St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1862-08-28
War Criticism.

War Criticism. '-a 80
"W hat do you know about war 2" said
militia corporal to his wife, who had kind
~ chided him for the awkwardness of his
movements, while he was preparing him
self by personal training at home tor that
tryiag ordeal, the general muster. Prob
ably the wife did, not know much about
war, but 81 she !! ad natural pride in her
husband, and wished him to make. re-
spccta6le appearance on parade: And her
common sense taught her, that If going
thre the motions :nieant war; the corporal
knew quite 4as little about it as she VI
:: 1he Case Of the corporal 7and. his wife
resembles the situation" in this country
to-day. The oation is menaced with des-
truction. a desperate enemy has marshall
ed his hundreds of thousands to the exc
cution. The: yell OF: the savage with up.
lifted ton'ahaw land the naughty speech
Of the chivalrous chiefs who have plotted
the conspiracy breathe the same spirit Of
death to the nation through Carnage and
blood: ~ Against this merciless foe, at our
at our country'soal, I'VE have sent ONE sons
and brothers; and our intelligent hosts
armed with superior Implements, and back
ed by a as1petior civilization, and the grand.
est military resources, have g1ne forth to
encounter the enemy of our free iustitu
tions Through mistaken policy of our
Government, and the half heartedness and
incompetcncy Of many Of our military lead
Fers. costly and undeniable blunders have
bee,t committed The people, intensely
anxious for the fate ot>their country, have
murmured aloud, and the answer to those
murmurs from the source of power has in
variably been, "What 90 you know about
war p" .t;a:> -. ''.@ ''t< ,hu.il
IF the loyal press presumes TO crriticise
military blunders, and breathe in the ears
of our military leaders the voice Of the
people, it is threatened. With the, gloomy
contemplation Of the inner walls of the
Ba~tile. If it protest in the name Of our
gallant soldiery, against ditch.digg1ne by
our troops, it is hushed into silence by t e
never falling cry Of :'strategy;'' great mil
itary science which Is going 10 conquer an
active enemy by preparing for an attack,
and end the war by mastery Inactivity,
without strikinga blow If it denouce
the nse.of our brave troops for the return
of fusitiyes. to rebel claimants, and the
protection Of traitors property, authority
cries ''h;old, er. we lose the support of the
border States. "7 IF it counsels the EN-.
ployment Of negroes in an manner, their
hard y muscles aud legal hearts make them
capable Of serving our cause, the plea Of
the of, nded sensibilti's , Of the border
States, aud the symrathtziog Democratic
|oGcers Of the army isiset MP; the: cry Of
.rsdie,li<rn:' s and .".stoliti5nism'' starts
from WasliAgtan,, and the voice of the
people, IS drowned by the elamtorl: s. Of f traitor
SYM athize,s for conciliation and 'com6pro-
mise =; 81 sf't.:<r ~ .Ei.,GasI ~ :rc i,:.
F." Oar brothers!smsy die. in. the diehea.
But ~c must keep opr mouths shut. "Stret.
egy"s may lead to reverses but what right
have we to mention it? ".What do We
know about war ?'2 A. twelve month may
De fri,tered a~ayby c,stiy in,ction. 81 Hut
shat'is thattos|te, people? It is thetr :bu-
siness to furnish thf, men aid means, and
the appropriation Of both must be left 10
the "strateey" without a. word off COM
ment or rebute for acknowledgements no
fcriticism under ap4in uf; proscri ption. -
kcntucky ,utoo, may have her neutrality
jostled: BY vths daring exploits of the rebgl
chief Morgan, and Missouri may s; over:
run ana: dts5hted. by oguerrills bands - =
tMago&n and Gamble may iosr quietly on
with theirsSt.,e. n'ilitia; .vitheps afiosding
the loyal people Eslief, 4t,s not, the bqssii:
ness of these Governors to assist ia put:
I ting down rebellion Theiff mission Is to
t6hti1iate traitors, guard their 7 rorerty,
ind s6dfss DEMONSTRATION that breeds mur.
drqus' faids.as Xet. neither th. press nor
the loyal people must, ssy this aloud, or
yqeut assail The Policy;of putting down the
rebellion Without hurting sanybcdy, aad
show TO little regard fof the '.ssseep.i
biksies .aof the gnardi.nenf human sla-
very ctitieisns On the: zar ymuat, moi be
allowed, or the plaps Of the President uaas
kers will come q naught s<that do you
know about war 7'.4- II fiisisox,ta DSyNdcrat:
e~@-.7 ~. = 90 s97ee:ir;. - :2E.a9f -.