, 1863-05-20
Chicago Gril,ultc.
WORTH FIGHTING FOR.

WORTH FIGHTING FOR.
II out of the long list Of rcycrscs, each
in itself wholly conclusive, why the war
should be carried On until the rebels Of the
South are compelled to abandon that bogus
government that they have set up, and
confess their obedience to the Constitution
and the laws Of the United States, we
should be asked to point out, one mightier
than any other, we should reply thus:
The curse Of the governments Of the
Old World is in their standing armies,
which are maintained for offensive and de-
fensiye operations, made necessary By the
unnatural divisions Of territory, BY the
Jealous and ambitious rulers, and
bY the modern necessity of pre-
serving among European States the
balance Of power. These armies, to use
common and homely illustration, burn the
National candle at each end they subtract
Hn enormous amount of labor from the
total Of that source Of National wealth,
and, at the same time, impose upon the Ia
bor and industry devoted to ordinary and
peaceful pursuits, heavy and, in some
cases, unbearable burden OF taxation for
the support Of the men in the service Of the
State. And while they consume the sub
stance Of the people they make ameiora-
ton Of their condition u thing unattain-
able, except by revolution, which Is in itself
) calamity, next only to bad government.
It is, we think, mistaken notion,
which. says these armies are maintained
solely for the subordination Of the govern
ed classes. We have that faith in our
common humanity which makes US believe
that with the exceptions that belong to all
gencralizations, the kings, emperors, dukes,
princes and kaisers who dominate modern
Europe, are sincerely dcsirous, to make
their people prosperous and happy; and
that the strong manifestations Of physical
force which are q part Of European
governments, are not so much to
insure domestic tranquility and Or
der, as for external security and peace,
The arming is part Of the governmental
systeu1--a relic Of barbarism, it is true
which each must pursue, impclled thereto
by the example Of the rest. Imagine Prus-
sia, surrounded by France, Austria and
Russia, and menaced from the sen By En-
gland Imagine her without IN army, and
how long, We ask, would she, in the con-
tests for territory, for continental influence
and power, be secure in her position Of III
dependence, and what would be her weight
in European adai1s. Imagine insular En-
gland, with her rnst colonial possessions,
without navy, how would the United
States, first-class marine power, tolerate
tie course that she has thought fit to pur-
sue since the rebellion broke ont? or in the
case Of any International dispute, how
could she appeal from violated international
Law to the universal law Of force?
fthis Union is dissolved, it breaks up,
not into nearly equal parts, the measure
being either territory, population, wealth
OF military strength, put into half a dozen
or more fragments, each the rival and each
the enemy Of all the others a Standing
Amy for every one would be necessity that
no European State 80 situated has been able
to oavoid, The substance Of the people would
be eaten up. 4 c}ass-the class military
would be formed, claiming special honors
and special exemptions The liberties Of
the people, now not in the least en-
dangercd By what the Copperheads
call the exercise Of arbitrary power"
would surely be undermined and destroy
ed. Taxation, already unexamplcd in this
land, would bc doubled; and in the course
Of less than half u century, the prophecy
of an English statesman, that America is
hereafter to be a land Of rival interests, of
diplomacy, Of janing and discor-
'dant States, and Of wars, would
be fulfilled to the letter. Lucky
when that day comes will be the
people that preserves any part Of the price
less liberty that our countrymen in the
North now enjoy Lucky will be the
cause Of Republicanism and Democracy
throughout the world, II in this country,
The home if not tile birthplace OF both, a
vestige Of either remains.
We set forth the mighticst reason for the
continuation Of the war until the eubjuga-
ton Of the rebels, and the restoration ofshe
Union are complete. It is one that, in the
mind Of every patriotic man, should be
ever present. warming him to new
courage, new efforts and new sacrifices.
The country as it vas-an unity-s.roDg
in its unused resources secure by its posi-
ion-happy from the benignity of its in
stitutions-that is the object Of the contin-
ned struggle!