Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-04-07
A QUAKER MAJoR.GENERAL.


The State Of Maine, it seems, has among the
members of its Legislature a Quaker preacher, Eli
Jones. His fellow representatives, disposed to have
a'little fun, a few weeks since elected Eli, Major
General. This honor he declined, in a speech
which has been some time waiting an Insertion
Mr.. Jones, Of China, (of tho Society of Friendsl
said, Whatever his ambition might have been IN
time past, his aspirations had never embraced such
an Office as an object Of desire. Tie could assure
the House TINT his election rs NJ ljor-Gcneral, was
an honor wholly unexpected. 1t was true, that
when the Governor announced to this House the
existence OF the vacancy, a member had in private
remarked to him (Mr jones' 81 shall vote for
you !; but he had replied, declining the honor, and
proposed to return the compliment. To his mind,
there was something ominous in this occurrence.
lie regarded it as one of the wonderful devolopc.
ments of the times. Who of us, that assembled
ten years ago, in quiet and retired places, to afix
our signatures to pledges Of abstinence from in
toxic0ting drinks, would have believed that in
1850, VIC should be elected to the Offices We now
occupy, amidst tie overwhelming rejoicing of the
people pledged to the support Of the Maine law ?
Who that Mt that time had visited the plantations Of
the south, and seen the slave toiiing under the lash
Of the task master, would have believed thatin 1863,
the people OF the larger portion of this great land,
would have been reused up with a stern dotcrmin-
alton to subduo the encroachments of the slave
power, anu pleugel themselves never TO cease their
labors till the wrongs of slavery should be anchor
ated; nay, more, that slavery itself should be
abolished! Still more wonderful, who would have
believed that the State of Maine, that not a few
years since gloried in an Aroostook expedition,
and was noisy with military trainings and the din
Of arms, would in 1870, exhibit the spectacle of u
peaceable member of the Society Of Friends being
elected to the post of Major-General of a division
of militia, and that by the representatives of the
people in legislative capacity
But Mr.. Jones had ever endeavored to regulate
his own conduct by the principle that legislation
should not 90 very far in advance of public scnti-
ment; and it seemed to him that his election might
possibly be a little ahead of that sentiment. lie
would submit this suggestion in all candor. 1t
was generally understood that he entertained pc
culiar views in respect to the policy of war. Ifhe
was in fact an exponent Of the views of the legis-|
lature on that subject, he would cheerfully under
take to serve the State in the capacity indicated.
With much pleasure would he stand before the mi
litia of the second division, and give such orders
rs he thought best. The first would be to aground
arms!' The second would be, Fright about face
Beat your swords into plough shares, and your
spears into pruninS-hooks, and learn war no more"
And he would then dismiss every man to his farm
and his merchandise, with an admonition to read
daily at his fireside, the New Testament, and pom
der upon its tidings of "peace on earth and good
will to men,"
eff, on the other hand, it should be determined
that his election was a little in advance of the
times, Mr.. Jones, as a good citizen, was willing to
bow to the majesty of the law, and as a member of
the legislature, to consult its dignity and decline
the exalted position rendered him by the House.
And he would now decline. With pleasure he
would tender to the House his trust, and the honor
and retire to private life"
This sYecch was delivered amidst Interruptions
Of uproarious applause.
member of the Legislature, in a letter to the
Advertiser, frolics over Eli and modern Quakerdom
in the following strain, which shows what rich snort
the wags had with poor fallen Quakcrdom and its
high priest;
Your readers may possibly ~rccollcct that when
our representatives took the oaths Of Office, a scli-
tary Quaker was found too scrupulous to do that
thing. How do you suppose we have rewarded his
stedtastness? Why, to-day. rs an appropriate tcs-
timonial, we elected HIM, Mr.. Eli Jones, Major
General of the second division! That is the way
our new party makes Friends g~eacrdlly. We are
ready now FOR any M~adawaska war number two
or for foes from every qunrte". Let none such
imagine that they will find Il virtual dcsertcr in
General Jones. Quakers never fight, but they also
never fail in an emergency. Ard we apprehcnd
that If our new general should ever fad himself
in battle, in the pursuit of charitable purposes,
while he would abstain from everything murder
Gus himself, he would be likely to say to the cap
tain of his artillery, stephen, has thee got thy
vile guns loaded with grapeshot again p An
ready, general Thee has done foolishly-fre
them off! Or to his cavalry officers, Thee and
thy men had better take an airing this morning
ride directly towards yonder hill-the crowd of
men between thee and it, will, peradyenture get
out Of thy way--but ride!
sob, the noble charge we made,
When shall cur glory fade?
All the world wondered
Prompt We a Quaker chose,
Ordering battles through his nose,
Good, as the world goes,
As any six hundred"