The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-10-31
Justice.

Iettersi It implies the defence Of virtue
and the punishment Of vice. Il carries
with II the idea Of social happiness, and
the prosperity and true glory Of the G, m
monwealtb. II is the bulwark of a ma
tion's rights and liberties. II is the orna-
ment of individual character, and tie SOLE
end Of government Itextends far beyond
the narrow boundaries of the present life,
for il is the yindication Of order which
is the first law Of Heaven" These
truths, homely and trite though they may
be, we earnestly wish 10 keep before eve >
~ officer, aud every private soldier, who is
enlisted under the banner of the Repub-
lie, for the suppression of treason and
rebellion. We are for the Union and free
government, because we regard them as
Che surest and most reliable guarantees of
justice, and we fight this unholy, this
causeless, this diabolical rebellion, which
spreading ruin, devastation and MOURN
ing over Tennessee, because we know it
to be fountain of injustice. But let ne
remember that if laxity Of morals,
and disregard Of personal rights,
are tolerated by the officers who
have the command Of our armies, we
are only treading in the path of
lawlessness and perdition, which the
rebels have entered before us. It is idle
for a soldier, or an officer, to attempt to
cloak his unjust acts under the fimsy
name Of Unionism. It is a vile and shall
low trick and attempt at deception. In
justice Is aissulion, and disuniol is injustice
they are convertible terms. There have
been Outrages committed here by soldiers
and officers, which must I'll the heart of
every honest man with indignation, and
we feel assured that if these base, these
cowardly, these atrooious, these utterly
inexcusable depredations, were traced
up and their perpetrators brought to JUS
tice, and made examples of by being
held up to the scorn and execration of
all loyal men, the Union cause would be
stronger here to- day than ever, We are
not talking at random, or from mere idle
rumor we are sustained in what we say
by Federal officers in this State, and ty
officers from Indiana, and from Illinois,
and other States. There are petty thefts
committed whose perpetrators ought to
be severely punished and drummed out
of the army. We donot mean to say that
the number Of these scoundrels is large
Far otherwise. We believe that the
overwhelming majority Of both soldiers
and officers are high-toned, honest men,
who are not liable, in any sense to the
charges we make. But it is well for
every officer TO remember that by the
rules Of that army which he has sworn
20 support, he is responsible for the
conduct of his men, and that if be fails
TO be diligent in bringing offenders to
punishment, he is virtually assuming the
odium Of their offences But it may be
said, that in so large body of men, as
sembled promiscuously from all parts
of the country, such as we have here,
it is impossible to prevent the COM
mission Of outrages, aud that no Colonel,
no General, can be so vigilant as TO avoid
the occurrence of these misdeeds. Very
true; but these Outrages can be traced
TO their authors, and they can be pun
ished il a few striking examples were
made, we predict that wonderful dimi-
MUTTON of Che crimes of which we speak
would Immediately follow. Every Off
Ger, no matter what his grade, should
feel himself under a personal obligation
of the highest character, to cultivate
high and chivalrous moral sentiment
among the soldiers under his command,
and surely his respect Cor the reputation
Of the mass Of his men who are honest,
should make him the more vigilant IN
Furnishing the few who are dishonest
An American soldier, after all, rs but a
citizen making an extraordinary effort to
defend his country and her laws. Does
the solemn oath of enlistment authorize
a soldier to do that which he knows to
be dishonest? Does the glorious flag Of
the Union which streamed above the
heads Of his ancestors, and now waves
him on to fight the hosts of treason,
sanction the commission Of lawless
and unjust act Shall we not carefully
Avoid giving a pretext for our enemies to
say that We are actuated by mcrcenary
motives Let every man be as upright
al op grea.modal soldier WAsu'NaroV. ]