Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-10-30
WAR AND PEACE.

The conflicts of nationsi like the
thunder storms that purify the atmos-
phere and dispcrse the noxious yapors
Of the earth, sometimes exercise
q healthy influence over the moral
life of a people.
o, Il gives room for the manifestation
nimity in the triumph and exteiias
to the hand of fallen foes the genera
Gus grasp of restored amity. The
progeny succeeding civil war, in
which the native peoples of other
section have participated, has been
ever marked by more sturdy man
hood in the succeeding generation
Every deadly conflict, however, is
but legalized crime under the law of
nations. The wrath Of Achilles, the
son of Peleus, dreiiched Greece In gore,
and the streams Of Demois and
Scamander flowed red with human
bloOd-Delirunt Rcges, piectu,atAr
Achiri. The pipings Of peace have
more harmonious sounds than tho
kfuans from battle fields; Ind recon-
cilcd hearts portray humanity In the
higher virtues conducive To mans
happiness; superior to all tho tri-
umphs of chieftains who have sacri-
feed a hecatohb of lives to secure a
worldly fame.
some to destroy Is murder by the law,
TO murder thousahds takes a specious
Wars slSriods arts. and gives immortal
fame.
These thoughts have been sugges-
ted on reading brief memorial sketch
Of the career of George Nelson and
Bushrod Washington Harris, privatcs
IN the Southern ARMY, entitled "Thc
Confederate Soldier.1 Their story is
touchingly told by the Rev., John @.
Edwards, A. NJ, d. D., of Leesburg,
and is published by Blelock & CO.,
which firm has been succeeded by
Wilcox IL Rockwell, No. 40 Mercer
street, New York, who receive orders
for this volume, that, from its small,
condensed form and literary merit,
will doubtless insure rapid sale and
continued popularity. The character
of the author IL guararteeo of the Chris
tian spirit that pervades the entire
work, which Is free from recriminato-
Nv words of violence, though every
line speaks in touching tones The ten-
der sympathy of the patriotic man OF
feeling. He but records the virtues,
bravery, trials and death OF twin
brothers, who, following the current
of events, buckled OH their armOr in a
cause "thty believed just" and testi-
fed the sincerity of their devotion by
the sacrifice of their lives. 1t Is the
outgushing Of sorrowful refnem-
brance, that In the words Of the au-
thor reminds the reader, "that 1t Is d
fadeless wreath of simple flowers, OF
affection, laid upon the graves of two
dear sons by the trembling hand ofan
aged fnther and mother, as q testimO-
nial of that love which can never die.
A fathers and mothers love-" Adj
verse minds may deplofe the infatha.
ton that led to the sacrifices OF valu-
able lives, but none can decry the
motives that would perform an hon
ored tribute to the memory OF moral
and manly gallantry. No! for such,
we say with the author:-
1t Is n duty we owe to those who
bore the brunt Of the battle; who
lived on the hard fare, and received
| the poor pay; who sacrificed fortune,
homie, health and life itself in the de-
fence of catise that we deemed just
| il Is duty we owe to their memories,
TO their patriotism and heroism Il
snatch their names from the waves
that bear them to oblivion, and III
them to stand
'Aslights and landmarks on til,
cliffs of fame"
1t Is the rule Of common sense, Law
and logic, that tho intention cofisti'
tutes the crime, and that irresponsi'
ble agents are not liable for acts com
mitted through influence they coulo
not with safety resist. ttwould there
fore be unjust 10 stigmatlze with op
probrium the ACTIONS q those wht
but followed whore others led, bui
who paid heavier penalty In sser, r.