A good deal of nonsense is being talked about Colonel
Burnaby's share in the battle of El Teb. He volunteered for the fight, and being a good shot, killed many, and for this he is blamed severely. Why ? As it seems to us, the position of a volunteer in action differs from that of a soldier only in this,— that he is bound to consider whether be approves his country's action, which a soldier is not. If he does approve, then it is his duty to lend his country the best aid in his power. If the best aid is to send lint, let him send lint ; if he can do more by join- ing in the battle, let him join in the battle. If it is wrong to do so, how is it right to pay taxes to pay the soldiers who are to do wrong ? All these objections really rest upon a latent belief that war is itself wrong, which is not true, if the object is right, adequate, and unattainable by peaceful means. We detest Colonel Burnaby's politics, but they are not the worse because he is willing to kill and be killed in furtherance of the national cause.
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