessarily occupied, Although war may eliminate
many If indeed ALL the original elements OF cono-
vey should be allowed to descend into the char
acter OF brute contest without further object than the
endeayor to exhaust all the material and physical
Of enemy the sacrifice Of your In deen
sve the range of selection of feasible atainable OBJ
jects is necessarily limited but such should
have further and grander end than the simple re-
pulse OF enemys attack INVASION OF all deieuces
the passive is the most deficient well as the most
hazardous Such war; TO be successfai must indeed
be the active o. all others No defence should ever
be passive except only far IA it concerns the arrange
ments and preparations which government should make
place all ouch of its stores and magazines of its work
shops and arsea of its navyyards and harbors and
pecaly those OF great centres of population and wealth
devoted to manufactures trade not in such in
terror and safe situations would be beyond the reach of
attack in security from sudden assault by covering them
with works of defence that would keep enemy at bay
until the forces Of the country could be concentrated to
repel the attack to defend fireplace The strength OF the
works. measured by the Ge which they, with their
binary garrison could resist attack should correspond
directly with the delay that would probably in
making the necessary concentration Of troops needed for
thorough and determined defence Commerce and pr
vae enterprise with win usually open the ways and gem
orally the roads which would be required to a
ford the of Communication by which the concentra
ton Of troops be most speedily accomplished Where
railroads exist the unavoidable delay in bringing up
succor would be reduced to minimum. The telegraph
where established would render harmless any false cry of
wolf which might up from fisher on headland
But to the government is left the important though
comparatively easier and lighter task Of constructing
the works which to give security against any
sudden unexpected assault Of providing their arma-
men,s and of furnishing their ordinary garsons. IL
is not every small work which would give foot
hold TO enemy others, however, would
qure constant occupancy. 1t would be time enough
when threatened to man well az arm them. The many
warnings furnished by history and the present unsettled
state of affairs in the world generally show that gov
eminent should not daily with its duties but make all
preparation to be prompt to execute them. We
should wait for disaster action qLcs-
tons of this moment may have many solutions; but if
get any one il is better to adopt and, by follow
ing its directions stand ready and prepared only
defend but also and maintain any and every right
which may be questioned assailed There is so much of
luck in all the results of war; that the Suwarrows
and the Butchers rarely smss in their cverterated
and neverceasing cry of forward orwardP Now it
is really melancholy the noble herosm of the
gallant defenders Of the Crmea illustrated by any act Of
dashing enterprise. The great annoyance the restless
xiey the inevitable stampedes which planned and
prompiytexecuted dashes if only persisted in, must
eventually carry into the frmest ranks of the best
troops of army held inactive and stationary is as
certain and inevitable the fear which enters the
heart of the who knows when he feels the first omnous
tremor Of earthquake that the next vibration may
PROSTATE TO the dust and bury him in its ruins all that
give OF stability TO the most abored Of bis sruc
Although may not at first be able to venture
feet at against maritime foe yet best field and
most Efficient for active defence must be the
with such vessels carry the greatest destruction
with the greatest immunity 1t would be humiliatng to
maritime people If yet maritime power should
1t become necessary obstruc channel which could not
otherwise be defended Gil il with other than worthless
hulk, Leta battle ships have nobler destiny and
when does 60 down. let her brave find victory
and safety the decks OF another Scraps.