The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1863-01-28
For The Grand Haven News.
MARKS TO BE SHOT AT!

mess's' phhse' IL 10 very usuhi III
these days of misrule and bad manage
ment to hear people saying, in reference
to cnlistipg or being drafted into the mil
tary service Of the United States, that
ave will not set ourselves up as marks
10 be shot at by the cursed rebels; and il
we are drafted by any Of the Lincoln
ties we will resist the draft-for we would
rather be shot here among our friends
than there among the enemies Of our
country" And these sentiments are be-
coming rather too popular; aud that, too,
in circles whore they should not find the
least favor. l think, too, there is quite
too much Importance attached to them BY
those who take the strongest exception
to them. Those who utter them are &C
cused Of more disloyalty than they feel,
while their accusers are far more rigid in
their accusations than they should be.
And less than due degree of allowance
is made for the affections and sympathy
entertained for their friends who have
fallen or been MANNED in the army, as
we'll as the natural instinct which every
one feels for his own preservation. The
first class take wrong view Of the case,
or at least contracted ono, and the sec
ond, an erroneous view of them. The
first are governed too much by the hor-
rors of war, and the last are too much
under the influence Of warike spirit.
The first ought to consider more carefully
the condition Of our country and the i'm
portance Of preserving its institutions
The war is upon us. 1t is time Of our
country's peril. Our government is the
best the world ever saw, and if it is over
thrown its like will not be seen again
perhaps for thousand generations. 1t
was gained by war. 1t has been preserv-
ed by war whenever it has been assailed
by warlike foe; and the thorough pros
ecution and successful termination Of n
war has ever been crowned with JOY and
followed by years of peace and unparal-
leled prosperity. When a nation is in
volved in war there is no method for it
10 adopt to save its institutions but a
vigorous prosecution of that war TO the
subjugation of its foes. They ought also
to consider that the gaining of our coun-
try's liberty at first required victims and
they were freely given. Their treasures
were laid upon the altar of America, and
their blood was poured out like water.
Their lives were not counted dear unto
themselves, so that they could shed
wholesome influence on republican form
Of government which was to them as but
an experiment. And when they had seen
it prospecting for forty years, those who
had enjoyed its blessings and knew how
to value its benefits were willing again to
set themselves up as marks to be shot at,
and others with them, for the sake of
transmitting that well tried and success
ful legacy of national freedom to rising
generations, and thus il has come down
to us.
There is something more in going 10
the war than simply setting ones self up
as mark TO be shot at. 1t is showing
to the world worthy patriotism. 1t is
m exhibition of due appreciation of our
cherished institutions; willingness 10
sacrifice our ease, and, if need be, our
lives, for the benefit Of our successors and
the world-a worthiness of our illustrious
predecessors who fought, and bled, and
died for US.
1t is true We have had bad manage
ment, and the times are dark; but the
more difficult the cause the greater sho'd
be the struggle to gain it; because the
object is worthy of oil our extreme en-
deavors. No life is too dear nor any sac
riice too great to be laid on the altar of
our country in such an hour as this. Save
the country or fall with it, should be the
motto of every patriot. And the second
class should consider how difficult il is for
every one to take tho same view Of every
subject, and labor for union and reconcile
alton, rather than for division and strife.
"United we stand, but divided we fall
Wright, j. H. s.