New-York daily tribune., 1863-09-12
4" (ouscript Quakers."
", ~, ,,a;,,- Of re y. Y. Tribune.

course in combating p0pu.sr eir,r, and waging Il
righteous warfare aeaias; wong and outrage; and
pleading NE % the io',n.tro1den ana oppressed o'
every rsoo aad class Eat i, Was with iccngs o P''"
and grief ihas read an editorial under The above cn
zion in yorf issue 0 tao 2is list, ana teSiI' p.'i
space in your columns rei,r to what beii''o " 'o
some Of its nrr. nt und vital errors shan not ht
tempt to follow tlc writer through bs cursor! "H" mp
vant introdaction aiudinc TO what fo Gals timing
matters tourh do not 50 regard thcm. This intro
duc,u ru infed ao forchy Of Tie Tegp u the hogs
the fable 70 The bows who had been rc.tins them with
stoDe As may se sport TO yon but Is death 20 Us"
The assertion that le QpalcGs of tls middle - the
nine,eonth century cannot; if they wish. be formed al
te, tAe pattern ot those ~ho testified IL .lo GGlc o lo
seventeenth" snegcsis The Guery, Why mott lies the
sta.Isrd Of moral AID scus rcctude changed since
then. man lost us ability, through Divine help
10 withstand temptation and live up to what he consS
enousiy believes to be rshti Clearly noti for truth is
clearly nmui able aud urohalg1ble though II may H.
deed be easy 20 sophsiioao ToTal questions" and
thus rslead shallow minds.
The casc OF the youngmcn members Of he Society
Of Friends in rennsySGne, fur as stated. has re-
suited Just al who acquainted with the principles
OF the Society and ts past history mast have expected
OF al consistent members nnney, te'diasi rensut to
bear a-ms Indeed il is tie oaly course 'ho! can pui
sue unless they are prepared TO abandon TIER phoe'
and testimony against war. How is H. tia. willie you
respect the motives Of these conscientious coperrs
and are glad to find that in these days al faith in ab-
strsct tutl has departed" you con il the same
breath, advocate their practical abandonment OF that
faith b, accepting the oer o. two wealthy Friends 20
nav t.oir LEGAL oonmutatiuni Has the C.i maxim In
law "whas man does 10y his agent, he does ny him
sef- become obsolete and the principles OF moral
ity as Illustrated in the unanswered and unansverable
pages Of Dymond 10 be swept away with sias!e dash
el the editorial pen
No; as 10 this offer Of tie .wo wealthy Friends oil
1uded TO- the young doubtless clearly saw that
would DO inconsistent with their princlies and vita
those oi the Society. TO accept Iho Offer ard also IN
them TO make it, As they could not conhde ihei' pFn
cpes to other Tie responsibility Of their conduct rests
with theueiyos and hence they could not accept THIS
offer.
Ibeeve few will deny that there are certain inherent
rights and duties which Tghtny have precedence over
and lie deeper than aNy all human governments ana
which these have neitLe power aor sai to abTdse OF
destroy and Of these is tie night to The ree e1ef
cse Of the conscience between ard bis Maker with
out nffnsemer, cpon The tights or duties q others
Iwoold be easy for ne 70 slow tie Inconsistency ofUer
and bloodshed with ChIs;aIsy as taught ard preached
byour LORD and "a apostles and practically adheedcoy
era bus as tie article under notice Goes not ertef upon
this discussion br, rather hints tiai such an essay
would he inadmissitle foTbcu But ne manner you
propose fo tie Government deal nit, those oonscTpt
Trieuds cannot dismiss wiiiou; remark. That they
should be "huug or cowarice shot 0f irsubordiHa
tion," seems TO ne proposition 70 Ielulse a. Pro
grees cad 70 back 70 lie dark ages foi know u 10
civilized nation that h Tesoried 70 TIE Ike bgroaIitr
with conscientious Even Jen. Davis. 50 far ~
know has no. done t. And hc-c Let me say thai nave
seen The Friends from North Carolina Of wloin some
seoount was recently given ly yonr rhladdphia cores
Aroudenf who were forced into tie Eccl army, taken
fprsouers nft.r tie bate q GetsysbuIg condoed IN
Fort Delaware and released by cur Government
hoard from their own lips tie story u ;heif suffer
5nEs and OF them faithiunoss to their principles 1t
x,omple4ely re,ltes the statement " anything were
needed TO refutc absurd, tia; Friends cannot
1nainteiA their principles ss they did IN The seven
asenth century George Fox himself never sub
3ccted to toss than Was tie one Tho was Or
dered ~ be sho, nor did he ever experience more TO
xnmkablo deiycranco. IN the case " these Fneacs'
too there were Lot wanting thOse IN TIER ne.ghior
hood In high standing il toe Society Who advised the
garment Of the communication Chen $500 under the Iais
taken bu. we'll idea that this might be better
Shan that thoy should subjected 10 tie temptations
and evils Of the camp, b0. true - their prilc they
could IN 10 wise DO i But Lcw lasing been liberated
BY our Government. they iaerd settling IN tie Free
West and should they be drafted Under our colscrQ-
ton laws they must fogsooA. be forced Into our army
and fof oonsistencs sake be hung for oowardce or
Bhot for nsuboI liDaon according to your statement
rs a mater Of cOurse'
But those friends. though from Rebel State we're
loyal citizens Of tie United S,Ges-opposcd 70 tie 10
be.liol and all lis purposes and aims; aad aide from
their gous convictions against az war they could
not cOnscieItiOus.y engage IN oonisi TO dismembor
che Government Was II right for them 70 refuse to
bear arms to this end, aud with courage and con-
ptaDoy greater fsT than Is required 10 meet hostile Zoe
submit " whatever might bcali them on account u
puch refusal, WEo shan say nay' And Snai any pre-
sue to say that It lees their duty faithfully 10 main
tain their allegiance 10 that peaceful Divine Govern
nsnt which they feel be Of vastly moa consequence
fhan any earthly cons.defe,loni
In regard tie example Of tAe young man Ia &ossa-
xhusetts Of noDresstan principles wAo will not suffer
1is private convictions obsirct The operation Of
Jaw essential TO the safety o, tie Rep 80, can only
pay that be sacrifices hs private convictions TIC altar
OF some real or ianced expedency. In other words,
his principles maintained but reinquihed iOr
~ he pay fls money In eu Of personally going
Into tie amy should he be drafted under another con
scrption ac. without tie provision lie hos avnled
himself o. his private convictions being ous Of the way
i1e would clearly have to 20 u the war In person deal
ing death end destruction TO hs enees oT rather those
OF o country who.e salvation hc thus endeavors TO 30
cure But what will have become Of the non-resslant
principles which be pIofesscd 20 hodi
In conclusion permit nc to cay do verify believo
chat il Government takes the lives Of tue loyal ana
innocent men, because they cannot conscebtioasy de-
stroy their folowceatures, it viii not only Disgrace
u i,ilrph uirln IuI IL VIII II