The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-12-11

To hear the complaints Of some people,
in The neiglborbood of armies and camps
one would suppose they had never read
of war, or knew anything Of its untold
miseries and suferings. So long accus-
toned to peace and the enjoymepis Of
its blessings and fruits, our people had
supposed that war would be pleasing
change, and destroy for the time the dull
monotoDy, so void of excitements. and
during which people were compelled
to take care Of themselves and families,
and attend 10 other stupid matters.
That armies and armed men, would al
ways send up their cards, pull off their
hats, be exceedingly courteous and polite,
when about to approach, or go into the
private house Of gentleman; that fences
would stand harmless, and all prop
eriy interests would increase, and per-
sonal liberty would be in no wise re-
stricted that the two contending ar
mics would each signify its readiness to
settle the matter, at given time and
place, and then after few rounds or
bouts, much TO the amusement of the
spectators, they would mutually retire,
nothing certainly SO desperate, as the
fifth act of a tragedy would occor; that
peaceable, quiet families could retire at
night, and wake up in the morning TO
the growing Of the cock; that the lady
on going out TO the poultry yard would
find the blue hen and brood, just down
from the roost;" that BIDDY would find
the cows all in the LOT, lowing TO the
anxious calves that the farm pigs would
all be piled together under the barn, and
after breakfast each member OF the fam.
lily with unrestrained liberty could fol-
low his voluntary inclinations. Such
is not war, even to non-combatants.
"The man of the house may be called
from his bed at midnight" to he
held in custody until he can explain
suspicious circumstances, or pressed" to
act as ''guide," and certainly no member
of the family will rise to chandeliers
ringing voice, nor will the "blue hen or
any Of her chickens" strut the poultry
yard again. And if the loving wife de-
sires TO visit the city she had better look
first, and see if she has a "Pass," and
examine the date, TO ascertain If the
"good for five days" did not expire on
yesterday, or if "good" probably the
Piokets will tell you, that "his orders
are to take up all passes" and then you
viii have TO stand at the door of the pass
office until your turn comes to go in, and
on your return, in the evening, find that
a forage party has divided your corn,
drove off your pigs, and you may con-
graduate yourself if it stops here.
No; this is not war, although this is
much worse than you thought when you
voted Separation" and "Representa-
tion," but still this is but the incidents
of war. Not war; war means carnage,
bloodshed, misery, want desolation,
broken limbs, wounds for life, 20 be
thrown into a rude pit with blanket
around you, dead. This is what you
bargained for; this is what Tennessee
voted on the 9Th of June, 1861. YOu
are "non- combatant" are you? How
did you vote? "You would like TO see
this thing stopped" Have you done any
thing TO stopit? Have YOU done as much
TO stop il, as you did on the 9th Of June,
'61, TO bring it on? II was never a Sc
cessionist, but l was for the South"
When do you think il will end? My
friends, to be candid with you, never
until you shall have done as much TO stop
il, as you did' to bring it on. You have
not got half enough yet, or you would not
be enquiring how to stop it, You would
be working to stop Il, voting to stop it,
talking to stop it. You would be acting
like an earnest man intent upon your
object