The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1861-07-13
From the New York Times, May 80.
The need Of Permanent Standing Army

The experience of nearly century of domestic
quiet, the apparent absence of causes of inter-
nal disturbance, and the traditional foreig gn poll
cy OF our GOvernment-"peace with all nations;
entangling alliances with none'-had led our
people to the belief that we were an exception to
the rule which requires other nations to main
tam large standlng army to act either rs local
police, or 10 resist foreign aggression. We are
suddenfy aacakened from this dream. At the
very moment our faith was the strongest in the
permanencc of our happy condition, we were
nursing in our very bosom a treason which. for
time. threatened to blot us out from the list of
nations We recovered from the stunning blow.
and, with unexampcd celerity, placed 4 hundred
thousand men in the field, to be Immediately fol
lowed by another hundred thousand Our fist
task is TO subdue; next to preSerre Order. IhiS
for time must be m enforced one. The great
element of discord still remains. and must be
watched by a poWertW force. Confidence is
sentiment of SLOW growth, and it takes an equally
long time for a subdued party to forget its de.
fcats and heartily tratcrnizc with the conquerOrs.
We shall gladly extend amnesty to all who lay
down their arms; but we can never again allow
ourselves to be surprised and nearly overthrow.
lf slavery remains undisurbcd, we must not
forget that it has been the sole cause of the re-
bellion, and may breed further disturbances Men
brought up under its influence differ radically
from those nurtured in freedom This natural
divergence must be countcracted, as far as neces
sary, By force. Should the slave be partially
treed, We must remember that he is OF a differ
ent race than ourselves; that there will soon be
100000 Of them within our borders, rendering
necessary, by way of precaution, strong arm to
meet our anomalous condition which unites the
totally diff rent races under our government.
To meet such necessity. we must immediate
ly commence the organization of standing army
We cannot afford to call suddenly INTO the field
citizens deeply immersed in industrial pursuits
involving as the summons does. disturbance and
loss by which, in few weeks, the labor OF years
may be sacrificed, without the possibility Of any
thing like an adequate compensation in the shape
OF pay roll. The army. hereafter must be
made a profession in which the officer and soldier
embark in life, md who look forward for promo
tion from the efficiency and qualities displayed.
We cannot afford to take General. Colonel,
or private from lucrative occupations. and dis
charge them in three months or three years, with
out the least provision for their support or
compensation for the sacrifice. We are FORUM
ate in having such class to call upon to put
down insurrection; but peace. when conquered
must be maintained hy an adequate standing
army. adopted as their profession By those who
enter ii.
1t is Of course, mortifying, after all our boast
ngs, to coniesss that in this country, as in Others
Order must be maintained by force, 1t is by
no means agreeable TO assume the burdens which
this necessity imposes. Had ii not been, for STA
very IRE shouid hare realized the highest ideal
J0FWe0 OF as we nave lully pfOVed ny tnc re-
suits achieved in the northern States the value of
free Institutions, and the capacity of the peo-
pie for their maintenance. But we have united
under the same government, the most perfect
freedom. and the most irresponsible OF dcspotismS.
These opposing ideas or systems, in their natural
anita gOnsms. have come into desperate collision.
Freedom must be at the expense Of defending it.
self and the government, and OF reducing the
dcsp tic clement to submission and order from
which freedom itself will be in time evolved. We
ing that freedom is power, and in this way add
to the debt which humanity already owes US.