The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-02-02
The WAR Sptrlt,

There is nothing easier than to raise the war
spirit Of country before a war, and especially
among generation who have never heard IL Q
sound ofa hostile drum, and whose only idea Of
war is beautiful parade, fine music, g'itterjug
epaulettes guHpowder and glory. So cheap and
popular a commodity is this belIigereHt patriot
ism that if a voice is raised against it, it is
drowned amid storm If misses, and its remon-
strapces assigned at once to "the rascally virtue
cf discretion" OF course, it is possible to sup
pose cases in which nation csnuot avoid war
withouta loss Of honor but these are not more
numerous than the cases Ia which war involves
the loss Of both honor and power. IT beho0ves
this country, which is not at ali prepared for for.
eign hOstiities, 10 discriminate between these
Cases, aud TO adopt the maxim Of DAyY CROCK
LrT-"Be sure you're right; then go ahead"
If France and England should agree upon a
policy towards tbs United States which leaves it
no other alternative consistent with cur national
character and the principle Of jastice, but to
draw the sword, then the sword ought to be
drawn. no matter how Inevitable defeat and de.
struc'ion. For a nation would better die at once,
sword In hand, in defence Of its independence,
than live an ingiorous life of subsection and
shame. Bot ought not to be rash 10 conciu.
ding that the hnglo-French alliance has any such
purpose. We do not believe that the honor or
the rights Of this country are involved in the
maintenance Of the Monroe doctrine, ''at all haz
ards and to the last extremity" And We are
very sure that, If that doctrine shall ever be
practically established, it will succeed through
the soft persuasives Of peace, rather than by the
force aud violence of war.
II 1t 10 not high treason, We would suggest that
no man, in his senses, gOeth to warfare without
counting the cost thereof, and that he who hath
only ten thousand men deliberateth long how
he shall be able to meet him who eoHeth sgains.
him with twenty thousand If this ID treason, i.
Is at any rate very good Scripture. The United
States have eeventy.five vessels of war,-poI u
fourth Of them steam yessels,-and o standing
army Of fifteen thousand men. France has a
standing army OF ak hundred thousand Of the
finest troops in theworld and England and France
az Efficient navy of eight hundred vessels, many
Of them steam vessels, and large number o.
gun-boats, which can run up shallow streams
penetrating the interior of country, and spread
ing havoc and death about their path. The dis
tebce of the United States from these Powers Is
just about the distance of the Crmea from France
and II the reader will recollect the number OF
,arp. guns and munitions of war that were traps.
ported there, he sees at once what force they can
send here. If they could easily send $50, 00O
troops 10 the Crimea they can just as easily, per-
hsps more go, send 900 troops to the United
States, and We should like to know what il To
prevent divisions of this immense force from oc.
cupying at once every city and every fort on the
Atlantic and Pacific seaboardi As for San Fran.
cisco, single steam frigate could burn 1t to ashes
in twelve hours. Wehave hosts of yolunte ers who.
If properly disciplined, will make the heat sol.
d!ers on The earth. bat, if We rush into war
without preparation, are cur enemies going to
wit till drill men as we'll as theirs arc
drilled II We 90 TO war, 20 prevent Europsan
nations from having any foo;holi in Central Anne.
RIGA, they will get foothold in Northern ANA.
RIGA which it will take years of strife and river.
Of blood aud treasure to extirpa,e and effscs.
Let us learn the wisdom Of patience and node,
ration. We have only to cultivate the arts Of
peace, and We shall be so strong half century
hence that A world in arms will not dare n
trespass upon cur rights