Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-30

Yours truly, ,. .CoNoVEk.
PRINCE POLIGNAC ON DISARSLA.
MENT IN EUROPE AND THE UNET.
ED STATES.
The Paris Pnessc, Of a recent date, con
tains letter from Prince CAMILLE DE PO-
L1GSAc, French nobleman who served as
Brigadier General in the Confederate ar
my, in reply to the praise given to the
United States by the la Liberte, NJ. GIRAR-
Dns's paper, as an example Of disarmament
after war:
La Liberte, writes M. DE POLIGNAC,
constitutes itself the advocate of peace, and
do not blame it for so doing, but it ought
to select more appropriate examples in sup
port Of its theories.
To cite the example Of the United States,
as a model in an argument in favor Of
peace is a piece Of unparalleled rhetorical
hardihood. 1t is literature Ia BISMARCK.
The article entitled Unhealthy Peace
FduIer Fiiede-attempts to show that the
United States have succeeded in solving, by
war, grave political questions, so completely
as TO ensure a double peace.
As regards the proof, here is the one given
in the artice:
Right or wrong, they (the United States)
determined to settle by war the question of
slavery and the question Of the perpetuity Of
the Union.
Haye they settled those questions?
Yes.
Where is the proof?
The proof Is, that Immediately after the
capture Of Richmond, they commenced to
disband the army, without even waiting for
the conclusion Of peace. The proof is that,
peace concluded, they sold at auction all
the paraphernalia Of war-cannons, mus
kets, sabres and uniforms. The proof is
that the mass Of Generals have returned to
pacific occupations.
This is peace, real peace, durable peace,
rational peace, the peace we yearn for in
Europe
If, consequently, peace is a compromise
loyalty accepted by all; ifit means disarm-
ing then we say with iOy-giYe us peacsw
May it please the LibeTte the imagination
Of the writer outstrips the truth.
The disbandment Of the army was COM
menced upon the fall of Richmond, / admit
but the United States simply rid themselves
Of that which was useless after the conquest.
This cannot be called disarming.
l admit that a few old army caps we're
sold but do we not frequently sell con-
demned horses?-a measure which NJ. GLEN
ENT DUvERNOIs would scarcely call dis
arming?
II to triumph is the synonym of making
peace, admit that the Liberte is right.
The States Of Europe maintain armies to
protect themselves against their neighbors.
This plan may be good or bad, do not pro
pose 10 discuss it. The United States, pre-
viously to the war, also kept small perma-
nent army, TO guard their frontiers from the
incursions of Che Indians, their only neigh
bors. This was the application Of the same
principle.
But have they now abandoned their from
tier army? Have they offered to Europe,
as NJ. CLEMENT DUvERNoIs asserts they
have, the example Of genuine disarming?
Alas, ne
The truth is, they have exceeded the Gus
tom Of European States, by maintaining an
army, not 10 protect, but to govern the
country.
The truth is, they have stationed their
Northern troops in the States Of the South,
lust as Prussia stations her forces at Frank
fort, or Bohemia.
The truth is, they have continued thus TO
maintain their troops in the South for more
than year since the war come to close,
and there is no appearance Of their being
withdrawn.
The truth is, they have placed all their
liberties beneath the point of the sabre, be-
ginning with the liberty of the Press even
in the States of the North, where from 1861
TO 1865, upward of twenty journals were
suppressed by the Secretary of War, and
finishing with liberty of person, which is
daily violated, and municipal liberty, which,
in the South, no longer exists, except in
name.
The truth is, that instead of making an
honest peace, they have excluded the States
Of the South from the Union, after waging
war upon them during four years to force
them TO return to il.
The truth is they have refused to admit
TO Congress Representatives from the States
Of the South, and have taxed those States,
though deprived Of representation, forget
ting the precepts Of their ancestors and the
principle Of their revolution against the
Mother Country.
The truth is, that far from giving Europe
lesson, they have initiated the old world
by centralizing their Government, thus max
ing a revolution backward.
The truth is, finally, that they have done
all these things, and are able TO persist in
them by means ef the sabre, aud nothing
but the sabre.
And this is the example which NJ. CLEM-
ENT DuvERNoIs holds up as a model to
| Europel Il may perhaps be to the liking
Of Prussia. Afier eonquering all she wants
! in Germany, after cantonning her troops all
over that country, she may send home her
superhuous soldiers, and crowning them
selves with wreaths Of oak leaves, her states
men may then say, 1--WE have made peace"
Such is an American peace-by no means
unhealthy for those who impose it. but ex-
ceedingly so 70 those upon whom it is im-
posed. II has a secret analogy with the pro-
ces by. which teeth are pulled without pain
to the extractor.
Peace, like liberty, has two kinds Of ad-
mirers, those who admire il for itSef and
! those who admire il for themselves
| do not doubt that M. CLEMENT DUvER-
NoIs may BE- reckoned among the first of
/ these categories. hope the same may be
/ said Of Prussia, but, as regards the party
/ which now rules in the United States,
have ceased to hope.
(Signedl CAMILLE DE PoLIGNAc.'
In an editorial reioinder to this letter La
! Libcric says:
Considering all things, the Americans
have far better reasons than We have for
maintaining standing army. They have
! but recently suppressed a rebellion, of
! whose proportions NJ. DE PoIIGNAc Is fully
oognizant, he having aided it with his
/ sword, and according TO his statement, the
/ passions Of the South, far from having been
| pacifed by defeat, only seek new propitious
/ occasion TO break forth anew. In oonformi-
] ", then, with the European idea, it would
1 only be natural for the United States to keep
under arms five or six hundred thousand
men, like ourselves, whom nobody threatens.
But the Americans do not reason as We
| do, and the Characteristic feature Of their
/ policy, both as regards interior and exterior
] questions, is their refusal 10 admit the pre-
ventive system.
II at war, they make superhuman efforts
10 assure victory, reooiling before no sacri-
fce, multiplying loans, increasing taxes, ae-
oepting and putting into practice every use
fal invention, applying the cOnscriPtion,
and ready, IL necessary, 10 resort 20 the levy
/ in mass-ior they make war like people
/ who hate il, and wish TO be done with il as
soon as possible. But peace restored, they
hasten to disarm, and do not think them
selves calssd upon 20 submit 70 all the bur
dens Of war, under the pretext that war
might break out again; on the same primer
pie that II liberty leads 20 disorders they