Rhode Island American And Gazette

Civil War.—Civil, or intestine wars, are distinguishable from external, or foreign wars, by the personal hatred of the actors. They are neither combatting for ancient, nor for new conquests. It is the despair of their passions, which involves these fraternal enemies in one common vengeance.' Even conquests in civil wars, render the victors fearful. Whitelocke was deeply impressed by this sorrowful observation. 'Thus,' says he, 'we may see that even after conquest, yet they (the Parliament) apprehended no safety. Such are the issues and miseries of civil war, that the victors are full of fears from those they have subdued; no quiet, no security.' When victories are painful as defeats, dark cypress, and not laurels, must be gathered. What can two armies of fellow-countrymen, sometimes two rival countries, opposed to each other with provincial malignity, destroy, but that which was their own? Him who so bravely assaults, and him who so bravely repels, the country might bless, had they the hearts to be recreants.

What scenes are shifted in this tragic drama! The plundered mansion—the village in flames—the farmer's homestead ravaged! Whose property has the hero of civil war plundered? his neighbors. Whom has he routed? his friends! Who appear in the returns of the wounded and killed of the enemy? his relatives! The sanctity of social life once violated, family is ranged against family—parents renounce their children—the brother is struck by the arm of his brother—even the affection of the wife is alienated—and finally they leave the sad inheritance of their unnatural animosities from generation to generation. In civil war, not small is the number of those whose names appear in our list of the sufferers, whose wounds are not seen by any human eye, but whose deaths are as certain as any which flies with the bullet. These are they who retreat into the silence of horror and despair, and die broken-hearted, or linger on with sorrows unassuaged, or unutterable griefs. But all are not patriots who combat for patriotism. All sorts of adventurers, looking up to all sorts of hopes, take their stations under opposing banners. There shall we find ambition and avarice, often revenge and ingratitude; so many are the passions civil war indulges and conceals.—Charleston Patriot.