, 1865-09-29

the destruction of human life, and accus-
toms them to view Genes OF violence
with q fatal Indifference. Where crimes
of violence are prevalent those of fraud
are sure to follow, and the whole system
of social r"elallous becomes disorgan'z'd
War is, in fact, a gigantic disease, which
would be uncomfortable except as the etfoft
Of nature to through off some deadly poi
son, and it cannot work itself to o con-
clusion without SCATTERING for the time
the whole moral constitution. Its very
nature consists in an abandonment of all
the influences OF reason and moral persua-
sion, and In IN appeal to brute force. 1t
is Il return for the moment 10 Il state OF
savagery. Inter arma silent legeS Is true
in more than q technical sense, and the
voice Of laws of all sorts, not political
only, but social and moral, is drowned in
the din of arms But If this is always
more or less the result of war, it is i'm
possible to affect surprise if it is more
than usually conspicuous in America.
There are few wars in which The noise of
arms has been louder, or in which violence
has been more reckiessly pushed to its
bitterest end. Side by side in our Tues,
days impression with this terrible pic
ture of social Reorganization was u letter
from our late Southern Correspondent
on the alleged ill-'reatment of Federal
prisoners OF war. The South, it will
have been observed, retorts by charging
the North with similar cruelty to Conte-
derate prisoners, and it is to he feared
that both accusations, however exagge-
rated, have too much basis in fact. But
-I-.l,. AT,.AI -. C,.tI H., a., xO...
Justice on their side in these mutual re-
examinations, there is, we fear, one thing
but too apparent-tIat as the war rose to
its height il was conducted with an al
most savage disregard OF the human suf-
fering it entailed and even If the North
ern armies did not directly cause the suf-
ferings of their telIoW-soldierY by their
destruction of the Southern supplies, it
cannot be denied that they set a terrible
example in their ruthless devastations
and merciieSs destruction Of life. AS we
are reminded of these terrible passages Of
the last four years, W. ceased TO be sur
prised when we witness their natural
fruit, and see that the violent passions
which have been allowed to rage uncon-
trolltd for four terrible years have not
vet been reduced under the restraints of
morality and law.
When such is the unhappy condition Of
the country, and such he obvious cause,
the true remedy is equally plain. 1t
should be the first effort of the Govern
ment to Danish, as far as possible, the
spectacle of that rule of brute force which
has had so demoralizing IN effect, and to
re-establi>h in the pubic mind Il sense Of
the supremacy of Law. Everything
should be done to efface the memory Of
past scenes, of violence and to restore the
peaceful dominion of justice and reason.
UnhappiIy, whatever may be the wish of
the President and his advisers, the prac-
tice of their subordinate officers furnishes
not the least melancholy feature in our
correspondents picture. From all parts
of the South we hear Of the most violent
interference with both public and private
rights. Battles have ceased, but force
continues TO be the arbiter of Southern
history. The whole power of the militia
~ is every day brought to bear upon
such solemn peaceful acts as elections to
Congress- and to State Assemblies. In