The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1864-04-21
5Mistrllaneous.
Found Dead.

As applied to the soldier, this is the
saddcst OF all the sad announcements in
the daily papers. Found dcad-~su
posed to be from too tree use of lil
uors." The commentary will be sup
piled by the prickcd conscicnccs OF such
os minister to tbs dcpravtd appctitcs of
the soldier with vile compounds, rs de-
stru;'ive to the integrity of the body as
they are crazing aud Supplying to the
mind,
To he found dead upon the battle. field
Is, probably, one of the lrrst to be urrad-
cd accidents which menace the soldier
Tie who di's there, dies uu the path to
honor, and hls memory shall never iadc.
His parents, however humble; his wife,
however deeply bcrcavcd; his children
IN the years to come, while they may
gricyc, will think with pride upon th"
time, the occasion, aud the manner ufhis
death. His fate will be cnvicd by the
false and scOilers of these times. 1t is Il
better tate tO die tor ones country, ur tu
GO haliing up the ascent aud down the
decline pf years cripple for its sake,
than to stalk II moral dwarf along the
pleasant paths OF society, ever conscious
Ot having been a luke warm patriot or a
babbing traitor, in an hour when truth
aud fcalty were the twnncd soul OF true
hcroism.
But for the man who enters the scrv-
ice ol his county with good intcrt orig
inally, perhaps, hut who succumbs Ia the
temptations and allurcments Ol vice us il
rcigns Ia cities, aud, 50 uycrtakrn bv
moral weakness, falls and pcrishcs in the
dCns aud s!umS--iOr such man there i,
no iuturr. ln their grief, his parents,
his brulhcrs. and sisters, his " lie aud his
childrrn, cannot comfort thcms Ives with
the remembrance that he fell battling tor
the right. Their grief must ever be in-
tcnsiicd by the thought that he ptrshcd
IN field whose victories are not less Cruz
cl than its defeats. Til y will not be able
10 forget that he bargHlncd away name,
possible fame, aud certain honor, and
even life itself, for moment of deiiriuus
pleasure, born of blank iorgctlulncss OF
home influences, early teachings, aud all
OF those domestic obligations which are
nothing il they be not mighty restraints
in the hour of temptation. When every
Northern village green shall have its
monument in memory Of the slain in this
great war, the names Of none of those
"found dead" in the dcns of vice will be
inscribed upon that marble. The histo-
ry oi such men may not be written upon
stone. The friends OF such will ask lor
nothing 50 unrClresling to memory, so
painful to the uncloscd wound SO cruelty
inflicted.
There is scarcely saddcr, or more hu.
initiating spectacle than that presented
by the drunken soldier. Taking hls life
in his hand, and going into voluntary cx-
lie from all that is dear to him, save his
Government, if he 50 far forget himself
us TO succumb to the temptations of appe.
titc, aud reel through the streets ia a
state Of bcastly incbriation, he il no hong.
er recognised as n patriot soldier, but us
II brutnlizcd man. So great is his descent
that the rceling cit zen by his side ap.
pears a gentleman in contrast. For when
n man puts ON the garb of n Union sol
dlcr he is at once eicvltcd above the civ
llian oi his grade, in public esteem. So
his fall is MS great us his superior cleya.
ton. But IL is the man who cnnoblcr
the scr,icc, not the service which cnnu-
blcs the man. As public officers in civil
stations are forced, by healthy public
opinion, to observe greater circumspcc-
lion, so the citizen soldier becomes fair
mark of criticism when he lays of his
citizens clothes, and puts on the blue
lie is no longer man proceeding along
the by-wuys Of private life, but public in
character and duti :, and as such musl
stand upon his merits, or tall by reason
of incapacity to fulfill the duties of his
station
What would be said of that soldier
who, on the cv3 of battle, should dclib.
erately cripple his right arm' But ii il
be held infamous, marx of cowardicc,
to d'squaliy ones self Tor service, in the
field, by mutilation of the body, or its
members, by what name shut he be
known who deliberately gives himself up
to the terrible vices Of liccntiousness aud
intcmDerancc, and thus reduces body and
mind to condition Of insanityl Ofihc
two modes OF muiming who can hesitate
10 name tho former as the least infam-
ous!
Soldiers, rw loyal men ever pass you
in the street, who do not feel impeled to
stand uncovered os you pass. But when.
ever one OF your number barters his man
hood for rum and makes a spectacle of
himself, all loyal men feel that his deg
radiation is the degradation of the service
and reproach to the noble cause in
which you are engaged Washington
Tbr0Di icle