, 1870-09-14
4 PLEA FOR PEACE,
Address from tEle Committees OF tho
london aud American l'eacc So-
c5eaacs 10 the Friends OF Peace.

Address from tAc Commuters OF the
london aud American l'eacc So-
c5etacs TO the Friends OF Peace.
DEAE FRIENDS: That which we have long
fea.ed has come upon the nations. The sys-
TEN Of n1med peace which the goveunents OF
Eulo!e have i,.eisted OIL lnaiuts tsinlng has ie-
sued. rs s1lcl system cou q hot Tail, sooner
or later. to do, IN open var between tile two
powers which had most distinguished them
selves by the eacess OF their sarlike prePaEa-
tio.,s. Tie conflict which has now COM
1lenced will, beyond doubt, prove to be one
Of the most awful in tie history OF the world.
II vii! involve all incalculatle destruction Of
human life and property, will fill my1iads Of
Euish, will tle1a5ge thuse Leutti.eIt tes Of
commerce by which mankind are bound to
each nthcr. will arrest tie progress OF liberty
and civilization. will enyenom men' : spirits bs
evil lassons, and will uake the very name Of
Chrast,a.ity-she religion OF mercy anil
htutieTly loEe-for tho time nlockery i'll thu
easts.
Eut Mile overwhelmed with sotrow at this
ter ,istr event, Ne at 1cAst can luok uton it
with coasyicnce free from remo1sc. For
nnAy Srare We have not rcas:tl. to tha extent
If uur abilities aut} opportunities, in our en-
deavutr to impress u. on govetnmen;s m |
peoples the duty Of Using the LUCID Intervals
Ut feacr III adopting lnea.!s which would give
sollse guarantee to tlle natious against 20 dile
| calamity ut that which Las nuw eyertaken
! e.,mctin,es mistakenly accused Of doing, au
al preaching millennium OF universal peace. our
| vo:ce. on the contrary. has been one u con-
\ stant depreciation and warning. on the ground
that there ~as no security for re1re wlle
| Europe was incessantIy preparing for
war. ard while the nations were con,elit to
leave the continuance OF peacs at tho mercy
| Of TIE eAcitld pa senS and lazardou. acci-
dents OF the moment. Ths re!ora, it is that
sc have bceu strenuoa~ly cossending. first,
f.r mutual and simultaneous reduction Of
| ttlose enormous arnlaMent+, Which. kept ,up
| p1olcased1y III tho interests Of peace. are t1e
! nlost dangerous incentives to war: and, Sec
| 0r1ly, for tue establishment of i cD,trt Of ar
f,itrasion, Or scme firm Vt International jus=-
! diction, by which the differences of n4tious
could be REFERRED 70 ths decision If tea,un anil
Justice Instead Of prejudice and laseiu:.. II
tLe1e be any who duubs the efficacy nf these
ntea1s. will tley suggest e'tne ,usan- nlnro
| Cfdcscions. or are We to abandon mankind in
tespsir to the eterIal Tule of uariarlsm and
| brute force:
What now. dear friends, reu1ns for us to
du: Cnhs}riiy. in these countries wlcit ara
tic astua! eeat Of war the voice OF Justice.
teascn aud religion il etift.l. for thar /. the
a1sIy condition Oh which war eau Lc pruse-
| ru1et1. Dur excellent fellow laborere in sl..:
caurs OF rescs on tie Consinea: have not
been wanting to their principles asnl eouvlc-
tics's III this sTful crf=is. Consistently aul
/ eonraSrnuslv, even On the very arena Of war.
like agitation, hare they. III every way that
MAS open to item. uttered bold and eloquent
protests against the war. But while it may be
difficult for them to pt rseyere in that course
Tor war Is the most oppressive of tysants-
We must continue to denpufc. tins great
| crime against humanity, and. unalxxlesl by the
glare OF victory Which may attend ono site or
lie other. turn upon it steadiy tue light Of
| Haber teasun anu Christian morality. We
/ must gua:d ourselves, aud r.a whatever ii,-
tlueEcr we posses in guarding othlss. a,.iEs;
the coHtasion OF the war splrit. which i. apt to
spread even to thuse who are oaly spectators
| OF tile ccnilAt. We Mcst 10 ali that lies iu
oMr power to prevent the area Of Wa. bang
enlarged, and especially we nuei s:lelAn;1sly
resist all ATTEMPTS to insels.: ulr own c,uo,ry
in this dreadful iluh-&,giio. We l1l,si watch
every ol'.n!n;, fur the restoration OF peace, so
as to encourage our "wn 2ihs o.tsct neutral
governments IL Offer the uas4i.'oa at tie
earliest Eoseitlc opportunity with view 10
nlnsirg the wAs 10 an nj. And. above all, We
ls,l>t stand ,ncl,ured. wtr1auyeE this dt-
| p!o1.lle coni!ic: j. closed. to ityoi:s thu
;'utEc el.',4ion Of all Clsri-:cntl.sn iu favor
1T rucl measure. being saEcE . viii! for
| Tie future place the peace Of the world
sayund tl,'. rvatl ef tile Ie.-':,,al ambition Of
Individuals ti,r .a,rico,- impulses Of pt;,-
ulsr passiun- And may We not ltole that tbs
horror AMI indignation which, this wor canaot
fail ultimately 10 itt=ine Will eohsiEce al! men
uf TIC snprt ule folly aEd "icke.nsne OF Ieter-
ring the l.s}mtcs II na,ilns to the :,!irr! anl
| !uutal arblirameut of the sworst-will awaken
% E;r1n t.ems1.d a1nouy the la.ilis,.s Ut the
oppressed populations Of Europe a. can no
longer he resisted. for those measure. nf dis
armament a1nl arbitration for which, VIC hive
| teen 70 lens conten'sirg. aud wlE:h rernl the
trly means Of escape from the .ic;u.,- circle
in which the uaticns have teeu W loEg rev oly-
ing:
! Jn.EFu l..@E. Pres. LcnGou
ffESHl 1!1tEAEi., Sec. ] Peace Society.
l t{ttNt II t'tlN FAA nj
a.iAsA IoRl', Sec. Peace Society.
| ~entt iul,c.. !-.H.