The Placer herald., 1867-02-09
The Issues and Lessons Of our Late Wars.


delivered at Chicago by Horace Greely.
We quote passages as printed in Chicago
paper:
"War was Gods schoolmaster. 1t was
the last argument Of the people, as we'll as
Of kings. The nineteenth century has not
onlgrown TIE necessity Of a resort to arms.
Would the twentieth be wiser! Laws and
protection must be had at any cost. When
portion refused to submit themselves to
law, civil war became imminent. 1t was
the only escape from anarchy. No burg
uar ever could afford to have the laws
which protected the rights of property over'
thrown. Yet men should be wise enough
by this time to escape resorting to this last
argument. The first lesson of the war was
the necessity of fin ding some means OF avoid
ing future ones.
The next lesso, s taught was the evils Of
a too rapid territorial expansion. They
should fight against their land stealing pro
pensilies. Since the Revolution, capacous
regions known as Louis 'aaa, California, etc,
had been acquired. This had opened new
markets. Yet it was doubtful whether the
diffusion Of the people over such spaces had
not essened their power. It certainly
diminished their moral culture. They were
gress The doctrine of nationality, Of allow.
ing all people 20 be governed in their own
way, Of preserving its autonomy was one OF
the greatest IDEAS Of the age 1t was to save
Infinite war. The thirst TOR territory ever
me, check. France and Italy did not now
exceed their ol bounds Copquests were
rarely permanent. Annexaiions not com
mended hy the law of affinity; were transient
and worthless. Greece overIan Asia Minor,
and became Asiaiic. There was no domin-
ion Of race over race which did not curse
both lie believed the Canadas would he
annexed in time and that it wou!d be we'll,
but he believed that it should be let to ther
own free viii, for force, if used, would result
in evil consequences. Too rapid expansion
was the great peril Of America. For gener'
ations The English tried to conquer France,
hut their success would only have made
Great Britain AN appeodage of France.
Conquest was lluuder.
lie held that the natural vice of confedera-
cies was one of the lessons of the war. The
Union WAS not quite coniedeiacy; but sup
posing it had heen, where would they have
gone? If the Union had had no inherent
right to prevent its exclusion from the soil
| of anv one State II would not have been
worth fighting for. Capitalization might
be carried to excess, but confederacies Of
sovereign States were abhorrent to reason.
A nation could not, like a mass meeting, be
dissolved by the departure otits units. That
WAS not popular sovereignty. Empires did
not thus TO. and cIumbe away. Their
death WAS marked by convulSions. y S' y
Thou.h punishment Of traitors was justiii
able, it was the dictates Of reason that but
few should he puLished, and they a, once,
the blow that purished political offenders
should he swift. Woull it do to assume
that the crime of rebellion was more henous
in one case than another! A republic would
not admit that a man had more right to
rebel against it than to rebel aginsl mon
archy.
AS TO confscation. it led TO paralysis Of
business. The moment it WAS known confs
cation was intended, few would SOW. There
would be desli'ution, and there would be
corruption. lie would not speak Of merry
or magnanimjty. He believed that The bard
won fruits Of battle were not to be given
away. The war came from clashing Of
opposing systems. In culture and inteli-
gence the North must rule, but there should
be no penalties. History told of the folly
of bloodshed Let him lnsi,. that this age
v would MT tolerate severe dealing with bat
fled insurgents. Let them assume that the
South would yield to the requirements which
were made of them, expect in return only
protection for life and properly. What
should longer distract The North and Soulh!
What could longer divide them? Together
they fought in The Revolution. They were
antagonists in The late struggle. Northern
and Southern men lay side by side on every
battlefield. All North and South, felt glad
when the war was over. When Lee sur
rendered, the Southern soldiers rejoiced that
the war was over, and felt assured that they
could obtain fair terms from The n urih. 1t
would be hoped, be the case that the great
est rebellion the world had known was not
followed by the shedding Of one drop Of hu-
man blood.