The Russellville Democrat., 1890-06-12

osity, or bathed in cruelty, or bathed in oppression, or bathed in outrage, but bathed in Heaven =
 But the sword is doomed. There is one word that needs to be written fu every throne-room, in every war-ofilce, in every navy-y ard, in every national council That word is disarmament. But no government can afford to throw it's sword away until all the great gov ernments have agreed to do the same. Through tho influence of tho recen; convention of North and South American governments at Washington, and through the Peace Convention to be held next July in London. and other movementsin which Prime Ministers and Kings and Queen, and Sultans. and Czars shall take part, all civilized na- tions will come to disarmament, and if few barbarian races decline to quit war, then all the decent nations will send out force of continental police to wipe out from the face of the earth the miscreants. But until disarmament and consequent arbitration shall be agreed to by all the great governments, any single government that dismantles it's fortresses, and spikes it's guns, and breaks it's sword, would simply invite it's own destruction. Suppose, before such general agreement, England should throw away her sword; think you France has forgotten Waterloo? Suppose before such general agreement Ger many should throw away her sword; how long would Alsace and Lorraine stay as they are? Suppose the Czar of Russia before any such general agree ment should throw away his sword, all the eagles and vultures and lions of Flu ropean power wsuld gather for a piece of the Russian bear. Suppose the United States, without any such gener- al agreement of disarmament, should throw away her sword. it would not be long before the Narrows of our harbor would be ablaze with the bunting of foreign navies coming here to show the folly of the Monroe Doctrine"
 Side by side tho two movements must go. Complete armament until all agree to disarmament. At tho same com mand of .'Haltu' all nations halting. At the same command of Ground arms!'' all muskets humping. At the same command of Break ranksl" all armies disbanding. That may be nearer than you think. The standing army is the nightmare of nations. England wants to get rid of it, Germany is being eaten up by it, Russia is almost taxed to death with it. Suppose that the mill- ions of men belonging to the standing armies of the world and in absolute likeness. for the most part of their lives, should become producers, instead of consumers. Would not the world s properties improve, and the worlds morals be better? Or have you the heathenish idea that war is neces- sary to kill off the surplus populations of the earth, and that without it the world would be so crowded there would soon be no reserved seats, and even the standing room would be exhausted? Ahl I think we can trust to the pneu- monias, and the consnmptions, and the levers, and the Russian grippes to kill the people fast enough. Beside that, when the world gets too full God will blow up the whole concern and start an other world and better one Beside that, war kills the people who san least be spared. It takes the pink of the na- tions. Those whom we could easily spare to go to the front are in the penitentiary, and their duties detain them in that limited sphere. No; it is the public-spirited and tho valorous who go out to die. Mostly are they young men. If they were aged and had only five or ten years at most to live, the sacrifice would not be so great. But it is those who have forty or fifty years to live who step into the jaws of battle. In our war Colonel Ellsworth fell while yet a mere lad. Renowned McPherson was only thirty five. Magnificent Reynolds was only forty-three. Hundreds of thousands fell between twenty and thirty years or age. I looked into the faces of the French and German troops as they went out to fight at Sedan, and they were of the most part armies of splen. did boys. So in all ages war has pre- ferred to sacrifice the young. Alexan- der the Great died at thirry-two. When war stays the young it not only takes down that which they are, but that which they might have been.
 So we are glad at the Isaiahic proph- ecy. that the time is coming when na- tion shall not lift up sword against na- tioa. Indeed, both swords shall go back into the scabbard sword sathed in Heaven and the sword bathed in hell. In war in Spain soldier went on a expedition, and, secluded in bush, he had the opportunity of shooting a soldier of the other army who had strolled away from his tent He took aim and dropped him. Running up to the fallen man he took his knap- sack for spoil, and letter dropped out of it. and it turned out to be letter signed by his own father; in other words, ho had shot his brother. If tho brotherhood of man be a true doctrine, then he who shoots another man always shoots his own brother What horror is war and cruelties were well illustrat- ed when the Tartars. after sweeping through Russia and Poland, displayed with pride nine great sacks filled with the right ears Of the fallen, and when a of the London Times, writing of the wounded after tho bat tic of Sedan. said: Every moan that the human voice can utter rose from that heap of agony, and the cries of Water! For tho love of God, water A doctor! A doctorl' never ceased" After war has wrought such cruelties, how glad we will be to have the old monster himself die. Let his dying couch be spread in some disman> tied fortress, through which the stormy wind howls. Give him for a pillow q battered shield, and let his bed be hard with the rusted bayonets of the slain. Cover him with the coarest blanket that picket ever wore, and let his only cup be the bleached bone of one Of his war chare CTS, and tho last taper by his bed side expire as the midnight blast sighs into his ear: ''The candle of the wicked shall be put ont.
 Officers and comrades of the Thir- teenth Regiment of State militia: After another year of pleasant acquaintance l