Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-11-20
For the Baltimore Commercial
Does War Serve 10 Elevate and EnnObIe
The Sentiments Of those EIcn ~ inc I'D i12

Me88rs. Editors: The idea that war brings in its
train naught but degrading immortality and vice is
one very generally entertained. Every day we hear
such sentiment uttered, and the late rebellion
cited to prove the truth of it. That war calls into
play many dormant vices is readily admitted; but
that it serves also to develop the nobes traits of
character is apprehend, equally true; and need
go further than the recent rebellion for proof oft
What class of people at the North, as a class. is
most ready to-day, as evinced by its utterances and
its conduct. to treat the South with magnanimty
and restore it to the Union? Undcniaby the officers
and soldiers ho fought in the armies Of the Union =
If you want to find man of the Wendell Phillips
school, who grits his teeth while he hrls his bitter
anathemas against the entire South invoking utter
degradation and ruin upon her entire people, you
must as a general thing go outside of the officers
and soldiers of our Union armies to do so. And
thank God that it is sol War seems to have imbued
then, with far different sentiments from those OF that
fanatical leader and his mischevous associates
sentiments, in a word, that of ennobling char
acter, rather than degrading and brmaiizmg!
1t is almost exclusively with class of non
combatantS-' tay-at- homes" while the war was
raging-that the fell spirit of maignity and hate con-
nues to exist, unquenched though the dread conflict
has long since ceased. 1t was, believe the yener
able hero of Chippewa and Bridgewater, Winfield
Scott, who said truly, that but for the vndictiye
spirit of certain miserable nOu-combatants,'' on
both sides the would have lost half its horrors.
1t was not the men at THE FRONT" who, by brutal
acts, or brutal utterances, brought disgrace upon
themselves and their country. Despite all assertions
to the contrary, there has never been civil war Of
any magnitude, in the worlds history more free
from brutal actions than were our Union armies in
suppressng the late rcbelionand this every careful
reader of history knows full WELL Now, that the
war is over. still more generous and noble spirit
manifests itself everywhere among those officers and
soiders-as every intelligent person equally well
knows.
But, the hatred of the peculiar class of non-cOm-
batants, or stay homes" during all the war,
seems to remain unsatsfed: and the same feeling. it
would appear governs the same class of malignants
in the extreme South. TheB continue to hate the
id Yankees" Just pious and charitable
-combatant brethren of the North hate all "d-d
Southerncrs" They constitute the class both North
and South 70 whom the venerable Scott applied the
term. MISERABLE NoN-Co -CoMBATANTs." 1t is an
eminently proper one-and let them forever it!
have been led to these reflections by reading an
article in late paper, giving extracts from the
letter of an intelligent correspondent of New York
journal, writing from Alabama. who says:
Twill tell you who are the most inclined to do
right here; they arc the officers and soldiers tChO haze
fought IN the armies Of the Confederate States Two
thirds of them not only confess themselves beaten,
but gracefully acknowledge that they have been
honorable IN return for the Mdgnanmity disploved bv
the Presden! Of the United States and he majority Of
the Northern people citizens and soldiers They all
talk alike-major generals, colonies, captains and
privates acknowledge that they have been
beaten, and beaten fairly, and are. to a man, in
favor of peace and an obliteraton of the past.
The most sapagely disloyol men in the State those
who wish the internal niggers were all dead and
the ID Yankees all in hi, are those composing
the stay-at-home platoons. These are the men ,oho
are opposed to reconstruction. But they can do no
HARM they GUed milk too long. i
THE next class of disloyalsts ministers of the
Another disloyal gang are the editors of news
papers. Excepting Mr.. Figures paper, in Hunts
yille there is not fair journal in the State. Really
they are distOydt."
Much testimony similar to the above comes every
few days from some of the Southern States: and
with this accumulating evidence in regard to the
true sentiments of the mass of the officers and
soldiers who fought in the armies Of the South to-
gether with that Of similar character so far as re
CARDS an absence of settled hate in reference tc
those of the North-of which evidence there is NJ
ack-I ask: Does war serve to elevate and ennoblC
the sentiments of those engaged in it? 1t would
seem so and that the very men who have undergone
the dread ordeal Of battle, when arrayed agains
each other in the late awful conflict will be the frs
to fiaternize and produce harmony Jet,veen the see
tioas compelling the bowling haters miserable non
combatants' in each, to cease their braws, and &c
once more for The union and inseparable, nov
| and forever!"
write, Messrs Editors as I feel, having mysel
witnessed with heartfelt pride the glorious deeds o
our brave and heroic boys in blue, on more than on
well contested battlefield, and experienced person
ally something of the horrors of war;" God gran
that may never be called on to do so again-and es
pecially in contest between brethren who had Ions
| lived together in peace and happiness!