State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-09-19
COMMUNICATIONS.
For the State journal.
THE CAUSE OF pEACE.-No. ..

THE CAUSE OF PEACE.-No. 2.
Hoe ,oar is generally regarded euen al The
present day.
1t is surprising TO see with how much
complacency the custom of war is viewed
by the great mass of Christian commune
ties even in this age of light and cultivation !!
Multitudos still speak of it us the glory of
mankind and even protested followers of
the Prince of Peace / have heard talk a.
bout it with degree of sang froid suffi-
cient 10 make one shudder.
This is bad enough even in those men
of the world who expect to reap some hon
or or profit from war. ] heard of lady!
who expressed much joy at the late pros
poets Of rupture with France, because
some of her friends, then midshipmen in
our ravy, would be sure of promotion 1t
Is very common for young officers to con-
graduate themselves OH the openings Which
n battle has made in the ranks above them 4;
and Johnson speaks Of contractors, pay
stinacy or nm i;ion adds another year to
slaughter und devastation, and laugh from
their desks at bravery and Science, while
they are adding figure to figure, cypher to
cypher, hoping for new contract from
new armament, aud computing tho profits
of scige or tempest" Mr. Jay, while en-
voy to England in 1874, was invited to par
take of public dinner in company with
large number of merchants, and, being
asked for toast, proposed one which he
deemed entirely neutral, in the existing
state of war between France and England;
"A safe and honorable peace to all The beliig-
erent popers." "You cannot conceive" he
= says, show coldly it was received and
though civiIi,y induced them to give it three
cheers, yet they were so faint and single us
most decidedly to show that peace was
no, the Thing thoy wished. They were
merchants"
Christendom, in the nineteenth century,
is not cured of this war mania. Nor is the
madness confined to Europe. but it per-
vades our own land. awe call ours" says
Dir Todd, "the most enlightened nation on
earth, inferior to none in owning the spirit
of christianity; and we claim this as an
age behind none ever enjoyed for higl
moral principle, and benevolent, dsinteres.
=. ed action. But when clouds gather in tn,
horizon, and war threatens nation, how
are the omcns received? How few there
are who turn aside, and weep, and deprG
cate the guilt, the wo, and the indescriba
BILE evils and miSeries of war! The greater
minority of the nation feel that the path o
glory is now opening before them, ant
that the honor which may possibly be at
tanned by few blooly battles, will be am
pie compensation tor the expense, the NOR
-als, the lives, and the happiness which mus
be sacrificed for the possibility"
"Lct that nation rush to war for SOM
supposed point of honor Watch the pop
ulation us they collect, group after grour
,lnder the burning sun, all anxious, ull ca
ger, and all standing us if in deep expecio
lion for the signal which shall call them Il
judgment. They are waiting for the frs
tdings' OF. the battle where the honor G
eho nation is stakcd. No tidings that eve
came from heaven, can send thrill of jo
50 deep as the tidngs that one ship ha
conquered or sunk another"
PAcIFIcUs.
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