Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-02-04
COUNTY FEBRUARY A. 1854

proachful inquiry which she will put to herself
while she suffers this vastly expensive preparation
10 be idle. If the maxim were ever true, "To pre-
pare for war is to prevent war;" it must have beer
those remote periods when such preparation cost
| title time and money. 1t certainly is not true
when much time and scores of millions are expend
| IN such preparations.
But to come to the bill before us. / would that
1t might be defeated and that the bill for building
yessels-of-war might be defeated and that the
Presidents recommendations for increasing the
Army and Navy might find no favor. For the pur-
poses Of national armed police, the Navy and Ar
my are already sufficiently large. WHAT'S lacking
ln them is an elevation Of Intellectual and moral
] character
1 But il is asked what shall we do with the surplus
money IN the Treasury? | answer-uGe il in pay
ing our debts. Among other debts, pay off, as
rapidly as possible, the debt we incurred in SUI
perlatiyely mean and wicked war with Mexico
do not leave it to posterty to be obliged to pay
repudiate that debt But it may also DO asked,
what shall we do with the future surplus moneys in
the Treasury? answer--haye none. Have mono,
either by adopting free trade, or by doing what is
the next best thing-raisng the tariff to the level
OF full protection In the mixture of free trade and
protection find pleasure. But what shall we
then do for means to carry on the Government
answer, that when we are weanc9 from the bar
barism Of war, and its attendant extravagancies
and iolles il will not cost more than tenth rs
much as it now does to defray the cost Of admins
| terng the Government; and that tenth the people
will be willing to be directly taxed for
But | must close. Do not pass any Of these war
bills. Do not cruel so foolish so wicked thing.
Cruel 1t will be to the poor who will have TO pay
these fresh millions Of taxes; for remember, sir,
that the tong poor the only creators Of wealth.
ouch as ourselves are but the cOnduis of wealth.
Foolish it will be because the more you oxpend in
this wise, the will it be felt necessary to ex-
pend; and because the more you seek to protect
the country in this wise the less she will be pro-
tected. Wicked it will be- because war, in all its
phases, is one Of the most horrid crimes against
God and man.
have made my appeals sir, in the name of rea-
son and religion-both Of which condemn war
Let not my appeals, which are made to our higher
nature-to all that is pure, and holy, and sublime
within us--bc overborn by the appeals which are
made in the name of vulgar patriotism, and which
are all addressed to our lower nature-to our pas
sion, pride, and prejudicc-our love Of conquest,
and power, aud plunder.
! There is just now an opportunity for Congress
/ to do better thing than to indulge and foment
the spirit Of war. Our Government as / am in
| formed is negotiating q commercial treaty with
England. From what hear Of its provisions, ]
rejoice in it. hope it may be consummated, and
| go into full effect. Ii will well dispose of the
fishery difficulties. 1t will open up reciprocal free
trade in natural productions with the British North
American provinces and 30 lead the way for re-
IllOse provinces III all pro-
ductons-in the works of mems hands as well ns
in the fruits of Gods earth and so lead the way
l may add, for such unrestricted trade with Other
countries. regret that our Government has hith.
erto been SO slow to welcome the generous over.
lures Of our northern neighbors | trust that nc
sectional or unworthy icalouscs will avail to hold
us back any longer from embracing these oyertu-
res.
l am informed that our Government is negota-
ting commercial treaty with France also. Now,
how happy if Congress would use their great in
uence to get inserted in both these treaties an ar
bitraton clause, clause submitting international
disagreemcnts to peaceful, disinterested, wise
| bi .rament. How happy if Congress would pass
resolution to this effect Such clause would
render war between America and England, and
America and France, morally impossible. And
such clause would prepare the way for the es-
tablishment Of an international court-that great
desideratum Of the world. Would that my count
ry might participate most promptly and largely in
\ the glory of such nm achievement We have the
village court, and the county court, and the dis
trict court, and the State court, and the national
court; and were it proposed 10 abolish one of
those courts, and to let the differences between
take their own course, aud run into violence and
bloodshed, such proposition would be regarded as
proposition to return to barbarsm. But, sir, |
trust that the day is at band when it will be
! thought to be barbarOus not to have an interna-
| tional court.
Sir, ] have done. Rapidly, very rapidly, has the
world advanced in civilization the last forty years
And the great reason why it has is, that during
that period it has been comparatively so exempt
from the curse Of war. Let the world continue to
advance thus rapidly in civilization and let our
nation continue to advance with it. Our nation
during these forty years has generally gone for
ward in the cause of peace. Occasionally il has
taken wide and sad step backwards, as in the
case with the war with Mexico. God grant that
1t may never again take a step backward. God
Urn lint in 10 tln a,,1
of peace this nation may adopt the motto on one
side of the standard of the immortal lIanipden,
"Rula restigia retrorsum'-no stops backward
and then it may have good ground to hope that il
will realize the blessing of the motto on the other
side of that patriots standard, "God with u.s."
Pass these war bills, sir, and carry out the Pres
idents war recommendations, and you will con-
tribute to continue that deep and long stream OF
sin and sorrow which war has poured down
through every age of the world. But defeat these
bills and frown upon these recommendations, and
there will be joy on earth and joy in heaven