Smyrna times., 1861-10-24
L.U~AHD RIDcELv. Secretary of State.
What the War will do for us.

The peacs party. says a contemporary. has
dsafsned Us with cOmmOnp places about the evils
OfwsE No one denies that war brings great
evils in ito train, though there are still greater
evils than they, aud wise and good men often
advise war aud accept it's mischefs in order to
escape the greater calamities Of peace. Too
little aIIsHtton has, however, been paid, since
Ihs present conflict began, to the benefits of
var in the abstract. Reflection will show that
Ihsy are by no means insignificant.
Peace enervaIes and corrupts society; war
strengthens aud puriies. The chief danger
against which all philosophers have warned u
~ tais country has been the CORRUPTION pervad
Tag our society and our political institutions.
Oar aristOerscy being exclusively mercantile,
massey has grown 10 be the sole idol worship
ped BY the bulk OF our people; and those who
wsrshiped il faithfully and successfully have
been PsrdOned when they neglected every other
o6lecI Of reverence. Society accepts the fraud
ulsnt bankrupt; tOlerates notorious cheats;
winks at "p'n rascaIity if 1t yields 20 per cent
sad where honor aud profit are iu conflict, new
sf misses an opportunity OF prOnounclng in ia.
var Of the latter. This is the case to some ex.
tsnt ia every natioR, in direct ratio OF the in
huesce Of the mercantile spirit. Our corrup.
ton is more intense and more general than
that OF European countries, because here the
nsreantie class is paramount, while there it ls
saly one Of many competitors for power
Wherever men enjoy the suffrage some votes
are bought: il is only ia a country where mo
ssT is the sole exclusive idol that oil Offices
are mstlers Of bargain and sale.
Iflhis evil can be cured. it must be done by
nlsing up some rival influence to that of sheer
dollars. This a war will do. Nothing 10 60
aI'ssily opposed to the mercantile spirit as the
military spirit.
Tie wRr will consolidate us as & nation.
Nearly half a century has elapsed since the
last sppeal was made TO the patriotism OF the
Ansr'ean people. Few persons are now lIv-
lng who rssPOaced to that appeal. Tie present
hee Of Americans have never known any thing
practically about the blessings Of national sc.
suHly or the cost Of national danger, and the
patriotic sepInneHt has so nearly died OUT ia
them that msn OF intelligence and education
are heard unblushingly 10 sneer at the presen
assggle for national existence. Half a cen
@fy Of xndiapuled peace and the pursuit Q
gala have rusied their hearts. The war vii
no~ develop the dormant principle Of love .
souatry. Fhe honest will revive 10 patriotism
fas sordd will realize that their private
Schemes can not thrive if the great publ
seaems fails. Mems hearts. from various mo
t"es, will exosnd from their present selfs
00ands 10 the breadth of good Gi'izenship.
The war will put an and forever to the pei
n'eious hsresy Of State Sovereignty. Howe'
Wn snds, we shall hear no more, at the N rI
hah events, about the rights Of States State
VII preserve their rights, undoubtedly and 4
WI towns, thestres, aud newspapers. B'
a'as of these tights will ever again be Invoke
10 har Of the sOverigaty Of the Amsriean PEI
pa We shall emerge from this war natic
@taet 90 in name, consolidated and homog
/ seous
rss war will prepare us for struggles. if sr
saoa'd come. with foreign nations. Il ia q
EASY svidsns that the British aristosras
.saa 'ubmit to sny ordinary Sacrifices in ord
ass The rebellion succeed. 10 the hope III
as aassairoPhs OF American demoerscy mig
assk me sspirssions Of iha working Glasses
ssi sfissin.- No enc ean tell at what siu
'' 's'a"h oligsrshy may dslnds Eaglspd in
var vita ths uaissd States. Nss ssn a.