Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-04-03

L
/ have been purchased aud preserved arc tri.
vial and bepgary, compared with the trea-
'ures squandcred within the borders of Mas
saclIusells, in vain preparations for War
here is the Navy Yard ut Charleston, with
| us stores on hand, all costing Si,7ll 600;
the Fortifcuions in the harbors of Massa-
/ chnsetis, in which incalculabIc sums have
been nraly sunk, and in which it is now
/ proposed TO sink SO ,S53 coo more I; / aud he
SIDES the Arsenal at Springfield, containing
/ IN lsl2, l1j,l Ia muskcis, valued at S2090,-
'9e \ and which is fed by an annual appro-
rrintion Of about 100000; hut whose high
est value will ever be, in the Judgment Of all
lovers OF TRUTH that it inspired poem,
Wllch IN its Influence shall he mightier than
| y hlttlc, aud shall endure when arscnals and
! iorlltications have crumhled to the earth.-
some OF The verses of this Psalm of Pence
may happily relieve the detail of statistics,
while they blend with my argument.
Were half the power that fills the world with
terror,
Wcro half the wealth, bestowed on camp and
ccutts,
Given to redeem the human mind from error
There were no need Of arsonals and forts.
The warriors name would DO name abhorrcd
And every nation that should lift again
It's hand against its brother, on its forehead
Would wear for cvcrmorc the curse OF Cain
Let mo nllude to ono more ciriositU of
waste. 1t appears, by calculation founded
on tie expenses of the Navy, that the ave
rngc cost of each gun. carried over the ocean,
for one year, amounts 10 about fifteen ihou-
sand dollars n sum sufficient 10 sustnn ten
or even twenty professors of Colleges, and
equal TO the salaries OF NIL the Judges OF the
Supreme Court of Massachusetts aud the
Governor cornbincdl
In the contemplation of this spectacle the
soul swclls with alternate despite and hope
with despair, nj the thought of shcli wealth,
capnhlc of rendering such service TO IIu-
mainly, rot merely wasted hut given TO per-
pc;uale Hate with hope, as the blessed vis-
ion arises Of the devotion OF all these meal
culnbe means TO the purposes of Peace
The whole world labors ut this moment with
poverty and distress and the painful Jues.
lion occurs to every observer, in Europe
more Than here at hOmG--what shall become
of the poor--illc increasing Standing Army
of the Poor. Could the humble voice that
pow addresses ynu, penetrate those distant
rnunsels, or c6Rnkets nearer homc, it woOl
~ Asbhnh ro,lr iSian'linr ls.aA,;esct d.
Yves to purposes o. peace
..-- - aInHpcrcc, aLIaGou ,yuu.'
Foniicaiions and Arscmals, OF dedicate them
10 works of Benciicenco MS the Statue Of
Jupiter Cnpitolinus was changed to the i'm
aye Of Christian saint; in fine utterly for
sake the present lncOngruous system OF arm
ed Peace.
That may not seem 10 press to this con
clusion with too much haste, at least MS re-
CARDS our own country, ] shall consider
briefly, Gs becomes the occasion the asserted
usefulness of the national urmainonts which
ii is proposed TO abandon, aud shall next cX-
pose the outrageous inllacy--at least in the
present age, aud among the Christian Ma
tions, of the maxim by which alone they are
vindicnled, tlnt in time Of Peace W. must
prepare for War.
Uhat is The uSc Of The Standing .7my Of The
United Siaies? 1t has been principle of
freedom, during many generations, TO avoid
q standing army; aud one of the complaints
in the Declaration of Independence WAS, that
George III. had quarlercd large bodies Of
troops in the colonies. For the first years
after lle adoption of the Federal Consltu-
tion-during our weakness, before Our pow
or was assured, before our name had become
respected in the family Of nations, under the
administration of WasIlingon-a small sum
was deemed ample for the military estab-
lishment Of the United States. 1t was only
when the country, ut later day, had been
touched by murtial insanity, that, in unworthy
imitation of monarchical states, it abandon
ed the true economy ola Republic, md lavish
ed the means which il begrudged 10 the pnr-
poses Of Peace, i'm vain preparation for War.
1t may now be said OF our army, as Dun
I,c i,, .,,U rr q
increased, is increasing, aud ought to he di-
minished. At this moment there are, in the
country, more than fifty five military posts.-
Ii would be difficult 10 assign n reasonable
apology for any of thesc-unless, perhaps,
on some distant Indian frontier. OF what
use is the detachment of the second regi-
ment of Artillery in the quiet town of New
London in Connecticut! OF what use is
the detachment of the first regiment Of Ar
Iillery IN that pleasant resort Of fashion, New
port ? BY their eXhilnrating music aud
snowy parade they may serve TO amusc an
idle hour, hut il is doubtful if emotions of n
different character will not he aroused in
generous bosoms. Surely, lie must have
lost something of his scusibiity to the true
dignity Of human nature, who, without re-
grot aud modification, can observe the dis
cipline, Tie drill, the Improbable marching
and counter-m putting guns 10
the shoulder aud then dropping them TO
the earlll-whicb fill the lives Of the poor
soldiers, aud prepare them to become the
rude, inaninnic parts of that machine, 10
which an army has been likcned by the great
living master of the Art of War. And tliis
sensibilty must be more offended by the spec
tacle of chosen body Of ingenious youths,
under the auspices Of the Government, a.
midst the bewiichng scenery of West Point,
painfully trained to these same fantastic aud
humilialug eXercises-at cost To The coun-
document; Report of Secretary of War;
No. 2. Senate, S7th Congress, 2nd session I;
where it is proposed to invest in a general sys-
tenn of land delcnses $5l,G77,020.
! SExcc, Documents Of lSl2-l3, Vol. |, No. 3,