The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1867-06-29
.PEACE HATH ITS VICTORIES

"PEACE HATH ITS yICTORIES."
1t is among our early recollections Of
hearing Capt LADD, the apostle Of peace,
give lecture against the evils and the sin
Of war, and we confess to q thorough con-
version to his way Of thinking. Our
readers will pardon this allusion to our
whilom peace views, and though it may
appear egotisticGl for us to dwell upon SO
uninportant fact we nevertheless de-
clare that we did honestly believe in Capt |
LADD's doctrines Of universal peace; LONG
WILLOWS poem upon the Springfield arse |
nal. and Mr.. SUMMERS Grafton entitled
The True Grandeur Of Nations" But
our civil war converted us back TO the be-
lief that war was sometimes necessity;
and while that contest was going on, we
we're as full Of fight as anybody that
stayed at home and did not fight at all.
We believed in war then most solemnly,
and We said, put the rebellion down by
fire and sword. That sanguinary conflict
is now over, and we can return TO calm
contemplation of those arguments that
convinced us that peace was Christian and
war was diabolical.
We have been led TO the consideration
of this question Of peace on reading the
appeal of the English Reform League TO
the working men Of Europe against war
The great industrial classes Of this coun.
try and of Europe are beginning to com.
pretend and TO fully appreciate this gigan-
tic evil of war. They understand that it
is thc.r blood and their treasure that is
wasted in war. Long ago sage philoso-
pher said, If subjects were wise, kings could
not go TO war. This wisdom is beginning
to permeate the masses, and this insane
thirst Of rulers for fame. glory, wealth,
and national nggrandizement, through the
sacrifice Of 50 much happiness and comfort
of the million, must and will be checked
CARLyLE, in that nondeScr'v' volume Of
his emitted "Snrtar Resartus," very graph.
ically describes the dntbtuS and purpose Of
about all the wars Of past centuries, and
he certainly hits off to nicely some of the
conflicts of Europe which have occurred in
the early years of the nineteenth century.
He depicts the sauguinary conflicts which
have occurred in these modern times and
lays bare the causes which have led to them
with a rnostag's hsnd. We UauuUL use MS
precise language at this time, us we have
not the book before us, but we can give
him sufficiently accurate for all practical
purposes. The great satirist speaks thus
lin certain English dun drudge con.
tanning FIVE hundred souls in all, fifty able
hodied mer have, after much trouble and
g., Aso, / IN reared up TO manhood. Now
village or DUN drudge, the recruiting ser
on some pleasant day there appears in this
geant, and after lEu'h swearing, lighting
and brawls, the fifty able-bOdied men are
listed, and are soon thereafter seen OH
their way vending TO the south Of Spain
About the same time the recruiting ser
geant makes his appearance in a similar
manner in certain French dun drudJ
and by like process fifty more able-bodiet
men are brought into requisiuon, and they
too, are sent to the south Of Spain; an
ere long the two bodies come into aetua
uXtaposItion, the fifty facing fifty, wheI
by their commanders the word fire is given
and instantly they blow each others Brain
out Now let US inquire, had these mel
any quarrel? Busy as the devil is, not q
whit. How then? Why, numscwl, theil
masters had, and instead Of having the
courage to fight themselves had the Gun
nlng to make these poor devils fight
Here, then, we have the whole Of it, lie
the people get their eyes open. What
have the industrial classes to gain by war
Nothing absolutely nothing. What hav,
they to lose? Everything. Our war wa
perhaps indeed we think il was, unavoida
BILE. at is impossible but that offences will
come; but woe rl!0 that man through
whom the Oifc' rometh." We shall no
say where the gr. at blame lies, nor Civ
our opinion as =. Who is most to be Ger
suTed for bring NJ on this war. 1t came
it was carried On, it ended, and some gooC
doubtless, cam, out Of it. The tax-gatl
erer, for long years to come, will remind u
of what we have lost, and the toiling mi
lions in this country must continue fo
so,e.-I generations to bear the burden
which ouG civil conflict OF arms has in pose
upon us.
We are glad that the industrial masse
ofEurope are moving in opposition to wa
Their influence will be felt, and we trui
the tine is not far distant when the grea
war cs'' ,lishments of the old world sha
be reduced to mere police regulations.