The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-05-30

40 4
The persistent efforts OF esFtats lhiSenio'
Gus persons who have, fhelr on ee)ec'S "
serve, In writing into notohe1y anu i,npol
lance the mexican Epfgrasion scnene'
have had the effect to make nervous people
uneasy lest there really should be something
In progress which would place the govern
,nent and me country in false position be-
fore the world. Any amount Of nonsense has
been published with regard to the brave and
erdent veterans who, having established the
gove.arnent Of the Great Republic on a firm
and enanrlpg DaSA AZ 10 now at leisure 20
transfer their arms and prestige rurs---aa. ~
I oyefmatched and ill-used Republicanism in .
neighboring State. Distinguished Union gen
erals are spoken of as eager to lead such a
crusade; and itis-eVen rumored that the reb
o. general, Lee, is to have an opportunity Of
washing his treason=stained escutcheon In the
blood Of Mexican battle-Helds.
We beg our readers not to be anxious. In
the first place it is perfectly safe to assume
that all assertions of the completely or apprc-
val Of the government in any such fillibuster-
ing projects are utterly false and groundless.
In view of that principle of non-intervention
in the affairs Of other nations on which our
government has always claimed TO be admin
ministered, and Of those laws OF the duty Of
neutrals which it has SO sternly insisted on
dm.rs the progress Of our own struggles,
such an idea is simply absurd. For the I'm
ion generals whose names are mentioned In
such connection, many OF them have already
.-~l1talv -ard scornf,llvr daufod Aha 4rrth IF
the reports, and of others we need not hesitate
to aver that their own country has better use
for their services, and will be slow to renounce
them. So far as the rebel general is concern
ed, 1t is simply an insult to the brave soldiers
of the Union to assert that they will even
stoop to fight under the banners of man
stained with perjury, treason, and the murder
by slow starvation of helpless prisoners Of
war. The tens Of thousands of pallid ghosts
Of slain and famine.stricken men would rise
up to confront the rscreant wretch who could
so degrade himself. The idea Is an outrage.
But, after all, the best refutation of these
B mischieyous prognostics Is furnished by the
character of our soldiers themselves. A few
men there may be, the mere froth of the
armies, who find in war congenial field fo1
the Development of their restless and lawless
propensities. Such are to be found every
where. But the main body Of the great, vic
torious armies OF the Republic but just now
q. passing In majestic column before the eyes Of
I Chief and people in the capital OF the nation
is made up Of men, who, whatever may be
z their temporary character and occupation
are, first OF all, citizens; possessing all tn
habits and desires, owing all the obligations
feeling all the responsibilities OF citizenship
desiring nothing more ardently than to ge
back 10 the quiet walks Of peace, and the en-
joymeuts of those home delights of which the
e have been so long deprived. In their coun
try's cause they have fought like heroes; bu
49, they have no love for fighting. These me-
who have been haAdling SO deTriy ~. -sea.4laA
and the bayonet, infinitely prefer to swing Il
hammer in the busy workshops Of the town
OF the scythe in the quiet of green COUNT.
fields. The loud mirth Of the evening camp
fire, or the excltament and danger of the lone
ly vidette, are far less dear to them than tn
welcoming amiles of wife OF. sistar. or th
clinging clasp of small child arms whic
await them when the peaceful labor Of e &
dayis over. They want to.coTsmporary, an
take up fhzsss ssSs schsracter, with all its big
responsibilities ar varied relations; 10 de
velope the resources Of the coqntry,to pa
ia debt. apa make Its laws, and lift ever high
err AnA hiehar o. Standard of national chafac
ter. This is what they desire, and what the
: will .do-no fear for that The soldiers ar
only the people with arms in their hands, an,
the people in three or four years just gone
Ssi have proved that thsy are 1T to be- 4rusted
The anxious souls both az home and abroad
may lay aside Their anxiety. fs