Showing posts with label Confederate States of America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Confederate States of America. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Federalist Papers No 8, The Consequences of Hostilities Between The States

ASSUMING it therefore as an established truth that the several States, in case of disunion, or such combinations of them as might happen to be formed out of the wreck of the general Confederacy, would be subject to those vicissitudes of peace and war, of friendship and enmity, with each other, which have fallen to the lot of all neighboring nations not united under one government, let us enter into a concise detail of some of the consequences that would attend such a situation.

War between the States, in the first period of their separate existence, would be accompanied with much greater distresses than it commonly is in those countries where regular military establishments have long obtained. The disciplined armies always kept on foot on the continent of Europe, though they bear a malignant aspect to liberty and economy, have, notwithstanding, been productive of the signal advantage of rendering sudden conquests impracticable, and of preventing that rapid desolation which used to mark the progress of war prior to their introduction. The art of fortification has contributed to the same ends. The nations of Europe are encircled with chains of fortified places, which mutually obstruct invasion.

 Campaigns are wasted in reducing two or three frontier garrisons, to gain admittance into an enemy's country. Similar impediments occur at every step, to exhaust the strength and delay the progress of an invader. Formerly, an invading army would penetrate into the heart of a neighboring country almost as soon as intelligence of its approach could be received; but now a comparatively small force of disciplined troops, acting on the defensive, with the aid of posts, is able to impede, and finally to frustrate, the enterprises of one much more considerable. The history of war, in that quarter of the globe, is no longer a history of nations subdued and empires overturned, but of towns taken and retaken; of battles that decide nothing; of retreats more beneficial than victories; of much effort and little acquisition.

Federalist Papers No 8 Consequences of Hostilities Between The States" target="_blank">Federalist Papers No 8 Consequences of Hostilities Between The States from Chuck Thompson


The Federalist Papers No. 8 in full above.  To read the entire document in full screen, please left click the icon at the bottom right hand side of the SlideShare container of this document.  To escape full screen view, please hit your escape key on your keyboard.  Liberty Education Series here on Gloucester, Virginia Links and News.
Oil on canvas portrait of Alexander Hamilton b...
Oil on canvas portrait of Alexander Hamilton by John Trumbull (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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