Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-04-17
" Oh, do not be Discouraged"

singing a hymn with the chorus, 90
do not be discouraged" and we wish thu
some hymn with similar chorus migI
be written for the express benefit OF thos
disccnsolate men who think the countr
is going to ruin "as fast as the wheels
time can move" The truth is that on
Encouragement is altogether the mos
discouraging feature of our case as ma
ton. If we only had that genuine
solid, old Teutonic pluck" which neve
says die" which overcomes all OBJ
stacles by its steady onward march
which even delights to encounter obsta
Giles that it may have the pleasure o
overcoming them, we might indeed SCI
some occasion for regret al the slow ant
sometimes untoward progress of the war
but we should see no substantial reason
for so much as q moments dishearten-
ment.
Let US look briefly at two or three oil
the circumstances which furnish grounds
for the encouragement Of those who are
bound to be discouraged at all events.
There are probably some who have
not yet disabused themselves of the be-
lief that all the generalship is with the
rebels. 1t is supposed that large pro-
portion of the West Point graduates,
even those Of Northern origin, are in the
rebel army, and that so the science Of
war is with our enemies. But the fact
is that while great deal has been said
about the disloyal WeStpointers, the 10y
alists have been almost entirely unnotic-
ed. A few we'll authenticated figures
will set the matter in its true light.
1t appears from the Army Register
for 1862, that the whole number Of
graduates who resigned prior to Novem-
Der, 1861, or were cashiered on account
Of their secession principles was 203
Nineteen of these were Northern grad
yates, of whom fifteen are known TO be
in the rebel army, bu, not one of them
has yet shown any military skill or per-
formed any exploit by which to gain
reputation as an officer The remainder
of the 203 were Southern graduates.
But against the fact that nineteen North
ern proved disloyal, let us offset the fact
that 1873 Southern graduates remained
loyal an d entered the armies of the
Union; and that the entire number OF
loyal graduates is 617, more than three
times as many as deserted their country's
flag in its our hour of need. These
facts, as well authenticated as it is pos
sible for any facts can be, should not only
quiet our apprehensions of any superior
science among the rebel officers, but
should give US renewed confidence in
that nursery Of soldiers which was plan.
ned and established by Washington and
others Of the purest and best statesmen.
The loss Of many precious lives and
the consequent necessity of additional
drafts, is regarded as another reason for
Encouragement. 1t does, indeed bring
keenest sorrow to many home, and
calls for the warmest sympathy in behalf
Of those who have offered up their dear
ones on the altar of their country. But
as respects the progress and the probable
result of the war, the mortality in the
army is by no means alarming. Our
IDEAS on this subject are vague, and they
alarm us because they are vague. We
read Of battle in which multitudes were
'lain. The newspaper correspondents
ransack the English language for adject-
yes expressive enough to describe the
greatness Of the slaughter, and as we
read, we think there never was such
wholesale destruction of uman life,
and that war in which such multitudes
Of men are killed can never be carried
IN TO successful end.
A few dry statistics will relieve our
lnxiety on this point as well as on the
preceding. 1t has been ascertained by
! most careful analysis that only ninr
men annually out of thousand have
'een killed in battle or have died of their
Wounds. This is very small proportion
with the bills of mortality in
he great European war. A much larger :
lumber of our men, forty-four out of {
thousand, have died annually in the hos.
'itals. But this is smaller mortality T..
han was experienced from the same ,
ause in the Crimean war. A large par,
4 this mortality, too, is preventible. The
auses of it can be removed, and efforts
re constantly making to remove them. ,
physicians and philanthropists are giving
heir most profound and dligeut atten- {
on to the subject of SANITARY regula- !
ons, and as better regulations are de-
ised and adopted there will be a cor. I
ssponding decrease Of sickness and a
cath. n
AS respects the effect which deaths of a