The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-04-29
Peace Prospects.

The telegraph informs US that the MILL
tary establishments of the great European
powers are about to experience rcduc-
ton. II is high time. With Russia, Prus-
sia and France, the army has been chronic
disease, and if it has been true that Austria
has but to stamp upon the earth to create
an army, the earthquake was certain to be
followed by q financial epidemic. France
became sick of her army before its reorgan-
ization had been completed; Italy before
the unifcation of the Peninsula had been
accomplished; the Pope before the ranks of
Catholic chivalry were full; England before
the end had been reached by the thousands
whom she dispatched into Abyssinia after
that foolish THEoDoRUs who ruled the Afri-
can Switzerland and Nile-springs, and
thence hurled love and defance-the arrow
and the jayelin-at VICTORIA REGINA. Tur-
key has always been sick man-that is to
say, ever since he could no longer subsist
his army upon the spoils of conquered ma
tions. 1t is well for Europe's Kings and
Princes that the warlike establishments
they have been lately maintaining and aug
menting, should be promptly and even
largely reduced.
Except for e1igencies, which cannot be
expected to occur frequently, a standing
army is great evil. 1t is even cause
rather of weakness than strength. The
proverb that providence always fayors the
strongest battalions," is by no means
historic axiom higher than philosophic
wisdom, on the contrary, leads US to expect
that 'they that take the sword shall perish
by the sword" With few exceptions.
standing army consists of producers who
have been drawn away from the fields of
labor, and made consumers whom other
mems labor must feed and clothe. And for
the most part, the officers are idlers and
loungers-lhe drones of me human hive
This host is organized to destroy. Destruc-
tion is its bus;uess;-the destruction of ene-
patrons in time OF peace, as some OF the
African tribes devour the authors Of their
being;--destruciion BY the sword that stabs
and hacks upon the fields Of glory, or de-
structon by the knife-or shall we call it
the social spade that cuts and shoyels in
upon the fields OF bliss. A standing army
is IN immense crowd of poor relations
always on hand at dinner time, and eating
on every occasion as if each meal was the
last.
And the peace which It maintains is net
worth keeping, for it takes out the heart
and pride and public spirit OF people. 1t
is worse than war, in perpetuating those
evils, which war introduces only as tempo
rary measures. a force carefully handled,
held back by an unreasoning power, which
to all below is iron, ard 10 some inscruta-
BILE influence above is war; leaves all the
future in vague uncertainty. \ general
visits an immense peaceful city, spends a
day or two there without observation. goes
to church, aud then quietly returns home
Now it is whispered that he went 10 confer
absolute power in such or such an event,
upon an inferior officer; 10 direct where
the cannon should be planted and the broad
sides Of the fleet should roll. Henceforth,
every night. gloomy spirit foats over that
great city-a world in self.-branlishing
his sword. At signal, given hundreds
and hundreds of miles away, the glittering
menace will descend.
When government! is in weak hands, O
political revolution, or even u civil em:u.e,
may effect the changes necessary for the
relief of people. But when government
IS swayed by irresponsible and unscrupu-
lous strength, change means war; and a
standing army threatens the population
whom it at the same time slowly consumes.
1t is torrent as motionless, yet as mighty
"a cataract as silent, yet as fraught with
ruin tempest-tongued and resistless-as any
which daunted the soul of CoLERIDGE from
the mid-heayen Of Chamounix. Notion