Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-08
Aanlpst PopnInr NIndnenn.

what men should claim for themselves and
what to concede to others. His opinion ne
cessarily includes the idea that men will not
60 to war for that to which they do not be-
lieve themselves to be entitled or, in other
words, that both parties to war may be
looked upon as sincere the occasion of il
being that one or the other, or both, are mis-
taken in respect to the right of the matters
in controversy.
When parties go to war, each party, Of
course, assumes itself to be right, and its
antagonist to be wrong; and as, in its own
view, the merits of the case are perfectly
clear, each consequently charges the other
not only with being in error, but with being
SO wilfully and maliciously. The dishonesty
which each seems to detect in its adversary
is the occasion of hatred and desire for
revenge and each readily comes to consider
it its duty, not merely to vindicate its rights,
but to inflict condign punishment upon the
party by whom they are threatened or
invaded.
1t is always certain in war, that one party
is, and it is possible that both may be, mis-
taken. Each may demand of the other
more than is its right. 1t is the absence of
common tribunal to which the parties can
appeal and to whose decision they are will
ing to submit, or which has the power to
enforce its decrees--that necessitates resort
to the rough arbitrament of war; a mere
trial of relative strength, in which the weak
est party isalways the greatest sufferer.
The old idea of war was that of an appeal
to the God of Battles for the justice of the
cause-s litigation over which supernatural
wisdom was supposed to preside irrespective
of the qualities of the appellants; but since
the discovery made by the most accomplished
warrior of modern times, that God is found
always on the side of the best disciplined
troops, the ablest Generals, and the largest
baoalons, the reputation for justice of the
Sod of Battles has perceptibly declined and
nova. days peoples and parties seldom go to
war unless they have something in addition
to the goodness of their cause upon which to
rely. This however, is depression.
There are three lights wherein the people
of the South, in the war in which the coun-
try is now involved, may be regarded; each
of which has moral aspects widely different
from the others:
As people contending for their right;
! AS people innocently in error, contend
| ing for that to which they are not justly en-
titled;
Asa people knowingly contending for a
wrong.
Now we, the people of the North, can not,
for moment, admit that the people of the
South are contending for their rights. TIC
do so, would be to pronounce judgment
against ourselves; and that we can not afford
Humanity will not rise to such pitch Of
magnanimity and disinterestedness. Eccle-
siastical history does indeed inform us of one
eminent prelate, who, having convicted him.
self OF heresy, sentenced himselfto be burned
and-so ends the relation erGt combuStus; but
such cases are too rare to allow us to build rule!
upon them; and perhaps the better maxim fol
ordinary men to follow is one that we saw
recently embodied in holy hymn, now ex
tensively popular, designed for soldiers ant
Sabbath Schools, "Our Country
the North-'right or wron9"--a maxim th,
adoption of which at once cuts off debate
and brings moral science to that state of alb
solute positivity which has long been pro
foundly desired among philosophers.
1t is not popular view of the case, II
present the people of the South as limo
Gently in error, and through misconceptior
only, contending against us; and yet if tn
little speck of philosophy with which W
commenced this article is sound, this is tn
light in which it is proper to regard them
If they are this, every feeling of anger an,
hatred which we feel toward them is un
necessary and improper, and in entertaining
il we do wrong to ourselves. Can not W
go to war and litigate great question Q
right by an appeal to the highest of al
arbitraments without getting angry and cul
tivating malice2 Does our cause, either 70
its justice or its success, depend upon tn
the degree of popular rage that we are abb
to kindle? A great people engaged i
warning for their rights, without heat o
passion, and simply impelled by sense Q
Justice, are worthy of admiration even i
: defeat; while people indulging in vir
dictive and revengetul spirit, will, howeVe
righteous their cause, gain no respect eve
in victory. There is nothing in which mar
kind individually or collectively, take G
, abiding an interest, as in each others charat
! ters and in times of disturbance men an
peoples are ever on the watch for demonstrt
= tions upon which to pronounce. We are o
trial before the world, and our respectable
in its esteem will, in great measure, d
4 pend upon the temper we exhibit If "
are just and magnanimOus in our condut
we shall stand high; if we are unjust an
:, malicious, boast of our greatness as we ma
we shall be despised.