Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1846-01-08

III QuofteHu buttuey Weeosass'y uo"o'-
ed 10 their rsso,ulion " doing good 10
both parties and harm 10 neither. Their
houses were filed with widows and ar
phsns, ,with-lhe sick, the wounded, and
the dying, bsIoWging both 10 the loyalists
and the rebels Someti,nes, when the
Catholic insurgents were victorious, they
would be greatly enraged to find Quaker
houses filled with Protestant families. -
They would point their pistols, and
threaten death, if their enemies were not
immediately turned into the street, to ba
mnssacred. But the pistol dropped,
when the Christian mildly replied,
"Friend, do wha, thou wilt, will not
harm thee, or any other human being"
Not even amid the savage 6erceness Of
civil wnr, could men fire nj one who
spoke such words as those. They saw
that this was not owardice, but bravery
much higher than their own.
On one occasion, an insurgent threat
ened 10 burn down Quaker house, un-
less the owner expelled the Protestant
women and children, who had taken re-
tuge there, 81 cannot help it," replied
the Friend $50 long as have a house,
j will keep il open to succor the helpless
and the distressed, whether they belong
10 thy ranks, or TO those fihine enemies.
IL my house is burned, ] must he turned
out with them, and share their affection )"
The fighter turned away and did the
Christian no harm.
The Protestant party seized the Qua
ker school -mssteI OF BaIlitore, saying
they could see no reason why he should
stay at home in quiet, while they were
obliged 10 fight to defend his property
"FIiends, | have asked no man to 6gh,
for me" replied the schoolnasier. But
they dragged him along, swearing that
he should stand in front Of the army, and
if he would not fight, he should at least
stop a bullet. Ills house and school,
house were filled with women and chill.
dren, who had taken refuge there /; for
il was an instructive fact, throughout this
blo'dy contest, that The houses Of men Of
peace oers The only piaceso ot safety Some
of lin. women followed the soldiers, beg
ging them not to take away their friend
and protector, man who expended
more for the sick and the starving, than
others did, for arms and ammunition. -
The schoolmaster said, "Do not be dis
iressed, my friends. | forgive these
Deiehbors for wha, they do, they do in
ignorance OF my principles and feelings
They may take my lite, but they canno,
Erce me to do injury to one of my fellow
creatures" As Ihe Catholics had done,
so did the Protestanis they wen, away,
aud left the man Of peace safe in his
divine armor.
The flames Of bigo!ry were of course
famed by civil war. On one occasion,
the insurgents seized a wealthy old Qua
ker, in very feeble health, and threaten
ed TO shoot him, if he did no, go with
:hem to Catholic priest, TO be christen-
ed. They had not led him far, before
he sank down, from extreme weakness.
"Whnt do yon say 10 our proposition ~
asked one Of the soldiers, handling his
gun Significantly. The old man quietly
replied, "lf thou art permitted 10 take
my life hope our Heavenly Father
will forgive thee" The insurgents
talked apart for few '!omen nts, and the n
went away restrained by a power they
did not understand.
Deeds Of kindness added strength 10
the influence Of gentle words. The
officers and soldiers OF both parties h ad
had some dying brother tended by the
Qnakers, or some starving mother who
had been fed, or some desolaie little
ones, that had been cherished Which
ever party marched into a village victo.
lions, the cry was, "Spare the Quakers
They have done good 10 all, and harm to
none" While flames were raging, and
blood flowing in every direction, the
houses OF the pcace-makers stood unin-
jurrd.
ii is a circumstance worthy TO be re.
co'ded, that during the fierce and terrible
struggle, even in counties where the
Quakers were most numerous, but one
OF their soricty fell a sacrifice. Tha,
one was young man, who, being afraid
To trust to peace principles, put on mill
iary uniform and went to the garrison Tor
protection. The garrison was taken by
the insurgents, and he was killed. HIS
dress and arms spoke the language of
hostility" saysthe historian, "and there
fore they invited it,"
During iha, troubled period, no armed
citizen could travel without peril of his |
life hut the Qnakers regularly attended
their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings, |
gong miles across the country, often
through an armed aud furious multitude. |
and sometimes obliged to stop and re-
move corpses from their path. The
Catholics, angry M Protestant meetings
being thus openly held, but unwilling to
harm the Qnakers, advised them 10 avoid /
the public road, and 90 by private ways.
But they, in their quiet innocent way.
answered that they did not feel clenr il Il
would be right for them to 20 by any |
other path than the usual high road.
And BY the high road they went unmolps,-
ed even their young women, unattended
by protectors passed without insult Il
Glory TO the nation that first ventures
:" set an example nt once so gentle and
so brave And Our wars-are they
bfav" or beautiful, even If judged Of ac
c"rd'ng to the maxiins Of The world 81