Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-02-27
The Argument Of the Sword.

The Argument Of the Sword.
The Enquirer, in speaking OF the proposition to de-
tach if pOssibs the Northwest from the Eastern YAM
KEGS, holds the following strange language
eve warn our politicians that they be not seen re-
spending by look or sign gesture wink-stil less by
negotiations and "statesmanship-to these overturns
and manGuvres of eneguies whether Of Northeast
Northwest If they caught ia the act OF tele-
graphing even by curve of the finger so much as
twinkle Of the eyelid, do they know what the army
will sayl "Are these men going TO sell our blood,
then ?" And all the fractured limbs-they will say
and the unspeakable sgonies of the hospalsand the
mothers that viii never dry-and the outrages
done upon helpless families by the very oa of creation,
which can never be atoned for washed away by so
base fluid as Yankee blood-and the hearts that are
broken, and the health ruined by lives Of hardship ia
the wintry wooisall this price, that would have been
thought light and cheap if it was given for our coun-
ys life and honor-is it, indeed paid, then, to win for
some pettifogging Democrat" lodging in the Wash
ington White House--to provide. for some dozen Of
lOng-wnded orators and splendid figures OF rhet
ogc when they shall hereafter, In the Congress Of the
United States describe the great crisis of 81 and 81
and shall threaten ambitious Black Republicans with
another eiae,sie Were we Ddpns then that the Dem
oerats playedg And the stern struggerof the Seven
Pines and the dreary nights in the trenches of Will
amsburg and all the toll and hardship We have borne
it part of the Democratic programme, theny Aud,
for result of ALL the survivors OF US TO limp home
and hold ratification meetings
This is what they will say to another aud their
resolutions and actions thereupon might exhibit some
thing dangerous TO the too prudent aud polite patriot
This is not the first time within the last few weeks,
that the Enquirer has threatened to supply the deficiency
of its argument with the force of the sword The army
IS here distinctly held up hs ali who may think
to pro note the public cause by attempting to dis
cord among our enemies neutralizng of them and
gaining the cooperation of others The idea is not of
this Southern COnfederacyH springs from the despot
isms Of Europe or of Lncolndom. 1t is abhorrent to
the genius Of our institutions it proceeds from
total misconcepton Of the character of the men
composing our armies, and the motives which
prompted them to take up They did not enlist TO
subvert law to establish despotism suppress discus
sion but 10 found their own independence on the
brOadest' basis Of Freedom. Aud from what We hear
from the army aud particularly in reference to the very
matter in discussion the sentiment il all way The
soldiers while ready 10 do all that brave nen can DO in
the field like of sense would reject assistance
which diplomacy could supply This is all, as we uu
derstand it. that is proposed by any one do all We
can without compromising ourselves TO fomsnt the dis
affection of the Northwest and If possible detach
that important section from the Yankee Government
Ihs everybody ieels ana Knows would bring the war
to a speedy close. We have not heard that the mass
Of the army any respectable portion of IT, is averse
10 peace on satisfactory terms desires to prosecute
the war for wars sake.
It may be very pleasant gentleman seated in his
cosy Office to sxpaJAte the gIores of scOurgng the
brigands from soil; but the operation is much
more serious the soldiers, who have to achieve
those glores at the cost of broken limbs or life. And
bullets and blades constitute very harmless rhetoric
when employed in reference the invaders of our soil
but it is of very different and far more serious import
when applied to freedom of opinion at home For the
sake of form and decency, should prefer to see
more constitutional mode of phraseology employed by
the paper supposed TO utter the sentiments Of those in
authority.
The subject of treating with foreign nations falls with
in the province of Mr.. Davis If by negotiation, he
can aid armies, by dividing weakening the enemy
it is his duty to do it. fhe neglects obvious a duty
the responsibility to be rests upon him but that
will constitute very poor consolation, in the event
Of a ruined cause