The national Republican., 1867-05-03
"MAN,s INHUMANITY TO MAN.

To the elder NAPOLEON is attributed this
remark: "Bayonets think" In other
words, soldiers and sailors are men, SEN
tient beings, and must be recognized as
such. If they are to be used for national
defence and national protection their ser
vices must be appreciated and their rights
respected. They will not take any pa
triotic or intelligent interest in Govern
mental affairs, nor fight and make the ne
cessary sacrifices for the maintenance Of
good order and national security, unless
they be considered an integral part Of tho
body polite, and are as free in the sphere
of their public duties, and are as exempt
from personal abuses, 90 Nro tho officers
who command them in theirs.
The conduct Of the American citizen
soldier during our late war astonished the
world and was q marvel to mankind. The
rulers Of the old and despotic countries oi
Europe could not understand it. To them
it was an enigma. Accustomed as they
have been to look upon armies as so much
brute force, to be used, whipped, NAL
treated and destroyed, just according to
the whims, caprices and scottish brutality oI
officers and superiors placed over them
they did not comprehend the morale which
controlled our great armies, nor the zeal
fortitude and prowess which our soldieri
and sailors exhibited in battle. The differ
ence lies just here: In this country oul
rank and file were respected, and com
manded as men-at least this was the rule
while in Europe great armies are con
sidered no better than dumb-driven cat
tie, and treated and respected as such
Hence the difference in results.
In Europe, large armies arc not volun.
teer forces, whose swords leap from their
scabbards when national authority and
governmental security is menaced but
hired myrmidons to be used up in the way
and whenever ambitious rulers shall so de
termine. There you cannot disband great
military camps with safety. Here, on the
contrary, the soldier is citizen; and war
being at an end, he falls back into the
peaceful walks and avocatons of life and
the current of his existence flows on as
quietly as though n.GCttining had happened
to jost!e nm for single moment from his
normal sphere. We now think of single
incident, which fully illustrates our idea
During the war soldier called on Mr.
LINCOLN to ask single favor, which hat
greyiOuly been FSIqHRsS Bp ssdlsefGNffPSe sGhRt
upon him, demurred; he must put him off
THE boy in blue" said-and he said it with
emphasis-"Mr. President, am. an Amer.
ican citizen, and you are but another, and
1 demand hearing here and now!" and
he got it. This is the American idea, and
we are giving it force and application in
all the relations of life, from President
down to the humblest individual in this
broad land.
We have been induced to make these
remarks after reading in the papers some
account Of a grave discussion now cong
on in the English Parliament as TO whether
it will be wise and safe for nation that
claims to be the most enlightened, civil
lzed and Christian people on the globe, to
abolish logging in the British army and
navy. iaere appear to be plenty of wise
legislators in Parliament who think and
say that unless Jack can be whipped, and
the soldier on land reduced to the condi.
tion of slave, the public service in these
departments will degenerate into useless
incumbrance. What nonsense, what folly,
what worse than folly and nonsense is he ,o
The British army and navy must 30 n
deed composed of the most dc ,rodod sne
cirnens of humanity if the ,oab IL noap.
sary to make it effci, .nsIIa M
tbo oon.;s,'" " o ~ at of the advocates o
rornont ~. e of fogging, and it is thu
nr ii tyrants everywhere.
at truth shall conquer at the last,
30 round and round We run,
And ever tho right comes uppermost,
And eVaF IL iustica dnna ~