Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-06-20
rae PrsAsst war Net DemoraIlzips e the

The PrsAest War Net DcmoraIIziBe - the
North. t
Rev. Mr.. Hepworth, of Boston, made the
following remarks to his congregation, on
Sunday last
turn now to consider another side Of this
question. II may be asked, what can you
say for the demoralizing influences of the
war. In what condition will cur men re-
turn2 They have gone from peaceful and
pure homes; will they come back to prey on
us, and 10 find the end of their career in
the priEon2 Will not the savage necessities
Of their present condition unfit them for their
old vocstions-harden, roughen, even petrify
them This is matter Of great importance.
II is, after all, the saddest problem connected
with war. Il is the heaviest price we pay
for all we get. II must be confessed that
men are in sn abnormal condition when they
draw the sword, and some of the conse-
quences Of that condition are very uudesira
Die. 1t is a great misfortune which befals
nation when its chief business is to forge
cannon and make uniforms. IL must expect
TO be haunted by many influences which do
not come in the day of peace.
And yet there are different degrees Of
decentralization, according to the nature Of
the conflict In the middle ages all q Gen.
eral desired was little souls in huge bodies.
He wanted machines, and as his cause was
not always just he desired that his men
should be troubled by as few ideas as pos5i-
BILE. He was one of those whose ambition
was as Milton says: ITO overcome in battle,
and subdue nations, and bring home spoils
with infinite manslaughter, who desire to be
called gods, and sons of gods but who are
rightlier called destrOyers, and plaques of
men" The soldiers themselves made war
trade. They fought for money and plunder.
If they were not brutes in the first place,
they grew down to mere brutality by rapid
stages. All the influences whichsurrouuded
them were demoralized. There was nothing
in their mode of lite, nothing 10 their cause
which could elevate. They were not war
riors, they were buta congregation of roughs,
a set Of men whose highest idea of heroism
was to die with an oath on their lips.
But, brethren, thank God it is not so with
US. Much as we shall suffer in this national
affection, we shall not suffer in this way.
They who do battle for us have not made
trade of killing. They are not hardened by
the terrible scenes of destruction and death.
Like our fathers in their struggle, these
men have come from quiet homes, homes
where to-day are gathered those who are
tenderly loved, who in the morning and
evening pray that His arm may support
those far away, and who every hour stop to
say: God keep you, my husband, or my
brother, and like our fathers tkey have taken
up the musket only because great principle
is at stake; they will strike only for that
priHciple, and when it shall be indicated,
they will return with the hallowed concious-
ness that they have done their duty.
There will be as little Generalization con-
nected with this war as is possible with any
war. Never have l in my life witnessed
such great tide of feeling, approaching the
highest patriotism, as | have seen among
those who have gone from our midst. do
not believe that soldier there is subjected
to one half the temptations which beset him
here. l do believe that many of our men
have shown more manliness since they left
the State than their comrades thought them
capable of. And | am very sure that in a
common Massachusetts, muster, lasting but
three days, there is more intoxicstion and
more crime than there has been in any regi-
ment of volunteers in the last six weeks
These facts, and my own observation-for
have pursued this part of my investigation
with some degree of care-lead me to believe
that the demoralizing influences are fewer in
number than might be expected.