Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1861-07-25
The Madness of the Hour.

Ii at any lime we had doubt Of the
propriety of our opposition TO the headlong
course pursued by Gov. jackson, in brig
ing on civil war when he was W holly In
prepared for it, and not justified in it, that
doubt has been dissIpated and set aside by
the events of the last two weeks. What
ever NAV be the exile mt of the bloodshed in
this State, now and hereafter, no one, even
those attached 10 his cause, can doubt that
it is attributable TO the weakness, if not the
wickedness, of Gov. jackson, in calling for
fifty thousand volunteers, when he had not
at his command sufficient number Of arms
TO put a regiment in the field; when he
knew then as well as he knows now, that
he had no munitions OF war, and not soll-
tary appliance for carrying on war. His
retreat from Jefferson Ciiy-the disastrous
stand made al Boonville-his Indecision-
his advice 10 disband the State forces there
his Temperance in The Southwest, and
the attack upon Sisel's regiment; the equal
ly impotent and insane efforts Of Gen. Har-
ris, in the Northeast, to get up an engage
ment out OF which there was no hope ol
his coming off victorious; the exceeding
folly of taking men from their homes TO en-
gage in such a war as this, must forever
stamp bis acts as wholly inde!ensible and
as maniresting neither judgment nor true
courage, nor just regard for the welfare
Of the State. But what could the men do
who have answered his call? They have
shown themselves as brave men as ever
went on a held Of battle. They feared
neither the cannon nor the minnie balls ol
those opposed to them. They went into
the fight with the conviction that they were
only doing their duty 10 the State. 1t mat
tered little TO them, that they had not even
been mustered into companies they
were without officers that they were
wholly undisciplined-!hey were called
upon.to perform duty ,and they were there
to do it. But what was doing meanwhile
by the Governor and his immediate military
Board? Instead Of being ready 10 supply
the troops thus drawn together with arms
and munitions Of war-with provisions and
trans portation tents and camp equiv
age-instead Of showing a proper regard
for the safety of the men. and their effic.
iency in batlle-these brave men were re.
ceiyed into the service, and tasked TO iheii
utmost, in support Of cause which had
no merit in it, and which was certain tc
result disastfohsly. Is it surprising that
Parsons had many of his men killed, lhousl
comll anding force greatly superior 10 ina
of Sigel? How could they, with nothing
but rifles and shot-guns, hope TO cope will
well,appointed and better disciplined ar.
nv? Then, as TO Harris troops, it wa.
oven worse. What he could hope 10 ac'
complish, by his movements. is mystery
to all. What he proposes to do now, by his
concentration Of an undisciplined mass Of
men in Callaway county, except 1t be te
have them slaughtered wherever they may
attempt resistance or attack. it is impossible
to guess. We have civil war inaugurated
in the centre and the Southwestern part of
the Stute, and men ale invited to sacrifice
themselves, without the faintest hope Of q
successful issue TO their exerlions. Mean
while, look at the properly destroyed, the
families broken up and dismembered, the
feuds created in neighbOrhoods and coun-
ties. and the misery which IS to be entaied
upon us all. And for what? Not to carry
OUT any act emanaiihg from the people
NOT that Missouri has changed her relation
TO the Union or to The Confederate States
but simply 10 fulfil the pledges of Gov
Jackson and his adhere ents TO take the State