Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-09-15
Address from the Committees OF the
london and American Peace Sos
cieties to the Friends of Peace.

DEAR FRIENDS That which we have
long feared has come upon the nations.
The system of armed peace which the
Governments of Europe have insisted on
maintaining has issued, as such a system
could not fail, sooner or later, to do, in
open war between the two powers which
had most distinguished themselves by the
excess of their warlike preparations. The
conflict which has now commenced Will,
beyond doubt, prove to be one of the most
awful in the history of the world. 1t will
involve an incAlculable destruction of hui
man life and property, will fill myraids of
hitherto happy homes with horror and an
guisb, will derange those benefcent ties
of commerce by which mankind are bound
to each other, will arrest the progress of
liberty and civilization, will envenom
mems spirits by evil passions, and will
make the very name of Christianity-the
religion of mercy and brotherly loYe-for
the time mockery in the earth.
But while overwhelmed with sorrow at
this terrible event, we at least can look
upon it with a conscience free from re-
morse. For many years we have not
ceased, to the extent of our abilities and
opportunities in our endeavors to impress
upon Governments and peoples the duty
of using the lucid intervals of peace in
adopting means which would give some
guarantee to the nations against so dire a
calamity as that which has now over
taken them. Far from having proclaim
ed, as we are sometimes mistakenly ac-
oused of doing, an approaching millen-
mum of universal peace, our voice, on the
contrary, has been one of constant depre-
I'd vxvory,iUr< on tho Fhut
there was no security for peace while
Europe was incessantly preparing for
war. and while the nations were content
to leave the continuance Of peace at the
mercy of the excited passions and hazar-
douz accidents of the moment. Therefore
it il that we have been strenuously con-
tending. first, for a mutual and stimuli
taneous reduction of those enOr-
nous ornaments, which, kept up
profesgedly in the interests of peace,
are the most dangerous incentives to war
and, secondly, for the establishment of
Court of Arbitration, or some form Of in
ternationaI jurisdiction, by which the diff
ferences of nations could be referred to
the decision of reason and Justice, instead
of prejudice and passion. Ii there be any
who doubt the efficacy Of these means will
they suggest some means more eficacious,
OF are we to abandon mankind in despair
to the eternal rule of barbarism and brute
force
What now, dear friends, remains for Us
to do? Unhappily, in those countries,
which are the actual seat of war, the
voic8 of Justice, reason, and religion is
stifed, for that is the only condition on
which war can be prosecuted. Our ex-
cellent fellow laborers in the cause OF
| peace on the Continent, have not been
wanting 10 their principles and convic-
tons 1T this awful crisis. Consistently
and Courageously, even on the very
arena of warlIke agitation, have
they, in every way that was open to
them, uttered bold and eloquent protests
against the war But while it may be
difficult for them to persevere in that
course-fCr war is the most oppressive Of
tyrants-we must continue to denounce
this great crime against humanity, and
undazzled by the glare of victory which
may attend one side or the other, turn
upon it steadily the light of sober reason
and Christian morality. We must guard
ourselves and use whatever influence we
possess in Guarding others, against the
contagion of the war spirit which is apt
taturs Of the conflict. We must do all
that Lies in our power to prevent the area
Of the war being enlarged, and especially
we must streuuously resist all attempts to
involve our own country in this dreadful
imbroglio. We must watch every open
ing for the restoration of peace. so as to
encourage our own and other neutral gov
; ernmeuts, to offer their mediation
at the earliest possible opportunity
with view to bring the war
to an end. Aud above all we must
stand prepared, whenever this deplora.
bic conflict is closed, to invoke the public
opinion of all Christendom in favor of
such measures being taken, as will for the
future place tie peace of the world be.
yond the reach OF the personal
ambition of individuals, or the ca
PRECIOUS impulses of popular passion
And may we not hope that the hor-
or and indignation which this war
cannot fail ultimately to inspire, will con-
vince all men OF. the supreme folly and
wlekedness of referring the disputes of
nations to the blind and brutal arbitra-
ment of the sword-wiu awaken so stern
demand among the millions of the op-
pressed populations of Europe az can no
longer be resisted, for those measures Of
disarmament and arbitration for which
we have been so long contending, and
which seem the only means of escape from
the vicious circle in which the nations
have been so long revolving?
JOSEPH PEAsE, Prest. London
HENRY RICHARD, Sec. : Peace Society.
HOWARD MALcoM, Prst American
AMAsA LORD, Sec. Peace Society
Sept, 1870.
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