Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-03-02
Lessons from Historv.

We have once or twice referred in these
columns to an invaluable little pamphlet
publication recently issued in Philadel-
phia, entitled g How free people conduct
a long war" We could wish that every
reader had IN his possession copy of this
pamphlet, for the information and philoso-
ply contained in it are sources of patriotic
buoyancy and intelligent confidence as to
the result of the struggle now being
waged for the existence of the Republic
that are no where else TO be found, so far
as we have seen.
There never was a truer remark than the
opening sentence of this pamphlet, viz:
that 1--WE have known hitherto in this
country 30 little of the actual realities of
war on grand scale, that many are be-
ginning to look upon the violent opposi-
ton to the Government and the slowness
of the progress of our arms, as signs of
hopeless encouragement" "War," says
the forcible and observant writer, "ls al
ways entered upon amidst vast deal of
popular enthusiasm, which is utterly I'M
reasoning" "The popular idea of war"
he continues, f" is speedy and decisive
victory, and an immediate occupation OF
the enemy's capital, followed by treaty
of peace by which the objects of the war
are permanently secured"
How well do these sentences set forth
the experience of nearly every loyal man
and woman among our readers. Every
one, especially those on the junior side of
middle age, can see in these sentences a
faithful photograph of his own first i'm.
pressiOus and expectations. A short war,
indeed the death blow of all subsequent
rebellious, was at the bottom of every
mans enthusiasm in the starting out,
Hence many, in the depression of defeat
end disappointment. haVa become dIscour.
aged, and have faltered and fallen awav
from their original zeal and their relentless
energy of determination. This was to have
been expected. Had we ouly stopped, low
ever, long enough to nationally run over
the historical ups aud downs of war in our
minds, VIC would have remembered that
of all phases Of fortune, it is proverbially
the most tickle and annoying and trying.
The writer of the pamphlet referred to
observes that " Experience has taught the
English people that the progress of war
never fulflls the popular expectations /;
that although victory may be assured at
last to patient and untiriug vigor and en-
orgy in its prosecution, yet during the con-
tinuauCO of long war, there can be no
lorNh ~
slant series of brilliant triumphs in the
field, illustrating the profound wisdom of
the policy of the Cabinet; that, on the con-
trary, all war, even that which is the most
successful in the end, consists rather in
checkered fortunes, of alterations of vic.
tory and disaster, aud that its conduct is
generally marked by what were evidently,
when viewed in the light of experience,
blundoEs so glaring in the policy adopted
by the government, or in the strategy of
its generals, that the wonder is success was
achieved at all. The English have thus
been taught that the true characteristics of
public opinion, in its Judgment of war,
should be, not hopefulness nor impatience
of Immediate results, but rather stern en-.
duF"uce-that king-quality of heroic con.
staney which, deep-rooted in profound
conviction OF the justice of the cause. sup-
ports lofty public spirit equally we'll in
tho midst of temporary disaster and in
the hour of assured triumph"
After making the foregoing Impressive
observations, the writer next remarks that
tour people Uhe Americans) are perbaps
more easily excited by success. aud moro
readily depressed by reverses, than the Enc.
ish, and it is, therefore, worth while to
consider how they carried on war ON a
grand scale and for protracted period"
at will be found" he observes, "tt we mis-
take not, that the deuunciatious of the
tho Government SO common among us of
late, and the complaints of the inactiyi,v
otthe army, have their exact counternar
in the history of the progress of all the wars
in which Euglaud has been engaged since
the days of the Great Rebellion. He WIN
draws consolation from the lessons of the
past, will not, we think, seek comfort in
vain when he discovers that in all those
wars In which the Government and the
army have been SO bitterly assailsd, Tex.
eept that of the American Revolution,l
Hngland has at last been Triumphant"
After these general introducttOus, the
writer of the pamphlet goes on to ipsti,u,s
close and continued comparison he.
tween .Epgland 10 the: Peninsula War
and the United States in the present war
because As he says. the "Peniusula War,
was q struggle on the part Of Bnelaud to
protect her life by protecting her soil from
AZ E1spea INVASION. ut is now admitted BY
Al historians, that upon success in this