Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-05-21
rGecfs Of Cohrnee on Charaeter

In Alison's History Of Europe be very
justly remarks, that although at frat view It
seems rs II war was an unmitigated evil,
yet facts show that it comes often as the cor
receive of the more cowsrdly and treacher-
Gus vices that spring up in peace, and wealth
and luxury. Before the wars of the French
Revolution began, corruption, lies, shams
and Sc ifshness of the vilest and most de-
PRAYED aud nn~blnshing kind prevailed every
where, and especially in all the govern
ments of Europe. But war produced cour-
see, and courage the boldness of truth aud
honesty and openness, while the calamities
Of il united men in friendships and nations
in ties, far stronger than all merely self
inttrests. In like manner, we believe it will
be iUund, when the struggle is over, that
many of those engaged. in 1t will come out
men Of a higher stamp of courage, disinter-
esiedDeSs and honor, men of greater truth
tulLess and hrm elevation of character.
We know that the contrary of all this is
the common impression, and that in the
army is the place where it is supposed men
are, IS a matter of course, at least for a time,
injured in morals, and that the mass of them
never recover from this. We have no doubt
that in ordinary wars of ambition much of
this is true. But that arises from the mo-
tiEes with which the men enter, and greatly
from The characters therefore of those who
go. In this case the motive is one of the
highest and hottest which can animate the
heart of any Christian man or Statesman, the
defense Of the capital of his country, and of
all our cities, this not excepted from the in
vaslOn Of a lawless band of demoralized and
deirAved outlaws. 1t is the defense of our
wives sisters and children, from the pres
ence OF men who have Outraged all law and
all he oalhs that can bind them to lawful
Government and orderly society. We know,
iudAgA that fhara lop haap thu rrhal.-
some generalization and corruption of those
who have gone iuto the camp of the Con-
federate army, near Charleston, and DR..
Fuller, a week ago, in a sermon, having Just
retutnt d from that city, described the awful
effects of it sll upon the morals of the men
who before bad been most resDectable-the
Sabbath. school teachers and others. We
confess we are not surprised to hear it.
With such a cause.-the subversion of all
lawful and legitimate GOgernment-what
must have been the character of the leading
spirits to begin WITH Many of a far better
clsss were no doubt drawn in by all sorts of
false views and s~pecious rhetoric, aud the
greatest danger we see in his whole move
meut is the utter corruption of the whole of
these men through the entire South, so that
they Can not be restored TO the blessings of
a Government like ours.
But our sons ard brothers 90 TO keep the
peace, and preserve our institutions from
the crimes and calAmities of o mere military
domination of force and arms by the mild
sway of the most equitable and forbearing
forms Of Constitutional Government that
ever saw the light of the sun. Our citizen
soidiery is composed of such classes as
hardly ever went out to war before in this
or any other country. The whole of the in
terror is literally alive, until now it is be-
coming rather the duty of those in charge
of these matters to consider how the seed is
TO be put into the ground, aud how all are
to be armed who do go, than how men
are to be raised.
The life of such a man as General Have
lock will show that the ~loftiest moral prin-
ciple, the most bold aud consistent regular
ity al & religion are fully consistent with the
soldiers life in such a cause. And we earn
estly hope ard believe, that, as demoralizs-
tion is the necessary characteristic OF u bad
cause, so our army will display the mild
characteristics Of a citizen Christian SOL
dieIy, that they will have the courage to be
the same noble and honest men ia the camp,
the tame moral and orderly citizens that
they have been in the bosoms of their FAM
ilies.
There is not a man Of them that, thus
conducting, may not come back from this
great ard glorious struggle q better citizen
and q pobler man, 9 warmer and truer
friend, aDd a better Christian. The prayers
Of many q wife and mother and sister will
follow these men to the struggle; will look
10 them lot merely to saw the capital aud
country, but TO set an example of GOODNESS,
order, intelligent courage, disinterested en-
duraEce and true religion, such as the
world has rarely seen, because Il has rarely
sea, 80 holy and just a cause.