The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1864-06-06
Make this Campaign the Last.

We are yet in the beginning OF THIS
campaign, and already we count the dead
by thousands and the wounded by tens Of
thousands. The contest for Richmond
has been ushered in with hideous satur-
MALTA OF blood. This havoc of tho fist few
BATTLES is without parallel upon the red
pages of human strife, unless we look far
back into the record Of heather barbaf-
ism, when slaughter was the object and
not the instrument of warfare. ltistrue
that ut rare intervals great numbers have
perished upon single fields, but never, in
q military sense, TO so little purpose.
Waterloo decided the fate OF Europe. The
victory there was complete, the defeat
utter and overwhelming. The total loss
of the French was twenty six thousand
three bundled; the battles of the Wilder
ness, undecisive, barren of perceptible
results, and but the prelude of work more
terrible yet TO be done, have cost the
North, as has been computed, twenty ave
thousand men.
1--we estimate the Confederate loss as
equal to ours, there is the appalling list Of
fifty thousand human beings killed or dis
abled at tho very threshold ~of the cam
paign. Fifty thousand human beings, in
their strength and manhood-as many as
constitute the total population, men, wo-
men and children, OF a second class city,
have been stricken down at the very first
collision, without bringing the issue near
en- TO its close. When il is considered that
fifteen thousand wounded Federal sol
diera are huddled together in the streets
of Fredericksburg, and that they are
portion only Of tlro victims thus far Of
this campaign, the extent Of the carnage
can be more nearly realized.
It may be gratifying to our national
vanity that have troops who will move
without faltering into the jaws Of death,
and who will stand to be shot down by
muslletry and torn by cannon shot but
every better feeling attests the nhuman-
lily and folly Of prosecuting war that IN
wolves such waste Of life aud serves to ac-
complish no desirable end.
If our people do not profit in moral
sense BY the lessons now being taught
upon the battle plains Of Virginia, We
Shall lose faith in human nature and sci
at naught the influences of Christianity
and civilization.
VIVA. ever may be the military result Of
this campaign, SO terribly 'inaugurated,
the blood that has been she'd the blood
that will be shed must not appeal in vain
against the prolongation OF this internal
war We cannot believe that the people
will consent to repeat these scenes Of
mutual destruction. There must be a
period in this strife when humanity will
refuse to permit such slaughter, when
common sense willimperatiyely command
at least d pause for reflection, an oppor-
tunity for the ministration of reason. If
we interpret Alright the suppressed senti-
ment Of the people, that time has come
They are appalled, and conscience striclc
en- at the CHASTITY aspect which the pre-
sent phase Of this struggle has revealed.
They say, in their souls, ifnot aloud:
s'We have gone too far; the God of Christ
ians will not sanction this mutilation and-
destruction of His creatures, endowed
with the essence of His divinity.
In testimony to this growing coHvic-
ton, the confession of a noted and ex-
IRENE Abolitionist is most opportune.
Wendell Phillips said on Tuesday last:
tsAsan American white citizen Gepre-
cate one month of war. ! see in it the
seed Of debt, military ambition and des-
potism. The settlement of this war is |
not to be by battle but by stateenanship"
We acknowledge and admire in this the |
power Of concience to repress the unnat-
aral cravings o. funaticism. The intellect I
If this man has comprehended and sub
nitted TO the truth; and enough Of the
nigel has triumphed in nature to inspire
lin that courage that renounces error.
Ne accept it as sign that, perhaps, in
hat quarter where it was least expected,
he revalsion of feeling will have its most
powerful impetus. We have said before
hat we respected the Abolitionist more
han the mere time server who, as War
Democrat, uses the opportunities ofclyll
trile to purchase emolument and office.
II is our solemn conviction that no {
nan of ordinary pSrceptive facalties hon
silly believes to day that farther blood II /
he'd will secure a.polilical result more de- 4
rable than such, whatever ii may be, {
lat can besecured by negotiation. Neith !
I is it row aquestion ofsectioHal proves {
r courage; for the battle fields ol these
lree terrible years, now closing in hor- /
bic carnage, attest with feartVlWitnesses {
lat no charge of weakness or cowardiee s
ill stand against either section. Why
> we then perzist in dealing death blows /
lat vindicate no principle, that satisfy no
oint of honor, and that. promise no re- il
lit that free people should cOvet for 1
or. Others? The courage that o
Tres the utmost peril Of the battle field
IS sufficiently proved; now let our peo- s.
. exhibit that equal courage that sub, d
les passion, false pride and obstinaoy.
we turn with shudder from the list Y
the innumerable dead and from the r,
cords of the crowded hospitals; as we d
ar in the hearts sympathetic echo the
that come from a hundred
ousand desolated homes, let US resolve d
at with this campaign, whatever its re. B
It, the butcllery shall cease.-Neao York
1os. if
One OF THE WAsnINoToN FAHILY.-The
int Lookout correspondent of the Bal
more American, speaking Of four hun
ed more prisoners leaving that point ~
exchange, thus notices one of the "
Arlington family
Among those who left in this load was RI
gustus Washington, of Clark county, 10
rcinia, a second cousin OF John A. ell
of Harper's Ferry. Mr.. "
lshington is very anxious to reach his re
~ - bax,tr,sr baon xrrpn1pd 81 tho lex