The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-03-03

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lot STE -, rea,.I vn. snodli stay at holne
in quiet, while they were obliged to fight to de-
fend his property. Friends, l have asked no
man to fight for me" replied the schoolmaster.
But they dragged him along swearing that he
should stand in front of the army, and, if he
would not fight, he should at least stop a bullet.
His house and school-house were filed with
women and children, who had taken refuge
there; for it was an instructive fact, throughout
this bloody contest that the houses Of men Of
peace lcere the only places Of safety. Some OF
the women followed the soldiers, begging them
not to take away their friend and protector, a
man who expended more for the sick and the
starving than others did for arms and ammu-
milton. The schoolmaster said, ado not be
distressed, my friends; forgive these neighbors
for what they do in ignorance of my principles
and feelings. They may take my life, but they
cannot force me to do injury to one of my fell
low creatures As the Catholics had done, so
did the Protestants; they went away, and left
the man of peace safe in his divine armor.
The flames of bigortry were of course famed,
by civil war. On one occasion, the insurgents
seized wealthy old Quaker, in very feeble
health, and threatened to shoot him, if be did
not go with them to a Catholic priest and be
christened. They had not led him far before
he sank down, from extreme weakness. what
do you say to our proposition ? " asked one of
the soldiers, handling his gun significantly.
The old man quietly replied, If thou art per
mitted to take my life, | hope our heavenly
Father will forgive thee" The insurgents talked
apart for few moments, and then went away,
restrained by power they did not understand.
Deeds of kindness added strength to the in
auence of gentle words. The officers and sol
diers of both parties had had some dying broth
ers tended by the Quakers, or some starving
mother who had been fed, or some desolate lit
tie ones that had been cherished. Whichever
party marched into village victorious, the cry
was, "spare the Quakers they have done good
to all, and harm to none" While flames were
raging, and blood flowing in every direction,
the houses of the peace-makers stood uninjured.
1t is a circumstance worthy to be recorded,
that during the fierce and terrible struggle
even in counties where the Quakers were most
numerous, but one of their society fell sacri-
fee. That was a young man, who, being afraid
to trust to peace principles, put on a military
uniform, and went TO the garrison for protection.
The garrison was taken by the insurgents, and
he was killed. " His dress and arms spoke the
language of hostility" says the historian, and
" therefore they invited it."
During that troubled period, no armed citizen
could travel without peril of his life but the
quarterly meetings, going miles across the coun-
try often through an armed and furious multi
tude, and sometimes obliged to stop and remove
corpses from their path. The Catholics, angry
at Protestant meetings being<hus openly held,
but unwilling to harm the Quakers, advised
them to avoid the public road, and 60 by pri-
vate ways. But they, in their quiet, innocent
way, answered that they did not feel clear it
would be right for them to 20 by any other path
than the usual high road. And by the high road
they went unmolested; even their young women,
unattended by protectors passed without insult
Glory TO the nation that first ventures to set
an example at once so gentle and so brave And
our wars-are they brave or beautiful, even if
Judged OF according to the maXims of the
wOrld2 The secrets bfour cowardly encroach-
ments on Mexico, and of Indian wars, would
secure a unanimous verdict in the negative,
could they ever be even half revealed to pos
;erity.