The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-10-31
Nashville AuiOn.
Freedom and Nationally.
. rs 10. EtEHCEH, Edftor.
MORNING, OCT. 81, 'es.
rwritten Cor the Nashville Union.l
ao,yIttocs and vices.

Nation depend upon The morality Of .
people, then indeed have we just cause
10 fear for the young men who are now
in the service Of their country. We.a
not going 70 enter upOn dissertation in
regard to the character or moral status
Of our ofilcers-Lhat would make chap
ter Of its own but we do wish to say q
fewwords respecting thoss with whom
w6 arc more closely allied, and for whom
perhaps, we have more sympathy aud a
heartfelt regard. rHe ef&.fF
We, in the army, chose out OF the ar
my do, as "a matter of course,") are apt
to associate q great deal Of wiokedness
wiz soldiers lie; BUTT need not be
SOFT shOuld not be so. Army disei-
pline educates us to some almost forgot
ten virtues obedience to law, self. deni-
al, fidelity, patriotism, al Of which con
silnie the lard Nod Of character But
thcgteat difficulty Is, our fathers have
built up their boys too much of sqtt mod,
We want more "hearts Of oak" says a
late writer. Yes, we want a's1l--we want
national character which win stand
the storm, and outride it. "WAsmNGTos
is the only mar, said Lord Erskine,
"whose character I cannot contemplate
without awe and wonder" A just en-
comtnhl, truly, upon the moral caste Of
great and good man. But the Peter Pc
trie aimed at Perfection strove against
yain-elory; cherished yiriue discarded
vice, even in the'abstraci; and he may
well be pointed out as an iuustrious ex-
ample Of human probation,
1t has been said that "moral decay in
the family is the inyAriable prelude TO
public corruption" This may or may
not be true; but know Of young men
here in the army even within the hear-
ing of my, voice, whilst l write-who
were manly, yirtuOus and upright when
at home, who are now given to habitual
vices. They are osienaibly Lost 10 all
sense Of manly pride and principle-have
become yitiated AZ the core. How is
this2 Il there demoralizing agent Pc
culiar to the army service, over which
men have no control? Is il possible that
God Almighty has deserted them, and
left them ttOodie in their sins 2g--Or,
rather, is there not want of moral
courage end fofbearance upon the part
Of thQss who, when at home, would
''scofn to contempt all those who occu-
py the position at home which they are
so reAdily assuming abroad? But men
say that they will reform sgain, as soon
as they reach home--thAt circumstances
debar them from conforming, as near as
they would wish, TO frst inculcations.
Well, with due difference torationality-
withouS wishing TO be considered egotis-
tical, Or assuming the province OF re-
former--we say ''bewarep Let men
take care that they are not deceiving
themselves, Habit even Of the most
trivial nature, 10 not alwSys easily over
ruled by the Will; much more diiiioult
will it be then TO discard vices which
rank in the superlatiye degree Young
men get to imagine that they can safely
daily with vices abroad which they
would no, dare TO oountensnce at home.
But this is . sad mistake; and they may
reach their long homes before they reform.
That is also false distinction which we
make between public integrity and pri-
vate honor. The man whose morals are
so corrupt as 70 debAr his admittanco in
to the family circle, cannot make a pure
salesman Our young men seem to for
get that they are the "hope Of their coun-
try"--that they are 20 be the future
statesmen of this great nation And
whoever studies history will be pro-
foundly convinced that nation stands
or falls in conformity with the virtues or
vices of It's people
Life, like war, is a series of mistakes;
and he is not the best Christian, soldier,
General, who makes the Gewest false steps.
Poor mediocrity may do that; bat he is
The best who wins the most splendid
~ The retreiyal Of miotaker.
We should master, notbe mastered. or
strategy sAoald BE- ezeytci IN organising 0icto-
W om Of mistakes II we have the will
10 do i0roag, we certainly command the
will TO do riglt; and il is certainly more
gratifying to wear = pure, emblazoned
than one sullied by grovel-
ling vices, which time may not efrace.
Brother soldiers do not give way to all
do not sell your virtuous im-
PULSES for days delight Of thorn be-
getting pleasures II you can afford to
be = man Of principle at home, be go
abroad. No man can reform himself
donial stern suffering, and stem
iOorkiag--how much less can nation of
men. Reforming nation is tremen
dous business" says Carlyle; but if
every man would endeayor to reform him
self, the work OF reforming nation
would be easily accomplished.
w'a'f louNG SoLDIER,
Co II, 9th Reg't Ind. Vols.
chattanooga Tenn Oct, 1863.