Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1826-06-02

Messrs. Edtora-- The folio wing ami
mattel, yet not exaggerated remarks,
| ought not to be confined TO the narrow
limits OF the yet very small number OF
| su bsc;lbers to Peace Societies. Thou
sands, not yet aware OF the value OF these
associations, will be forcibly impressed,
if not convinced, by the following glow
Ing picture OF tacts--authenticated facts.
There is moi probably IN all our hap
Ply country, one SO hardened as 10 assert
that war is a blessing--thst il is not a
curse--a most dire;ul calamity. Wars
greatest apologists universally agree to
call it an evil, tremendous evil.
Since then, all acknowledge war to
be an evil of enormous magnitude, it is
unnecessary for me to descant on its hor-
rors and atrocities. Unfortunately, they
have been too well exempliied in our
day. What pencil can paint, what Ian
guage can describe the horrors Of Boro-
dino, Moscow, Berezina and Waterloo !?
horrors which have not been equaled
since the sack of Jerusalem. Nor are
the nIseries confined to the wounded SOL
der, consumed, alive, in the burning
hospital, amid the shrieks and groans of
twelve thousand Others as wretched as
himself; nor to him who, overcome
with hunger and fatigue, and pierced by
the northern blasts, falls unheeded by his
companions in misery, among the driited
snow which soon covers him 4; nor to
him who, henumbed with cold, seated
on the dead body OF his feiiow soIuier,
gnaws a half wasted human limb or tho
remains Of scanty pittance OF horse
flesh, OF which he has just robbed his dy-
ing comrade; too happy, II the excess OF
his sufferings has brought on dclirium,
which causes his hysteric laugh TO pre-
vail over the dying groans OF his com.
panions; nor to him who, having escap-
ed these dangers, is tumbled by a fellow
soldiers arm from the bridge into the
free2ing current of the Berezina, OF is
| trampicd to death beneath The hoois OF
the flying cavalry, or is crushed henea,t,
! the penaerous wheels of the retreating
artillery nor to him VINO lay fourteen
days and nights-Oh, how long those
nights and days --expiring on the field
OF Waterloo.
Nor is this al---no, nor houseless age,
nor starving childhood--no, these do not
fill up the picture. In the back ground,
obscnred from vulgar gaze, the aged pa
rent, robbed by the CONSUMPTION or i'm
pressment, of his last earthly hope--the
| widowed mother with her deienceiess or
phan--the bethrothed virgin, with all
her fond anticipatioDs blasted, and the
thousand ram ihcations of misery, wner-
ever there are heats to bleed, or bosoms
TO heaye all these are necessary TO max t
up the scene. And when all these well
authenticated facts and ten thousand
others are collected, and there is added
TO them all that the most vivid imagina-
ton can conceive, still the picture falls
far, very far short OF the original.
! Ladd's .4ddress.
Can any one read this vivid, though
concise, description OF the horrors 0!
Borodino, Moscow, Berezina and Wa
terloo, without wishing tina, such scenes
may not again occur in Chris'endom .
In the address, IRON which the above Is
quoted, sentiments honorable to human
nature, arguments convincing to every
candid mind, are conveyed in language
strong and impressive. 1t is hoped that
no efforts in the power Of those concern
ed will be wanting to circulate the adj
dress throughout the community
Probably fifty thousand people in this
country and Great Britain have already
experienced some change in their views
of War in consequence of the exertions
of Peace Societies. Let the power of the
lever be sufficiently increased, and it will
move the world" A.