Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-11-12
An UnanSwerable Argument against
d Dir" War.
BY II. C. WRIGHT.

I..
About fifteen years co., I was at a hotel in
the city Of Providence, Rhode Island. In
front Of the hotel was a noble elm, and under
its spreading branches seats were placed for
the accommodation of the guests. Here | sal
one day, reading a newspaper; but the papeI
WAS uninteresting, and ! threw it down, and
looked around for a more animated compan.
ion. Near me sat a very old man. in the
garb Of the religious Society Of Friends, OF
Quakers. He sat cross-legged on his chair,
his hands locked together on his lap, his broad
brimmed hat on his head, and his conntenance
calm and serene. He appeared to be lost in
meditation. j locked at him for a moment,
heSitating TO interrupt him i; but finally we
entered into conversation, which turned upon
The views of Friends on the subject of mill
tary defence. Thinking it would be easy to
show the futility and sbsurdity Of those views,
] stated my arguments in favor Of defensive
resistance. He listened attentively, and then
addressed me in nearly these words
well, friend, thou believes it right TO kill
thy enemies in seif-defence !
'Assuredly | do
'Dost thou believe it to be thy duty to love
thy enemiesF
Certainly ! do
Then said he, regarding me with a smile,
if thou must fight thy enemies, | hope thou
wilt fight them in iOue.'
What do you mean by that = | asked,
sharply. DO you wish to insult me, or are
you in earnestP
In sober earnest replied the Friend, kind
~ but seriously, Il never mean to insult any
one. ! repeat, that if thou must fight and
kill thy enemies, thou art bound, in accord
ance with thy w views of duty, TO fight
them and kill them in iOre.' o..
But suppose the country is invaded by the
British or the Indians, shall | sit still and see
our institutions destroyed, and our cities laid
in ashes! No, | would 90 forth to kill, slay,
and destroy the invaders
But thou must kill, STAY, and destroy
them in Ore.' ,s' ul5
And suppose a robber meets me OH the
highway, and demands my purse or my life,
shall i tamely submit to the outrage! Not
|; ] would first lay him a corpse at my feet
Yet thou must lay him a corpse at thy
feet in iore,' quietly interposed tho Friend.
| felt annoyed at my inability to answer
the old man, who was thus mailing me to my
absurd position. | sprang up from my seat,
stood before him, and exclaimed, with fash
ing eyes, and voice raised 10 its most emphat-
ic pitch,
What! Doyou mean to say, that | should
allow an assassin to enter my house, to kill
my wife and children, without making any
resistance! No, ] would plaster the walls
with his brains, before | would suffer him &c
do so.'
Friend said the old man, : ] hope thor
wilt plaster the wall with his brains all i,
lore
And I suppose, if I were tho master of
merchant vessel at sea, and a pirate cam,
down upon me, you would advise me not t.
resist him. For my part, | Think shoulC
give him and his crew 10 the sharks
But said the old man, in a tone of NAL
tered kindness and serenity, : thou must give
them 10 be food for the sharks in hOUe, for thol
hast acknowledged it 10 be thy duty to low
thy enemies
What could | replyl The old man hat
brought conviction to my mind. | reflected
for a moment, and then said, Well, my gooC
friend, you have convinced me that | mus
renounce either Christianity or military de
fence. clearly sec that swords and guns
battles and bloodShed, are inconsistent will
Christian love-