The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-11-11
Feace Through Subjugatfon..

oosI III pIOOd and treasure
Peace Through Subiugation."
we invite the attention OF all thinking
men to the following lesson from history
1t is contained in An address of Hon
CHARLES MASON, of Washington:
Towards the close of the thirteenth
century Edward ], of England, claimed 70
be the legitimate sovereign of Scotland
holding all those to be traitors who 70.
sisted his rule. His claims were stoutlv
resisted by the rebels" under the lead
ership of the celebrated William Wallace.
In 1899 they were defeated at the decisive
battle of Falkirk Their military power
was "crushed" and Scotland was subiu-
gateI and "loyal"
Three years later Wallace had become
again as formidable as before, and Edward
had to commence bis work of conquest
anew. He moved ncrthward with the
whole military power OF his realm, accom-
panied by his navy, which had the entire
command of the sea. After a war of two
years the Scotch were entirely overwhelm-
ed, and Wallace taken prisoner and ex-
ecuted. The cOnqueror marched in tri-
umph from one end of the country to the
other. All wed in their professions of al
legiance; all bowed to the sceptre of the
oonqueror. He attempted to abrogate the
Scottish customs, to abolish the Scottish
name, and even to substitute English for
the Scotch inhabitants of the kingdom.
All seemed peace and security.
Two years later the rebellion broke out
afreeh under Robert Bruce. In 1907, at
the fatal battle of Metheven, the organized
military power of Scotland was again an
initiated and Bruce became fugitive and
wanderer. Eight years later he found
himself at the head Ofanother army. The
battle Of Bannockburn was foug hit and
Scotland was again free.
Under the weak successors of Bruce the
domination of England was again claimed
and enforced. For three hundred years
Scotland often raised the standard of re-
bellion, and seized upon every opportunity
that presented itself for cooperation with
the enemies of England. The two nations
came to be regarded as natural enemies
until James vi. of Scotland at length
assembled the English throne. The more
powerful country thus united itself to the
weaker, and national animosities became
extinguished by peaceful appliances which
would never have yielded to force. The
lapse of more than two hundred and fifty
years has seen that union constantly grow
ing stronger, which centuries of war and
mutual injury had seemed to have rem
dered wholly impossible.
These teachings of history of the past
are confirmed by the lessons of our expe-
rience. The State of Missouri once
reduced to quiet and held in constrained
loyalty by military power, is again rising
in successful rebellion, and must be con-
quered anew. The same may be said of
great portion of Louisiana, Texes, Ar
kansas, as well as some of the States on
this side of the Mississippi.
Mere conquest never extinguishes na-
tional antipathies, but gives them edge and
venom. The mild Influences of peace and
kindness effect what could never be at
tanned by violence in the production and
preservation of national unity. They ac-
complish their purposes, not by resisting
the power to separate, but by removing the
wish and the motive for doing So Is the
lesson to be lost upon us? Shall we con-
tlnue 'valnly to pursue the the phantom
"UniOn" over tie,ds of carnage when it is
ready to nestle in our bosoms as blessed
reality, if, discarding the brutal savage,
and tiendish propensities of our nature, we
invoke the peaceful influences of intellect
and reason and the teachings of the Divine
Master. Wemay soon have peace and Union
if We choose, but not by war, however
successful. The conquest Of all the cities
and the dispersion Of the armies of the
Confederacy will only bring increasing DIFF
ficulties and enshroud the country in
deeper gloom. Your means of support
will be distracted by increasing taxation,
your sons snatched from you by frequently
recurring ccnscription. Large standing
armies will be necessary to preserve the
country in its forced allegiance The sim
plicity Of your republican institutions will
disappear, and in their stead the costly
machinery of government which en-
forces obedience by the fear it excites
rather than by the affection it induces.
For your own sake and for that of your
posterity we conjure you to turn back
from TIE path of danger in which you are
now rushing forward to your ruin.