The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-06-22
political system.

ton of necessity by which all these
things have been justified, though it
could be debatable on more than one
point. We simply note the state of
things to which we have arrived, the
blind facility with which, they have been
estabhshed. and the imminent. danger
which they create for the Republics fu-
ture To this statn of things in fact the
name of dictatorship only is wanting, and
this name will be applied soonerFor later,
unless there be q. .ehangeA Atthis min
.ute-it may yet scare the public; but the
words of permanent army, public debt
and discretionary power, were not less
distasteful three years ago, and yet to-day
they are freely accepted The most diff
cult step is made through the habit
which has been contracted of receiving
without examination all that is presented
with the words of national salvation and
more provisionary existence. q; ftsfsr
The changes introduced in the exercise
of the central power are followed by a
corresponding social moral change of the
whole nation. War has introduced in
Americun life elements that are never to
disappear. and which are destined to play
a preponderant part. We have already
spoken of the principle of these elements,
in mentioning the enormous class of pur-
asites created by the Organization of the
army. Even assuming that the perma-
neucy of the army is not 20 become a
fixed fact, it would be vain to hatter ones
self that its disbandment would annul the
influence which even its Temporary e, ist-
ence has had on the morals and the fu
ture- of the country. The ambition ava
kened among chieitains the habits con.
tracted by the soldiers in camp-life, must
fatally survive the war, and make of them
q population apart, even under the hypo-
thesis of their re urn to their homes. The
soldiers uniform is not forgotten under
the citizens coat, 1t is even so in the
moral order. The esprit 3e corps, and of
fellowship among some,. habits of com
mand and ambitious aspirations amor q
others, disappointed hopes with many,
the distinctive impatience of the duties
of civil life amoDe most. will keep up for
long time a certain bond among the
moss of men who have1 served together,
and will make of them constant centre
of effervescence, ready to explode at CIV
en- fimes Of public perils. -
The multiplicity of ofice-hoIders is ano-
ther perpetuai legacy of the war to the
United Sfates.sa7Iti is an inevitable conse-
quence of the new PROPORTIONS of the mil
itary establishment and the creation of a
most complicated system oftaxes 1t will
be sert of an army of itself, powerful by
its action and dangerous by its docility
TO the central power. ruinous by its un-
productive consumption, and thorough
disrurber of the former system of nation
al economy. -
There are thus two separate groups,
not before ex sting, formed in tie nation,
whose least harm will be to affect the old
social equality and old system OF industry
and ideas.
Another more fatal blow is being pre-
pared to American society by the impulse
lately given to habits of extravaganza
and the ardor. for rapid fortunes. The
abstraction of public moneys by ccntrac-
tors and t cir friends: the feverish spirit
of speculation developed by the abun-
dance of paper money; the need of luxu-
ries and the habits of foolish expenditures
are so many facts whose consequ. 1ces are
not less disastrous under a moral point Of
view than under amaterlai point, 1t is
hard 10 say whether we have TO fear more
the finapeial catastrophe which is to fol-
low and the injurious action on the minds
|iofi the people. The results of the one
are TEN perary and may find paHiatives;
but those of the other cannot be warded
off nor lessened and viii remain tor years
to come as a leprosy in the very heart of
the nation. EJAs .TG3a = EtkgN -
The above considerations, unlike most
of the theories now in vogue, do not shine
by their brilliant promises; they admit us
to witness quite another thing than the
regeneration of the United StaIes.n so
loudly Prociaimed by tde advocates Of
war to the end. But they have, in: our
conviction, the practical merit Of being
far.nearer the truth. Let them be weigh
ed without prejudice, and it will be clear
ly seen, that the American people are
biindiy on the road of political decaden-
cy, and are there going perhaps faster
even than towards financial bankruptcy
and commercial. downfall. 5.s9 f-e1 So.
lst4eu5 so s,;fffl 10
DEDICATION oFA REBEL AUTHORIZES
Miss Augusta j. Evars, one Of Ala
bama's peerless daughters, world renown.
| ed as the authoress of . .Buelah,'' has late
ly issued from the press 'Maearia, CT Az
tars ofsSacrifce, ,"s;which she dedicates in
the following chased and beautiful style !:
af2s To the army of the Southern Confed-
eracy, who have delivered the South from
dtspotism, and who have won for genera
tions yet unbornsthes precious guerdon of
UNCONSTITUTIONAL liberty; to this vast legion
Of honor, whether hmping on crncthes
through the, land they haze saved. and
immortalized or survivin o uniniured To