Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-03-31

] Ence-ior you, who are The enemies of pape
r money and the sworn destroyers Of all bank
, ana all aftihclai clDsses in sOcicty-ls II ia
7 you 10 vote Tor measure Of such very couIy
ocal success
; Hut have still higher reasons. am op
! posed to war as friend TO human improve
ment, 80 human civilization, TO haman pro
gress and advancement. Never in the hisio.,
I of the world has there occurred a period =,
remarkable as the peace which followed III,
battle OF Waterloo for the great advance
made IN the condition Of human society, ant
that IN various forms. The chemical am
. mechanical powers have been investigated
! and applied TO advance the comforts of human
lie IN degree tar beyond all lha, was ever
known or hoped before. Civilization las
been spreading It's influence far aud wide
ana the general progress of human socIet y
has outslrIpped all that had been previously
Witnessed. The Invention Of man hus'seiz d
upon and sub}ugatcd two grea; agencies OF
The natural world which never before wero
made the servants OF man. refer to steam
aud 10 electricity, under which, OF course,
include magnetism IN all It's phenomena
Steam has been controlled and avaIed OF for
all The purposes Of human intercourse, nnd by
lis rcslstIess energies has brought nations
together whom Nature had seemed 10 sepa-
rate by insGrInOuntable barriers. Ii has short.
ened the passage across the A ,lantIc more
'han one hall, while the rapldlty OF travelling
on land has been three times greater than
was ever known before.
Within the same period man has chained
I've very lightning of heaven, and brought
Gown aud made II administer TO the trans
mission OF human thought, insomuch that II
may with truth be said that our ideas are GOt
only transmitted with the rOpldlty Of ightnlag,
but by lightning itself Magic wires are
stretching themselves IN III directions over
the globe, aud when their mystic meshes
shall at length have been perfected, our globe
itself will be endowed with a senslliveness
which will render il impossible to touch il
on any one poln! aud the touch not bc fe!,
from one end OF the world to the other. All
thS progress, all this growth Of human happi.
ness; all this spread Of human light and
knowledge will be arrested by war, and shulI
we incur result like this for Oregon? And
this work is as yet but commenced II is but
the breaking Of the dawn of the worlds jubl-
lee. 1t promises a day Of more refinement,
more intellectual brightness, more moral Gle
va,ion, and consequently gilmore human fell.
city, than the world has ever seen from lis
creation.
Now The United States and England are
two nations 10 be pre- -eminentIy Instrumental
III bringing about this happy change, because
| consider them as being the most advanced
IN the scale Of human Improvement, and most
IN circumstances TO farther tins ameIioration,
because they have lhe oonirol OF the greatest
and most extensive commerce at present in
existence. We have been thus distinguished
by Providence for great and noble purpose
and trust we shall fulfil our high destiny
Again, nm opposed to war, because
mold that it is now to be determined whether
two such nations as these shall exist for the
future as friends or enemies. A declaration
OF war Of one of them against the other must
be pregnant with miserics, not only to them.
selves but the world around them.
Another reason is, that mighty means are
now put into the hands of both to cement and
secure perpetual peace by breaking down
The barriers Of commerce and uniting them
more closely in an intercourse mutually ben-
eical. II tins shall be accomplished, other
nations will one after another, follow the fair
example, and a state Of general prosperity,
heretofore unknown, will gradually unite and
bless the nations Of the world.
And far more than that. An intercourse
ike this points to that inspiring day which
philosophers have hoped for, which poets
lavG seen IN the bright visions Of fancy, and
which prophecy has seen in holy vIslon--
when men shall learn war no more. who |
IAN contemplate state Of The world like this.
md not feel his heart exult at the prospect
ind who can doubt that, IN the hand Of an
Providence free and unrestrct-
ID commerce shall prove one Of the greuiesl
gents IN bringing 1t about.
Finally. ! am against war because peace
eacc is prc-cmlnently our policy. There are
atlOns IN the world who may resort To war
Or the settlement Of their differences, aud
till grow great, but that nation Is not ours -
'rovldence has cast our happy inheritance
'here It's frontier extends Tor twenty three
cgrcos ofIalIiudc along the Atlantic Cuas,.
has gwen us a land which IN natural ad-
antages,Is perhaps uncqualled by any other.
'bnndant IN all resources excellent ~ eli. I
,ate- fertile and cxuberant in sOII-capable
{ sustaining IN the plentiful enjoyment of all
Ie necessarles OF life, "A population OF two
undred millions OF souls.
Oar great mission as people is TO occGpy
lis vast domuin-there Ia fulfil the prlmcval !
Ommand tn increase and multiply and re. |
lenlsh the land with an industrious and vir. ,
Ious population to level the forests aud let
upon their soItudcs the light OF day to Z
lear the swamps aud morasscs and redeem
rem to the plow and the sickle ia spread
YER hill aud dale the echoes OF human labor
nd human happiness and contcnlment, 10 all n
,c land with cIlIcs, aud towns. and villages =
unite It's opposite extrcmltles by turnpIkcs =
nd railroads 10 scoop out canals Tor the |
anslnIsslon of ITS products, aud open rivers
r Ils internal trade. War can only impede . =
Ic iuiilmcnt OF this high mission oi Heaven: L
nbsorbs the wealth., aud dlyrrts the energy l.
hch might hc So much better devoted to v
Ie Improvement OF our country. All we u
ant ~ peace--eslab lshCd peace aud then a
me. under the guidance OF wise aud eau.
bus policy, will soon ,fIrci for US al the j
st. Yes, umc-cycr lnbpring lImc-SIl 81
feet cVcry tang Tor ", Oar population Is :.
Nv increasing at the annual average of SIX y
Indred tAousand. let the neat twenty five II
lars clnpsc, aud our increase will have 4,
ached million year, aud at the end ol
at period we shall count q population oi u
tty-fve millions. Before that day, II viii n
we spread from ocean 10 ocean. The coasts