Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-11-25
The Peace Meeting at Mechanics Hail.

The Pence Meeting at Mechanics Hall.
The dripping skies prevented a large meeting
in Mechanics hall last evening to hear speeches
and music in celebration of the Washington
treaty, which looks to international arbitration
for the settlement of the differences between the
United States and England, instead Of war;
This step, so satisfactory to the peace society,
and from which so much is hoped by the
apostles of peace, has been celebrated by SINH
lar meetings in several cities, and this one Of
last evening was held at the instance of Rev.
James B. Miles, secretary OF the American
peace association, who is a native of Worcester,
Speeches were made by MAY or Earle. Hon. 2.
Emory Aldrich, Rev. Mr. Miles Hon. Amasa
Walker and Elihu Burrtt; and a very attractive
concert of appropriate music, directed by Mr.. Il.
d Allen, and sung by a combination of several
of the quartet church choirs Of the city.
The exercises began by voluntary on the or
gan, after which Mayor Earle read the published
call for the meeting, and made bIief speech,
saving that he regretted TO see So few present,
and thought that if it was war meeting instead
of peace meeting the hall would be filled. He
hoped that the treaty at Washington was the
beginning of a movement which would culmi-
nate in the abolishing of warfare from the face
of the earth He alluded 10 the fact that a sum
of money has just been appropriated in this
city for the purpose of erecting soldiers mon
ument and said that if the monument had been
built TWO or three years ago, and had not been
left until this late day, he thought perhaps the
meeting would have been larger one; he was
afraid Worcester was behind the time in this
matter too much taken up with other things
He said that he was not only brought up to be
leve that peace was better than war, but had a
principle of belief that peace aud the settlement
of national disputes by arbitration would yet
prevail throughout the world. lie closed by in
Producing the Hon. p Emory Aldrich as the
chairman for the evening.
Mr. Aldlich called upon the Rev, Mr.. Gould to
make prayer, and ut its close stated to the
audience that by the first arrangement Hon.
Geo. T. Hoar was to preside, but, owing to au-
other engagement, that gentleman had been
unable TO do so, therefore lie (Alr. Aldrch)
stood before them wholly unprcparcd 10 make Il
speech He believed it the duty Of all TO concur
in the sentiment that led TO the celebration Of a
victory of peace between two great nations, not
withstanding the fact that from 1861 to 1865 he
appeared many times upon the same platform,
endeavo:ing by his words to fire the heats of
young men to 90 forth and vindicate the cause
of liberty and rood government by force OF
arms. He said that one day in the month OF
September, 1862, as he stood upon the
heights overlooking Antietam battle field
from the rising of the sun to the
going down Of the same, Witnessing that
great battle, and afterwards spent two or three
days in that valley of death and agony, he had
a realization of what war really was awakened
within him such as all the reading Of his life
had failed to make and he left the field filed
with admiration for the vaor and love of coun-
try he saw there displayed, and adherence for
those men who conspired in any way to render
the war necessary. He was glad TO know that
the grave and serious questions, lately the cause
of anxiety between ourselves and the mother
country, had been put in process of settlement
by a grave and serious negotiations and he
thought Massachusetts might well be proud OF
the foremost part she had taken in the move.
ment.
At the close of his remarks Il chorus from
Messiah, "And the glory of the Lord" was
sung, and Mr.. Albert Tolman read a letter Of
sympathy with the movement from Gen. Chas
s Deveus, expressing regret at his inability 10 bC
\ present.
Rev. James B. Miles, secretary OF the Ameri
can peace society, was next introduced to the au
diencc lie began by pictur NJ the beautifnIhar
+ mony of the heavenly bodies MS each performed
+ its evolutions in its own particular system and
passed to what he termed sublmer vision
the globe covered over with flee and intelligent
people, divided into states and nations, of differ
ent customs, rights and privileges, yet all dwell
ing side by side in lraternal unity, held together
by the great law of love, which has its seat il
4 the bosom of God, He said he was proud to cal
Worcester, city renowned for enterprise intel
liaence, and a love for all that is good and true
4 his home; and explained the true object of thu
meeting-the celebration Of one of the arandcs
events in theworld-more renowned than th,
victories Of Wharf.-The ratification of the treaty
signed by the Joint high commission Il
Washington on the Slh day of May last They
bad met, he said, not TO celebrate victory roll
ed in the garments of blood, whose peans min
gle with the groans of the dyingand the sobs o
the widows and orphans, but the victory o
peace, won with joy to ALL He alluded TO tn
recognition of arbitration rs a means of settliu,
N state difficulties away back in ancient Greece
The differences between two of the foremos
countries Of the globe have, he said by fiji
treaty been referred to the bar of Justice, reason
{ onscience and the eternal principle of right