The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-02-10

tits generosity which mskes brave man
better than . brave brute. FerOciiy
drops from the crown Of valOr its bright
jewel; for baBditsi viii Eight for purses,
and canuibals for human FISH. The
brave Christian soldier fights to defend
free government and uphold equal and
Just laws. he delights neither in car
mage nor pillsge, but takes the sword and
the spear to drive oppression and tyranny
far from the pillow and the pruning hook.
He gees to war that be may secure 10
posterity the blessing of peace. And be
wages war not against peaceful towns,
And villages, and farm houses I; but
against forts, bresstworks, and intreneh
ments; not against qusrulous nOn-cOm-
bptants-ilI tempered old men, frstful
old women, and inconsidersts boys and
girls; but against men in arms to destroy
the Governments. He will not burn the
mansion Of feeble woman in Tennessee,
because her lawless son is besring arms
against bis country in Georgia or Ala
bans; for besides the natural repugnance
be feels towards an act so cruel, his good
sense suggests, that it would give
the avowed rebel s pretext to ma
lign the national authority; and
he reflects, that in forbearing he
serves his comrades in arms, while
sparing the cOuntry's disgrace and
non-combAlant's misery; for the house
may shelter sick or wounded soldier in
the hour of greatest need. BE will not
wantonly burn the fences of farmer,
and kill bis stock, first because he has no
delight in needless destruction Of any
thing, and secondly because be reflects,
that time may arise IN the exigencies
of war when, from the interruption of
supplies, surplus of provisions in the
country may be the salvation of the ar
my. In short, he inficts no injury upon
person or property, save such as may be
required TO weaken the enemy in arms.
When our conqueFing armies FIRST en-
tered this portion of Tennessee, in 1862,
most of The officers as well as the SOL
diers in the ranks, seemed to act on the
principles Get forth in the paragraph
above. For 80 large 8 body of armed
men, perhaps they were never excelled
in good order and respect for property.
And their gallant bearing was the more
prsiseworthy, because ct that time rebel
sympathizing nom contestants were less
respectful in their demeanor than at
present Their orderly conduct extOrted
praise from tho mouths of bitter rebels;
and it made che loyal residents of the
country feel proud. has there been any
change of demesnor? Let facts answer
But whose fault is it, if there is less Of
order and more Of destruction and pill
lsgs? Some, who care not whose house
is burned, because they think their own
is secure, or because they have none,
will grow black 10 the face and swear
the ill-natured rebels brought it on them
selves. It must be confessed, some of
them acted in o manner which lessons
their claim upon our sympathy; but
their conduct did not produce the change
of department; for most of the bitterest
have long since become lsmb-like in
their conduct, whereas, our tendency
in the wrong direction increases as they
show signs of reformation. Ii is not
because our soldiers ere less brave, or
less generous; for many of them are
ashamed of the devastation which marks
the course Of our armies.
The crying evil results from diseased
public sentiment sentiment which
pervades the entire country, and, by press
ing, as it were from without upon the
army. forces the worst elements to the
surface. Doubtless there are just as
many good men in the ranks Of our ar
mics IS there were two years ago; but a
food of rspacity and audscity has swept
over the country outside the army. Bru-
tai words have become fashionable with
politicians; they drip ike exuding poison
from the pens of hired scribblers, and
from those of many who, though not
hired to write, are impelled thereto by q
fondness for seeing their thoughts in
print. Rowing adventures, who in fact
care as little for their Government ss
they do for that of HindOOstaD, but who
follow the army with special license to
fleece sol der and citizen alike, being
convinced that shrine making is lucrs-
tive business, are anxious to cry out
everywhere, Great is Diana of Destruc-
tionl To get the keynote, they search
the newspapers, and end something like
this: eHe's 3 id rebel; give him bis
yiolts." Thinking such expressions en-
body all the external evidences Of pAtri-
etism, (of their sort of patriotism, they
do these disinterestea patrio's 90 DAoA
and forth making money and manufac-
turing popular slang. At trade points
South. they are consequential persons;
and having practiced SO sharply IS to
make sudden fortanes, some Of them who
were merely vsgrsnts before the war,
can now manage TO control the nomina-
tons in Congressional districts North
And they can influence appointments IN
the army. When men selected by such
pstriots are placed in the most command
ing Offices, is it not likely the worst ele-
uenss of the army viii become the ruling
ones?