Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-08-21
From the Albany Argus.
The Peace Party and the Anti.Capital
Punishment Men.

a copy of Charles Summers address before the
American Peace Society, in e49, turns up among
the pamphlets in our Office Under the ambitious
title of "The War System of the Commonwealth
of Nations" he deals out anathemas against war
-denounces it as unchristian, barbarous, inhu-
man. 1t is the Duel of Nations, the Trial by
Battle,-an arbitrament from which the intellect,
as well as the soul, must recoil 1t is an address
of strained eloquence, full of borrowed scraps of
information, and initiative rhetoric, illogical as
whole; and the motive for it seems to have been
a desire to vent unpatriotic hatred against the
country, which had just come triumphantly out of
the war with Mexico.
Whenever the country has beon engaged in a
war with foreign enemy, the Peace Party has
sprung up to revile the Government as murderous
and depict, in exaggerated colOrs, the guilt of
blood, the waste and havoc which attend national
contests. This party has disappeared, however,
row that the war is between brothers, and the
horrors of fratrcide are added to bloodguitiness,
and the scene is at our own fresidesi Not only
disappeared as remonstrants against sanguinary
conflicts. but they have become the instagators of
the combat-the loudest in the call for blood.
In the same rank stood once the Anti Capital
punishment; and they, too, have gone over to the
side of war. Their cry for the sacrifice of human
life rises more piercingly than all others, and
never sinks into silence. Not only are they the
advocates of war; but they have extemporised a
sanguinary CODE which includes offences the most
trivial and is to be put into execution without
any of these opportunities of defense which the
civil Law extends to the accused. "Shoot Patter-
son, innocent or guilty. 1t will inspirit onr Gen.
erals. Shoot Gen. Butler where lie stands
hang the traitors of Baltimore, lombard and des-
troy the city, and let the innocent perish with the
guilty. was the tenor of the Tribunes appeals,
paper so tender of the life of murderers that it
never failed to denounce Judge and jury for con-
victions and the Governor for permitting the law
to take its course.
What is the meaning of this inconsistency in
human nature? What turns this lamb-like ten
derness all at into tgersh blood thirstinessl
We will not attempt the solution 1t is in part,
however, due to this, that the philanthropy of
these men were false, and was mere form for
venting their hatred of their fellow men. There
never was one of the tribe that was not a perse-
cutor and an enemy of his fellow men, and an in
ventor of petty punishments; and .coutriver of
disgracefu restraints. And in the next place
these creatures are always cowardly; their recoil
from the punishment of the murderer. was the
revolt of their tmd natures from the idea of suf-
ferng and death-and the wild cry of "kill, kill,
kill, which they now set up, is the natural utter
ance of souls whose cowardice has become frantic
at the approach of danger
! To show how Mr.. Sumner spoke in 1919, we
quote passage from his Peace Grafton OF that
/
/ year:
"Confessng the Brotherhood of Mankind, we
find at once divine standard, of unquestionable
accuracy and applicability, by which to estimate
the achievements of battle. No brother can win
! glory from the death of brother. Cain won
no glory when he slew Abel; nor would Abel
! have won glory had he, in the exercise of strict
selfdefense, succeeded in Staying the wicked
Cain. The soul recoils in horror from the thought
of praise or honor, as the need of any such mel
ancholy, hateful success. And what is true of a
contest between two brothers, is equally true of
contest between many. No army can win
glory by dealing death or defeat to an army OF
its brothers.
1.-The ancient Romans, ignorant of this sacred
and most comprehensive relation, and recognizing
only the exclusive fellowship which springs from
a common country, accounted civil as fratri
cidal. They branded the opposing force-ever
under the well loved names in the Republics
impious, and constantly refused honor, thanks
i giving or triumph to the cOnQuering chic
whose sword had been employed against hi:
fellow-citzens, even though traitors and rebels
As the Brotherhood of Mankind-now professet
by Christian lips-becomes practically recognized
4 it will be impossible to restrain regard within
/ the exclusive circle of country, and to establish
1 an unchristan distinction of honor between civi
war and international war. As all men are broth
ers, so by irresistible consequence, all war mus
be fratricidal. And can glory come from fra
| tricide2 No. no. In the clear light of Christian
! truth, shame and sorrow must attend it; nor car
any war, under whatever apology of necessity i
NAV be vindicated, be Justly made the occasion o
honor of thanksgiving, or of triumph.
Surely none can hesitate in this conclusieu whit
are not fatally imbued with the Heathen rage o
nationality, that made the Venetians say the,
were Venitians first, and Christians afterwards
"Tell me not, then, of the homage which tn
world vet offers to the military chieftain. Tel
not of the glory OF War. Tell me not of tn
honor or fame that is won on its murderou
fields. All is vanity. 1t is a blood red phantom
sure to fade and disappear They, who striv
after it, Ixion like, embrace a cloud. Thougl
seeming, for while, to fill the heavens cloakn