Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-03-15
For the Telegraph.
THE VERMONT CHRONICLE AND
THE LIBERAToR, RESPECTING
THE CHARACTER OF WAR.
For the Telegraph,

THE LIBERAToR, RESPECTING
THE CHARACTER OF WAR.
Brother Murray :-Casually casting nv
eye upon late number of the Vernon,
Chronicle, perceived an editorial notice Of
a remark made not long since by Mr.. Carl
son, in the Liberator, upon proposition Of
Mr.. Swift, in the United States Senate, f.,
promoting religious instruction in the arnr.
The idea advanced by Mr.. Garrison was,
that it would BE- about as rational to think
of devising system Of religious instruction
for brothef as for an army. This seems 10
have started the conductors OF the Chronicle
as most shockingly extravagant and pro,
fame sentiment. But is it so2 Let Us Iook
at the character of war. What is that char.
acter2 Let Us listen to the most disUD.
guished writers of the past and present ape
The late President Dwight in a printed
discourse Of his, alluding to the Amencsp
war Of Independence, says, the seven years
ofits continuance lowered down the moral;r
of the nation more than forty years of pes:e
would have done. He was an acute H.
server, and had been in the army himself 50
that his sentiments on the subject must have
great weight. Surely an institution tia:
will have such an effect as this, mus; be
bad indeed.
Dymond, that profound moral writer j.
that part of his work in which be is discuss.
ing the subject of oaths, in speaking of the
military one, shows US that it exhibits an
extraordinary phenomenon, in thai it binds
the subordinate to obey his superior in all
cases whatever, and that without any e.
cePtlon The higher authority must be
obeyed, let who will command to the cor.
trary, even if it be God himself! In THU
case, conscience, that law of the Creator in
the soul, is not allowed to come upon the
stage and speak. Capt. Thrush in his let.
ter TO the King of England, in which he re-
signs his commission as halEpay officer,
on account of his belief that war is incom-
patble with Christianity, tells his Sovereign
OF case which he himself, as head of the
Empire, had little while before decided,
upon appeal. 1t was that Of two officers in
the lonlan Isles. They had been required
oy their commander to take an active part
in grazing some one ofthe Romish festival,
IN that region. They were Christians, and
felt that they could not without sin iojn in
the ljolatrous Ceremonies Of that corruu
Church, and refused. For this thew were
sentenced as transgressors by court mar.
uaI on the spot. They appealed to George
4th. The sentence was confirmed. In do
ing it, he uttered this remarkable sentiment,
II consclenceis to be plead for disobedience
to orders, there must be an end to all sub
ordination in the army."] Why this, says
that author, (Dymond,) why this strange
peculiarly in the military oath, thatlt makes
no exceptions for conscience and morali,v7
why, but because 1T BELONGS TO cnsrov
WHICH ITSELF coNTRAvENEs ALL THE LAWS OF
MORALITY ~!
Perfectly simllarto the above, is the SEN
tment of the celebrated Robert Hall. In a
sermon OF his on the subject Of war, he ad
mts that it is TEMPORARY REPEAL Of al
those laws.
one testimony more, and that VIM. Ladd's.
10 laoored essay Of his, he proves that
Christians should labor and pray for the ey~
tlrpation of wars because it promotes pro
family: sabbath breaking, impurity, and every
other vice and crime.
nave the above named writers given lust
picture OF the character and tendency Of war
Then let little more be written IN tho srh
Iect,-let this 6end-like custom be drawn
out and exposed to day in all its features Of
'e'orfn'fy, as misunderstanding has BEEN
ana not many years will roll over the Chris.
ian world, before it will begin to feel that
Will oe about as rational an undertaking 10
each religion ia house of seduc,;on and
lI-Iarne, as among class of men whose
BUSINESS it is to spread desolation and death
nrough the earth. If Dymond and Hall
ire correct when they tell US that it is the
cry nature" OF war to, (aud that it does 50
ar as 1t goes') contravene and suspend, all
ne laws OF morality, the time is not d;stap,
'hen all Christians will perceive il as
ONE are beginning to do now: and them
UGH men as Colonels Blackadder and Gard
efT VIII no more be found in the army,
uSn IN Inc dwelling of her whose house is
he way to death. ~
1t is of great moment that II h. oors;d.re1
1at there is nothing in war in itself v;owed-in
le abstract, but what is had. Its whole natural
, . Is destruction. and that 10th in phys.
fIhe Chronicle speaks Of thu co.. p,t