Above all, the
grand and only effectual security in the last resort against the
despotism of the government is in that case wanting: the sympathy of
the army with the people. The military are the part of every community
in whom, from the nature of the case, the distinction between their
fellow-countrymen and foreigners is the deepest and strongest. To
the rest of the people foreigners are merely strangers; to the
soldier, they are men against whom he may be called, at a week's
notice, to fight for life or death. The difference to him is that
between friends and foes- we may almost say between fellow-men and
another kind of animals: for as respects the enemy, the only law is
that of force, and the only mitigation the same as in the case of
other animals- that of simple humanity. Soldiers to whose feelings
half or three-fourths of the subjects of the same government are
foreigners will have no more scruple in mowing them down, and no more
desire to ask the reason why, than they would have in doing the same
thing against declared enemies. An army composed of various
nationalities has no other patriotism than devotion to the flag. Such
armies have been the executioners of liberty through the whole
duration of modern history. The sole bond which holds them together is
their officers and the government which they serve; and their only
idea, if they have any, of public duty is obedience to orders.
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