The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1872-02-15
The War Cloud.

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that war is inevitable. But sober rencc-
ton and the exercise Of n little common
sense tell us otherwise. There will be
no war between the two Couulrics--nt
least not during the lifetime Of this gen.
Grafton. England's pre-cmlncnt policy
to-day is peace. Though still claiming
the Wanted and iraditiouary distinction
Of "ni-lrcss OF the seas aud her morn.
iug aud evening druln-bcai is still heard
round the world. she cannot afford TO
enter hastily into conflict where she
would have 80 much to lose aud very
little TO gain. Her navy i, superior TO
oura, and the white wings Of her
mercantile marine cover almost every
ocean, but in month from the time
hostlilcs were declared privatcer. sail
ing undcrA mcrican cOlors would swarm
upon the seas and annihilatc her com
mcrcc. On the other hand, the United
States nrc not in the best possible con-
ditinn lust now to 90 to war with Eng.
land or any other first class power. The
acknowledgment may be little hui
initiating, but it is too palpablc to be de-
MED. a war would not be popular
the sentiments and inclihntions of the
people are not tuned TO martial notes at
this precise moment. They have not re-
covered altogether from the effects of
the late civil struggle. Its scars and
sores are little green and fresh yet.
The North and South have not got en-
tircly back TO that unity of brotherhood
and fra'crnal feeling which formerly
made the nation 50 imposing and for
midabc: and never will again as long
as the stronger portion tyranniZcs over
and opprc.Srs the weaker, as we have
seen notably cXcmpllicd in Congress in
the last few days. The public debt is
hopclcsSly enormous, Notwithstanding
the weekly parade in the partisan and
pcnsioned journals about its rapid re-
duction: and revenue officers, excise
men and tax gathcrcrs pcrvade the land
like the locusts Of Egypt proving upon
the substance Of thc people. The party
that would plant itself upon the dread
alternative of war when it could be
avoided without much of stain On the
nations honor, would receive but fec
bic support from The wealth and indus.
try of the country. We know that a
GOOD many wise and sagncious minds
think otherwise. and believe that n war
with 4 foreign power would he i'm
mcnsclv popular and have the effect to
unite tho sections. ohlilcratc old prcu
dccs. and consolidate and harmoni2r
conflicting sentiments throughout the
land. But they are simply mistaken :
and we are so confident We arc correct
in this estimate that we should dislike
very much to sre the experiment made.
As we have said above. however. there
will be no war between Great Britain
and the United States. II is not at AL
imminent, and hardly within the bounds
Of possibility. But the scn.aiion-thc
little cloud, not even so biz rs Il mans
hand-appcars at most opportunc mo-
men, To set tbs country agog and divert
attention from the abuses and corrup-
'ions which have crcrt into nearly every
department snd Office of the govern
ment. from the Presidency down, and
which were beginning to smell pretty
loud and rank in the public nos,ril, to
the dc,rimcnt and injury Of the Admin
istrai'ol. We have no faith in President
Grants capacity asa statesman. or even
as politician, which is n very different
sort of animal, but we will bet high on
his luck every time.
We repeat again, We shall have no
war with Great Britain about "consc-
Oucntial damages nor from any other
cause now existing: the interests of the
two countries are too great ana too i'll
timatclv blended. But the sensation
will endure for a season: there will be
a good deal of bluster and gas by bclli-
cosc journalists, who already snuff vii
famous gunpowdcr in every gale from
beyond the water; fortlicntions and
coast dcfcnscs will be brushed up: =
few regiments of Regulars will be
transferred from one place TO another
and recruiting perhaps be brisk. Then
the cloud will gently disappear. the
stern alarum subsidc. and we shall have
a hearty renewal of those cordial rcla-
lions which in reality were in no dan
Ger of being scriousl, disturbed. Mean
while the session of Congress will be
drawing to a close, and the invc,ti-
cations into the corruptions and abuses
complained of will be pro,rac,cd and
postponed until after the Presidential
election: thu, furnishing another strik.
inc evidence that the devil is always a
work. dcvi-ing ways and means to pro-
vide for, shelter and take care of hi,
own.
1921.
| The prediction of the French priest