Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-08-23

season to make joint report for this paper.
Feeling it TO be due to ourselves, and to the
precious cause we advocate, that something
be said by US, to accompany the proceed
ings of the Majority-and in considerable
part the proceedings Of the whole, there
fore, venture to make the following brief
presentation of the case. over my own sig
nature, trusting that whatever Of error it [
may contain will be promptly and faithfully
corrected by my brethren on either hand
and that my brethren of the Minority will
avail themselves Of an early opportunity to
enlarge upon points, which, under present
circumstances, can but barely touch.
There was the greatest harmony in the
Convention, until what the Minority esteem !
to be the main question was approached.
The division commenced in the Committee
on the Constitution. There were two, out
of FIVE present to do business, on the Com
mittee, who, in the event found themselves
among the minority. These proposed the
following, to the Committee, as draugh t
for the main part of Constitution:
PREAMBLE.
1.-The advent Of the Messiah was ushered
in with the glad tidings of Peace on
earth and good will to men, The prin-
ciple Of non-resistance was prominent
among the holy doctrines which hetaught,
and was confirmed by his example. even
to the laying down of his life. "Ye have
heard that it hath been said, An eye for
an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but l say
unto you, That ye resist not evil: but
whatsoever shall smite thee on thy right
cheek, turn to him the other also" Ye
have heard, That it hath been said, Thou
shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine
enemy: But say unto you, Love your
enemies bless them that curse you, do
good to them that hate you, and pray for
them which despitefully use YOU, and per-
secute you" Believing that these pre-
cepts are of binding authority, and that
the exam o lie of their Divine Author was
set for our imitation; and in view Of the
balefuI consequences Of war to individu-
ais. and to misunderstanding time and
misunderstanding morals-brcakin ing
up families, & desolating homes-drench
ing the earth with the tears Of widows
and orphans, and the blood of husbands
} and fathers hurrying countless numbers
, of immortal souls into eternity, unprepar
ed,-we do therefore agree to form our
selves into Society, under the following
> CONSTITUTION:
Art. lst This Society shall be called
the Vermont Peace Society, auxiliary {,
the American Peace Society,"
i Art I'd. The object of this Sociel,
shall be, the total adjustment Of War.
Art. 3D. The measures to be used il
= this enterprise shall be only such as ar
sanctioned by humanity and the Christian
religion We shall labor to discourag
and suppress everything which may hav
= tendency to foster or to fan the spirit G
war-such as military institutions of learn
ing, military trainings, the support of ar
> senals, standing armes and navies. w
! shall cooperate with the parent Societ
in lifting up the voice Of remonstrance
! entreaty, and rebuke, through the agenc
- of the living speaker, and Of pamphlet
! and periodicals devoted to the work. w
= shall aim to purge the war spirit from tn
churches. Finally, trusting in God, tn
. source of wisdom and strength, we shaI
spare no Gospel measures against thi
execrable system of folly anil wickedness.
y Some may, at first, be ready to ask, wha
. is the difference between this and the mai
; article in the Constitution adopted by tn
Y Majority-that being an exact transcript c
Il the I'd article in the American Peace Sc
:. ciety's Constitution The real differenc
e is infnitel greater than the dpparent.-
The extent Of it had not all been discovere
; bv the Minority themselves, until the aqeu
~ of the American Peace Society, present, i
~ behalf of that Society, put his own construc
, ton on the Society's Constitution. 1t
If but justice TO the agent, however, to stat
1t here, that, for himself he fully avowed tn
j. sentiment that all war is sinful. But tn
American Peace Society, he told us, Au
e only to do 1rIh 1rars betneen nations. -
'e Thus it lays platform broad enough fc
e men Of the most heterogeneous, inconsis
II ent, and directly conflicting opinions an
70 practices to stand upon. First, if you pleas,
q come up those who maintain that all eva,
e and fghtings" are sinful-beleving an
j. acting on the principle, that vengeance b,
lie longeth unto God-that the holy religion /
h Jesus forblds returning evil for evil, bio,
p for blow, violence for violence, murder f
y murder-that it requires the other cheek
"a be turned when the ore is smitten-to su
fer wrong rather than do wrong-to cove
. come evil with good" Next come thos
y who believe it to be sinful for nations to g
&c to War; but they reserve to themselves til
-.;u;Iana Of returnino blow for hlo.r. 49,