The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-07-27

IEACE SOClErH.-Auc dctfIIcsSIVdtOu
society has now benin existence acme three or
four years. But after the most diigent search 4
through our foreignand local files, we have not
been able to discover that it has made the slightest
approach towards the object processes to have in
view, which is nothing less than to bring about the
millennium, when spears are to be turned into reap
ing hooks, swords into ploughsharss, and the
hon is quietly to lie down with the lamb. Such
is the happy paradise the members of the Peace
Preservation Society promise us, the people Of the
nineteenth century.
We confess, that if ever there was time to test
the theory Of this notable society, the present Is
the most fitting and appropriate, when all Europe,
from the sunny south to the furthest extremity of
the black north, is convulsed and In arms when
two kings of France are fugilives and wanderers
from their dOminions when the Pope of Rome,
the bulwark of Christianity and aristocracy, has
been driven from the patrimony Of Saint Peter, and
the Eternal City itself is now in the hands Of
foreign mercenaries, with all its treasures and anti
quities when one emperor of Germany has been
forced to dvest himself of the pnrple, ard, after ALL
his successor is little better at this mement than
| fugitive when nothing Is heard all ever Germany
but the clangor and din of arms, the marching and
counternarching of troops, the fight Of princes
and mobiles one day, the massacre of their people
and their return to power the next; when the hordes
of Russia are advancing into Hungary, to crush
and enslave that gallant people, and with the Ill
terror view ofoverrunning all Europe; and though
last, not least, when England is Transporting and
exiting her best citizens, and her masses are only
kept down by an overwhelming military force, and
yet in the face of all this confusion, disorder and
bloodshed, and although it has been going on for
more than year, We do not find that the peace
association has, up to this moment, taken single
step to arrest its progress.
The truth Is, there never was a more monstrous
deluson than the theory preached by this fanatica
society; it is the most baseess, the most unattain-
able and widest vagary that has disturbed the
imagination of mankind since the days of the CRU
sades. Every man of common sense now admits
that the crusades were not only absurd and fool
ish, but wicked and mischieyous but, absurd and
wicked as they were, it will be found, upon little
examination, that they not altogether SO base
less and visionary as the vagary of the Peace So
ciey; there was some foundation for the crusades;
there was, IN those days, such nation as the
Turks; they had overrun the greatest portion of
Asia, had threatened to overrun Christendom, too,
and to plant the crescent in place of the cross all
over Europe. Letitbe remembered that Europe was
only then emerging from state of barbarism--
that the people were lmbued with all the zeal and
piety Of the early Christians-that chivary was in
Its meridian, and, to crown all, the Pope and his
clergy had the sinews of war at their command.
Looking at the state of human affairs as they then
existed, and the various events by which they
were Influenced through succession of genera
tons, it is not, we think, surprising that the Pope
should attempt to drive the Saracens out of Pa
lestine, regain possession of it, and extend his
power and authority over that country, which was
alone what he aimed at
Has the Peace Society the same m iterals to
work wth!-has 1t a foundation upon which to
erect temple to universal peace and concord!-
has It got the s,news of war, and can it raise an
army to carry out its behests! We apprehend not;
and even if it had, would not the cure Ito use a
homely phrase) be worse than the original disor-
der! What would the Emperor of Russia say to
this coterie, If they sent him protocol requesting
him to withdraw his armies from Hungary and
Circassia, and in future to keep within his own
territories lie would answer them in the same
language that Napoleon answered the fruit wo-
man in Pars-he would say 10 them, ." gentle-
men, attend TO your own business, but allow me to
manage my own affairs" Would not the pre-
sent ruler Of France make them the same reply,
if they called upon him to Withdraw has army from
Rome? and. in such an event, what power have
they to enforce their decrees or to coerce despots
and compel them to keep their ambition within rea-
sonable limits. The law Of nations, which is the
only tribunal they could appeal to- makes no prov-
sion for such contingencies.
The doctrines of the Peace Society are, there
fore, only an igais fatuus, calculated to confound
and mslead the minds Of men. They are living
lie, because they are contrary to our past and pre-
sent expcrience. History teaches US that the hu-
man race has, for more than 5000 years, been at
war with each other; and it teaches us further
that 1t is mprac,icable for any considerable length
OF time, to preserve peace between either king
doms OF republics, or even within the boundaries
OF n particular state or country. But, above ALL
we are taught by revelation, that wars and rumors
Of wars were from the beginning, and that such
will continue TO the end Of time.
AMERICAN CoNsCLs-SrRAvaE PROCEEDINGS .
IL really time that some movement, should be made .
defining the duties Of American Consuls. We
frequently hear Of them interfering between mas ,
tiers Of vessels and their commands, displacinc
officers, putting others in their stead on az parie
statements, and otherwise doing injury to the COM
mercial interests of the country, MS well as to in-
dividuas. II was only the other day that one OF /
those officials displaced the master Of vessel, on
the complaint OF some of his passengers, for
grievances, real or imaginary, winch they stated
he had subjected them to, and sent home, while
his thIp was sent on her voyage under the COM
mand Of another master. As soon as the dis
charged captain returned to New York, he laid
the whole subject before his owners, and the re-
cult that he was reinsated in his position and
the Consul's doings negatived. similar occur
renee has taken place very recently. A vessel was
given to an experienced shipmaster, on a voyage
from New Orleans to San Francisco As soon as
it reached Rio Janeiro. person, assuming to be
the agent Of the owners, applied to the United
States Consul to have the captain removed, and
On an or iarts statement, and wihou, giving the
captain an opportunity to rebut the charges agains