Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-01
south Carolina to the Front.
0Charleston News and Courier.)


We agree most heartily with the New
York Evening Post that 1.-THE time for
argument against the war has gone by;
that rightly or wrongly, we are In Tor
it," and that il is now our duty Ito bring
the struggle TO an early and successful
termination" IAN unsuccessful war
would be far worse thing for the United
States than successful one. and war
of one kind or other we now must have
The President has issued his proclama-
ton calling for $4,000 volunteers, and
South Carolina should furnish its full
quota, whatever that may be, and re-
spond to every call that may be made
now and hereafter upon 1t for men and
means with which to prosecute the struS-
Gle
We shall do all that we can to support
the government at Washington. the navy
on the sea, and the army in the field In
their efforts to achieve victory for the
American arms. The longer the test of
battle is delayed the worse IL will be
for us. Instead Of waiting for six weeks
before making an advance on Cuba, as
suggested In the dispatches on Saturday.
the advance should be ordered in six
days-we wish it could be In six hours.
What the country wants now Is that
the business shall be finished with the
least possible loss of time. When the
demand for war was being urged with
frantic earnestness by the jingoes at
Washington, it was said that the United
States would whip the fight in twenty
four hours. That was six weeks ago.
and we are told now that six weeks more
of preparation will be required before the
army will be ready to invade Cuba. and
the President has issued call for volun-
teers to serve in the United States army
for two years, unless sooner discharged.
The time limit is too great, and. now
that We must fight, we want TO get
through with it. If the struggle shall
be carried over into the next commercial
year, the losses to this country are be-
yond calculation.
No one will question the perfect
loyalty" of the New York Tribune to
the government and the old flag, and
what it says will probably be accepted as
sincere, as follows:
1.-THE Nation is not enthusiastic in tho
common and baser sense, over this war
with Spain. 1t has not wanted the war.
1t does not want it. 1t has tried every
honorable means Of avoiding 1t. Even at
this late moment it would welcome a
means of averting 1t. But the war is be-
ing forced upon it. and it meets 1t, not
with wild enthusiasm, not with rejoicing,
but with sadness at the dire necessity,
and yet with absolute confidence in the
Justice of its cause, and with that serene
self-continence that is the best assurance
Of success"
We agree with the Tribune that the
country does not want war, and would
welcome a means of averting it; but we
do not agree with 1t that the war has
been forced upon 1t, except by Congress
and the newspapers, and that there has
been any sufficient cause for 1t; but
right or wrong. just or unjust, 1t Is here
and 1t must be waged by the United
States with only ono object In view-vic-
tory; with only one spirit animating the
people-sacrihce; with only one watch
word-duty. Only one result is possible,
and South Carolina must have its proper
place in the picture; not in horse play for
the benefit of children; not in newspaper
Mysteries, and official wind-mills, but in
the ranks and wherever there is fighting
to be done. The sooner Ii is over the
better, and no efforts should be spared to
end il before the opening Of the next
commercial year.
This war with Spain, as we have said.
will not be like the war In this country
more than thirty years ago. The only in
terruption of our ordinary vocations will
be in our foreign trade. There is no North
or South in this struggle, except as ii
shall appear in results. after tho conflict
Is over, but the whole country, all the
States Of the Southern Confederacy and
Of the United States, are equally respon-
sible not for the occasion OF war, but for
It's success. The present business is
fighting. The harder and hotter the fight
ing the sooner the restoration of peace
and good order 20 Cuba and to our own
country