Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-02-07

defence assumes, that lie must either be !
taken or lost; but it would be difficult to
find in the civilized world an instance
where nation had no alternative except
to kill, or be killed. Yet this alternative
is the pivot on which turns the whole
question concerning the lawfulness of self
defence; for, if our life can be preserved
by any other means than the death of our
assailant, we are confessedly bound to
spare him. Can you point US to war
which this principle would justify? OF
what use then to contend for the lawful
ness of such war as never will occur2
4. Ecem defe~sive r0Gr none of US deem
allowable except as q LAST RESORT. We
ought to forbear to the Httermost-and
refuse to draw the sword until every other
expedient has been used in vain, and
nothing remains but to perish ourselves,
or destroy our enemy. If any overtures,
any concessions, or any amount of injury
short of death itself, would stay the as
sailant, we should not, on the toaoest prin-
|ciple of peace, be justified in attempting
his life, or embarking in war.
S. We all unite in condemmiasg the
WHOLE wAR-sYsTEM. 1t is founded in
guilt; the superstructure is cemented with
crime; it is mass of pollution, blood and
| tears. 1t goes upon the savage principle
of settling disputes between Christians by
the sword, and regulating their intercourse
as nations by the law of violence and
blood. The system is rotten to the core
Every part and parcel of it is wrong. 1t
is stereotyped libel on Christianity, a
standing mockery of the name we bear,
tissue of folly, guilt and misery that has
been age after age crying to Heaven for
| vengeance upon those who would WELD
such an engine Of legalized iniquity and
mischief.
All this we deem it possible to say in
perfect consistency with the right of self
defence. The laws of New-England, ii
not of the other states concede this right
} to individuals, but forbid their going
| ARMED for the purpose. Duelling is
claimed to be system of self-defence ;
but the laws of nearly every state in the
Union condemn it. Should we allow
our brethren at the South to defend them
selves in case of attack, we mi ght still
b. deem it wrong for them to carry their
dirks, and swords, and pistols in their
ordinary intercourse with society. So
we might concede to nations the right Of
self-defence, while we denounce as utter
ly wrong the policy which keeps the
. finder ready for the spark by maintain
J. ing such general such immense prepare
= tons for war as have covered all Chris.
tendon with barracks. This policy has
done more than almost anything and
everything else to perpetuate war, and
were every army in Christendom dis
! banded, every magazine destroyed, every
4 fortifcation demolished, every battle-shir
, , sunk, every idea of hostile preparations
abandoned, it would be absolutely impos
e sible, until the war system should be re-
sumed, to involve Christian nations ir
> bloody conflict.
" g. We think, too, that the cause of eoa1
. ought to be reaoreG. refer not to thu
4 pretexts or occasions of war, but to those
q things which conspire to perpetuate the
custom. l need not specify them all
but the most important are the war-spiri
E so widely difused, the hostile feeling
y cherished between nations, false notions
T. of national honor, the wrong education O
= children, the countenance given to tn,
custom of war even by Christians, tn
10 sentiments infused into the literature 0
&c the world, and variety of things too nu
VI merous to mention. Such causes, we al
insist, should be banished from Christen
D. dom, and along with them, the whole war
- system would probably vanish to return
no more.
o 7. We deem 1t incumbent on the friend
IN of God and man to use SPECIFIC MEAN
At for the abolition Of 1oGr and the spread 0
NJ peace co-ertensiUe 4cith Christianity
r. Such a result must be reached sooner o
= later Neither Scripture nor reason will
N permit US to expect it without appropri
N ate means; and such means we feel a
10 truly bound to use as we do the labor il
4 any other way for the worlds conversion
h Such are some Of the views common,
St believe, to all the dctiUe friends of peace
to all indeed that deserve the name in any
r. sense; and beg you to consider whethe
;. they do not open field large enough fo
- our utmost efforts, and whether they can
"a not be clearly defined, satisfactorily prov
is ed, and universally put in practice.
4 A DIRECTOR OF THE AM. PEACE Soc.
s. Speak not injurious words, neither il
:,e+ nov ~ 90 rneSt Scoff at nona thour l