Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-02-07


It's iiamoTaifies ought also to he noticed. 4
vftu"us population is the glory ci "a country
oH' what school is the camp, and the bat
| Ne helC fnr The human character? Ii esuc
ciaiiy inJuies The moral feelings Of people
ny making human nature cheap IN their es
| iiUa'ion, AID human life OF as little worll
! ar an Insect or d brute. Soldiers who sur
'i'e The iate u war are very generally cor
fup'ed IN their principles, and when the,
! return To the hresIdes they bring back pol
tuition and wretchedness with them How
ever ms consideration may be commoni,
overlooked, ii is IA still greater evi! than
me obstruction OF life and property. A cor
inFt people must become in Il short time
oo'h contemp t lille, end miserable. But il
Is me certain necessary consequence of war
10 spread The coriupting influence through
The community. Men of ,ur.ler and OF
blood cannot he expected 10 he generally
very nice in their moral dis motions The
indulgence OF the malignant and ferocious
passions, creates, or Strengthens, evil habits,
ana The Iniquity which is thus brough, into
diniiies, spreads and transmits itself TO a
new generation, producing new harvests OF
n"i!ntian and misery. And when we re-
hcc' That ihls corruption may abide with The
Character aster this life, attended by inc0n.
CeNabie wreicbedness, he who can fathom e
terni!Y can calculate the evil of war.
bn', admitting the existence of.,he evil in
al lis extent, there ale those no consider
II unavoidably necessary a distinguished
man, The second President Of our country,
mas said that experience had cony inced him
tha' wars are as necessary, and es inevita-
Die IN our system as hurricanes earthquakes,
aud volcanoes" But how Can this be. III
'hey depend upon the " i'll of mar, then they
~ not necessary aud iney liable like events
which result from the established laws Of
nature, and are beyond all human control!
hey are obviously no more necessary Than
oue's anu theils aud assassinations. In a
government OF absolute despo,Ism, where
The will OF one man decides every Thing.
where The minds OF all others must give way
10 II, such an argument might have some
force; but certainly not in government
seCh as ours The remedy for aggression,
ana uhJusiiIable wars Of every sort, (and a..
Samst such only am coniending,) is in the
bands OF tho people Oniy let them be
thoroughly imbued with hatred OF this per-
nicious system, and The question will be set
He'd. Their representatives aud a gents must
soon echo their voice and hate il also.
iknow indeed that il is sometimes said that
without the check Of wars the world would
soon I've buFdened by IA population too nume>
rcus 10 tie supported. But assuredly it is
MOI or province To provide against the con.
tingency OF too many inhabitants oflhe earth
Upon This mons!rous assumption The cor
ra,inns Of London, or Paris, or n York,
might al proper intervals hire a body of as
sassIns TO thin off their crowded citizens
Lei US be content to leave the contingency
| al an orerstocked world 10 the wisdom and
providence o! lis creator
w I'LL Ee Aid that a. II
! existed, aud therefore always uW exist /!
An argument so extremely absurd, though
often used docs not deserve a moments con
slderaiion. We have only 10 use The same
mode OF reasoning TO prove that ignorance,
and 0ruta!IZlng intemperaHce, and tyranny,
aud all ev.Is that ever existed under the sun
have kind OF prescrip,ive right, in virtue u
| tong possession, 10 Continue just as they a.
'0ayS haze been, down to the lend of time.
peihaps ii will be said that The christian
religion to!erates war. Blu; the distinction of
wars as Just and unjust, should no, be over.
locked We cheeriu!Iy grant that the right
OF sell defence against unjust attack is not
ahfogated by The gospel; yc, il is oh, ious
una every war is uGjust or the one side or
The other, and that The wagiDg of an unjust
waf IS great crime. II i, undeniable that
II The gospel were universally obeyed there
S'''t 'O Nv ais nc same great kGier
who has said Thou shalt not kill ''-said
again "FoIlow peace with all men" Ii
may Then be replied, that as The prevalence
Of the gospel " III cure this evil, no sDeciaL
and combined efforts should he made TO ar>
rest 1t, but our eXeriions should be limited
10 The immediate and direct diffusion Of the
Gospel The christian religion is indeed
The great appointed system of Heaven for
the renovation of our world Blu, the
same objection would lie against all associ.
aii0ns OF philanthropy and beneyoIence, and
we should Tor the same reason urge all men
"ho are thus combined, 10 disband their IN
ION, and never act in concert but cor the di.
rect spreading OF the GOSPEL The true
principle we think is Ibis; that Untoa giUes
strength, that 5tnited associated action, is
PotCcDW action and that eUery continuation
Is g00a whiCh aims al the promotion OF anu
o'Ject calculated TO confer present, and last.
ing happiness, upon man. In this point Of
view enlightened reason must approve O!
The Peace Societies, designed TO influence
rnoiIc opinion so as TO extermInale walls
he PROJECT too has been brought forward
and most ally discussed Of late, TO establish a
bTdnd Council Of Nations for The settle
| mcnl OF National Controversies This brings
! me TO The consideration Of the second part OF
ibis subjec. which was-T The Remedu Goy
HM.
Is not the proposition for Council oil
Nations" just alluded TO, good one is II
I not important; is u not practicable? In a
cIyi'zed community, when two individuals
have controversy concerning some alleged
/ right, We do not pretend TO say they can hest
settle u by personal conflict, and physca
! strength. The proper course is plain. eel
friendly arbitration cannot be agreed UPON
no lsxu IA II