Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-02-23
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS RIeATs.
RICHMOND WHIG.
TUESDAY MORNING, FEB. %, 1854.
Tha Present Aspects Of the War.


Wars with all their horrorS, even the most desperate
for conquest or self preservation have in general been
invesed with something ennoblng about them. 1t Il
rot the pop and, pageantry the gaudy paraPhernAlia
and thunder tones nor the conflicts and victories that
stamp their impress upon people and an age. It il
their agency in developing and exercising and bringing
into practical activity tho highest qualities Of our ma
lures, moral as well intellectual It s, perhaps, Tor
his purpose that in the order Of Providence, wars, with
an their calsmi.ies and horrors, permitted. Human
progress and civil zaon under the operation Of such an
ex raOrdiuary stimulus upon individuals and communi
lies receives fresh impetus and man, az stride is ad
ysnced and enlightened. Such results must inevitably
follow the war We are at present engagedin.
The invasion with which at present visited, and
the war upOa is leEs against US as as community,
against our military and Political Organization, than
against the whole people Of country. Our resist
nce is regarded as the aWess acts Of many ndiVd
ual, possessing neither political nor personal nj hs-
The ruin aad massacre of our citizens without mercy
or scrimua,ion, mora than any ether purpose, PIE
dominates in the warfare waged upon We have but
she alternative 10 humby submit crave pardon and hug
our chains resist every hazard and to the last
.,emty. To submit we may e1peci such erms as the
fgives to the lamb or the hask to The dove We may
expect the fate of Poland at the lands o. Russia But
ah itself Is less terrible to free and brave people
han the loss of liberty ndhOnOr.
It is now that the ennobhng features Of war, the sx
e,cse Of the highest intellectual and moral qualities Of
our people must be displayed. Impeled alternately by
nope and gloom stimulated by revenge, depressed BY
rsverses or elevated by victories, people be-
comirg stssed ainsl suffering, and in discrimination
lvuob,s Superior whether in performance or patient
endurance to the enemy no privaon has been able TO
shake our fOrtilude and 10 calamity to break spirit
Frusng, under Heaven, solely to resolution, our
cJurage and virtue, tbs sense OF common danger
ls but strengthened the bonds of our union and fed
anew the 4 ,me Of our patriotism.
Our war Is by meaus ulobserved by the rest Of the
world The entire people Of Two hemspheres almost
actual specators of our fields Of conflict Their opinions
50 swift is the communication Of intelligence may be
almost heard and fell amid tie shouts Of battle. The
combatAns on blth sides must thus be promptly inau
eueed 10 decide as well where to cooceds how far to
esst The fortunes Of the enemy regarded before
the tribunal Of the world to have passed their food
TIE tide Of their is upon the ebb. Their
rom It's meridian has already commenced to decline
TIE wheel Of fortune upon which lately they
uppermost is descending. They admonished in the
moment Of their prosperity, which is the pIecari
Gus Of human conditions Of their weakness Their full
.Ver has already been expended, and only success
shout interruption p'essrve them from domestic
upheaYing. They can no more claim to be struggling
Tor the supremacy of the Constitution, for the
liberation of our slaves %he m;gc CRY Of emancipa-
ton s lost Tnat b,se!ess fiction, that phantom, is now
exposed to the world. Is spell is broken.
But adversely has only developed our strength. The
confidence and patriotic Ardor of peOpls is unsha
zen. Ou- great cause viii nsver be yielded We read
ls future only in our splendid victories OF the past,
and confidently anticipate more success III uggles to
cone.