The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1851-10-30
For the Literary Echo
Spirit OF Conquest.

ctens're sometimes; but, wars of conquest
never. And yet these last have both beer
the most numerous and the most highly
extolled. In the delineation of these
historians, painters, and poets, have de-
voted their proud talents, and won then
rich laurels.
The spirit of conquest, however, is no.
thing less than the wicked spirit of avarice
that spirit, which, when found in the
cottager, or private citizen, is made by
word and scofing. But this spirit, when
spread through an Empire, marshalled
under national standards and breathed
forth in the airs of martial music, becomes
the spirit of inspiration and the guiding
genius of people. We readily and
literally pour rebukes upon the grasping
avarice of mser but we Immediately
turn and lift up our voices in long eulogics
to the heroes and hosts who plunder and
devastate whole provinces. Why this
strange inconsistency Why punish the
peasant for rifing his neighbours dwelling
while we welcome with plaudits the tri-
umphal return of the successful conqueror
and gladly garland bis way to the high
places of honor and power'
The truth is, we ascribc different quail
ties to the same passion as it changes the
sphere Of its action. Let covetousness
array herself in the character and pano-
ply of power, and assume a nations honor
as her object and aim, and men will bow
to her as to divini ty. Yes, Mammon
and Molock are virtual divinties at whose
feet thousands have paid their willing
offerings. Strange to say, might makes
right-power intoxicates; and ambition
sanctifes usurpation.
Let a nation imbibe the spirit of con-
quest, and its vital powers will Immediately
become prey to all manner of moral
diseases. All our social and generous
sympathies, all the higher laws of humani-
ty, and even the " higher laws" of God
are troddcn under foot. The arm of JUS
tice is palsied and the voice of suppliant
innocence is hushed by the heel of oppres-
sion. Our corrupt passions grasp the reins
of power, and on We blindly but impct-
uously rush to fatal destiny.
We may read the destiny of copquering
nations in the fate of one of the greatest of
their conquerors. Alexander overran
many nations and revelled in the capital of
oriental wealth and luxury but amid his
revelry he died-died as surfeited, gorged
brute dies, and though he was cofincd in
gold and titled with divinity, shame has
written his epitaph, and dishonor shall read
it to all coming ages. In vain do we now
look for nations and cities which were once
the pride of the earth, the homes of power
and the arbitcrs of fortune. The untu-
tored fisherman now spreads his nets on
the ruins of Tyre night-birds and bats
hide in the pyramids Of Egypt; and loath-
some serpents coil themselves in the Shiny
marshes where lofty Babylon once stood
These nations sent out their proud con-
querors who brought kings and princes c
obsequious at their feet; but their con- /
quests finally recoiled upon them with c
deadly energy. Rome, in her lust for t
empire, reached forth her sinewy arms and 7
bathed them in the blood of foreign nations.
But exasperatea, barbarian hordes, like L
harpics of plunder, burning with vengeance, t
Aocked to the seven-hilled city and utterly t
disemboweled it, The waves of vindictive i
judgment, though they may wait long to i
gather their force, will surely dash upon v
and overturn the thrones of oppression. a
Retribution for natural crimes cannot be p
escaped. And it becomes us to give dill il
gent heed to these great lessons of history. r
Christianity and christian civilization f