The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-09-19

ofmy principles and feelings. They may
take my life, but they cannot force me to do
injury to one of my fellow creatures" AS
the Catholics had done,so did the Professionals;
they went away and left the man ofpeace safe
i'll his divine armour.
The flames of bigotry were of course fam
ed by civil war. On one occassion, the in
surgents seized wealthy old Quaker in ver-
y feeble health, and threatened to shoot him,
if he did not go with him to n Catholic priest
TO he christened. They had not led him far,
before he sank down, from extreme weakness.
"What do you say to our proposition" asked
one of the soldiers, handling his gun signifi-
cantly. The old man quietly replied, "lfthou
art permitted TO take my life, i hope our
heavenly father will forgive thee" The in
surgents talked apart for few moments, aud
then went away, restrained by power they
did not understand.
Deeds Of kindness added strength to the
influence ofgentle words. The officers and
soldiers both parties had had some dying
brothers tended by the Quakers, or some
starving mother who had been fed, or some
desolate little ones, that had been cherished.
Whichever party marched into n village vic
torious, the cry was, "spare the Quakers--
They have done good 10 all, and harm to
none" While flames were raging,and blood
peace-mnkers stood uniniured.
Ii is circumstance worthy to be recorded,
that during the terrible and fierce struggle, e.
ven in counties where the Quakers were the
most numerous, but one ofther society fell n
sacrifice. That one was young man, who,
being afraid 10 trust 10 peace principles, put
on military uniform, and went to the gar
rison for protection. The garrison was tax
en- by the insurgents, and he was killed.
ellis dress and arms spoke the language Of
hostility" says the historian, and, "thereiore
they invited it,"
During that troubled period, no armed citi-
zen could travel without peril ofhis life; but
the Quakers regularly attended their monthly
and Quarterly Meetings, going miles across
the country, often through an armed and iuri-
Gus multitude, aud sometimes Obliged to
stop and remove corpses from their path
The Catholics, angry at Protestant meetings
being thus openly held but unwilling TO harm
the Quakers, advised them to avoid the pub
lie road, and 20 by private ways. Bnt they
in their quiet, innocent way, answered that
they did not feel clear that it would he rghI
for them to go by any other path than the
high road. And by the high road they went
unmoiested; even their young women, unat-
tended by protectors, passed withou: insult.
Glory 10 the nation that first ventures TO set
an EXAMPLE mt once so gentle and so brave.-
And our wars-are they brave or beHlI-
tiful, even if Judged ofaccordng to the max
inns ofthe world? The secrets of our cow
ardly encroachments on Mexico, and Of our
Indian wars, would secure unanimous vcr-
dict in the negative could they be even half
revealed to posterity.
A few years ago, met nm elderly man in
the Hartford stage, whose conversation led
a llppf a tl,n hpGahnss npl Infantry N
en- concealed behind the apparent, glory of
war. The thumb of his right hand hung
down as ifsuspended by n piece ofthread;nnd
some ofthc passengers inquired the cause.
"A Malay woman cut the muscle with her sil-
bre," was the reply
"a Malay woman" they exclaimed: how
came yon fighting with Il wonau?"
81 did not know she wasa woman; for they
all dress alike there" said he 81 was on
board the L. 5. ship Potomac, when it wns
sent to chaslise the Malays tor numbering the
crew ola Salem vessel We attacked one
oftheir forts, aud killed some 200 or more.
Many of them were women: and ! can
tell you the Malay women are as good fight
crs as the men,"
After answering several questions concern
ing the conflict, he was silent for II moment,
and then added with sigh, "Ah that was II
bad business. do not like 10 remember it
wish had never had anything to do with it.
| have been n seamnn from my youth, and
know the Mavlays WELL They are brave
and honest people. Deal fairly with them,
and they will treat you well and may be trust
ed with untold gold. The Americans were
to blame in that business. The truth is,
Christian nations are generally to blame in
the outset, in all their difficulties with. less
civilized people. A Salem ship went to Ma
lacca to trade for pepper. They agreed to
give the natives stated compensation, when
certain number of measures full of pepper
were delivered. Men, women and children
We're busy picking pepper, and bringing ii on
board. The captain proposed that the sail
ors should go on shore and help them; and
the natives consented with the most Confiding
good nature. The sailors were instructed TO
pick till evening, and then leave the baskets
full ofpeppcr among the bushes, with the I'M
Outstanding that they were to be brought on
board by the natives in the morning. They
did so, without exciting any suspicion of
treachery. But in the night the baskets
were all conveyed on board, and the vessel
sailed away, leaving the Malays unpaid for
her valuable cargo. This of course, excited
great Indignation, and they made loud COM
plants to the commander of the next Ameri-
can vessel that arrived on their coast. In an
sWer to demand of redress from the govern
ment, they We're assured that the case should
be represented and the wrong repaired. But
"Yanltee cuteness" in cheating few savages
was not sufficiently uncommon TO make any
stir, and the affair was soon forgotten. Some
time AFTER another captain of y Salem ship
played similar trick, and carried off still
larger quantity ofstolen pepper. The Ma
lays, eXasperated beyond measure, resorted
to Lynch law, and murdered an American
crew that landed there. The U. S. ship Po-
tomac was sent to punish them for this out
rage; and, as told you, we killed some 200