The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-15
TO THE PRESS AND PEOPLE.


be inaugurated which will absorb the
attention of the whole people till near
the close of the year.
But an issue of larger Importance,
vastly more momentous, both for the
near and the remote future, than those
involved in any presidential campaign,
is before US. Shall the English-speak
ing people of the world be friends or ene-
mics? Shall there be constant POSSIBLE
ity and menace of destructive war, or
shall there be assured and established
peace, with honor and justice?
The suddenness with which the possi-
bility of hostilities broke upon the peo-
Pile Of the United States and Great Bri-
tain, wholly unexpected, profoundly dis
turbing, fraught with peril to the en-
lightened character of both nations, to
civilization, prosperity, property and
human life, is sufficient reason why the
people Of both countries should employ
their strength. not in preparation to de-
stroy each other, but in assuring peace
between the two nations upon eternal
and immovable foundations.
On the twenty second of this Febru
! airy. the people of the United States will
celebrate the birth OF George Washing
ton. Let the people make that day even
more glorious by insugurating move
ment for cementing all the English
speaking people OF the world in peace
and fraternal unity.
We therefore suggest and propose that
the people of all cities and towns of the
Union, at their meetings to celebrate the
birth of Washington, or at special meet
ings called for the purpose on the Sun
day afternoon next following, or in the
meetings of their societies. clubs, church
es, social, religious or commercial organ
izations nearest in time to Washington's
birthday, shall embody their views. each
assemblage in it's own way, on the fol-
lowing questions:
l. Do we wish the governments of the
United States and Great Britain, by for
NAL treaty, to establish arbitration as
the method of concluding all differences
which may fail of settlement by diplom-
acy, between the two powers?
2. What is our opinion of war as a
mode of deciding controversies between
the United States and Great Britain?
DIR. William G. Gray. 60 Dearborn
street, Chicago. and William E. Dodge,
IL Cliff street, New York, will receive
the proceedings, which should be sent
in duplicate, and arrange them for trans
mission to the President of the United
States and the Queen of England.
We request our newspapers, religious
and secular, if this proposal shall appear
to them to be good and wise, to give it
their sanction, and urge the people in all
parts of the Union to consecrate this
celebration of the birth of Washington
to this cause, by taking appropriate &C.
ton on that day. or upon convenient
occasions clustering around it.
GEORGE B. SWIFT,
HUFFMAN w llLlAmS3
LYMAN j. GAGE,
MARSHALL FIELD,
PHILIP ID. ARMOUR,
POTTER PALMER,
W. T. BAKER,
MARVIN HUGHITT,
GEORGE M. PULLMAN,
CHARLES B. FARwELL,
HENRY W. KING,
CYRUS ii. MCCORMICK,
I. b. BLACKSTONE,
A. A. SPRAGUE,
JOHN NJ. CLARK,
HENRY W. BISHOP,
FRANKLIN MCVEIGH,
A. G. BARTLETT,
FRANCIS B. PEABODY,
LAMBERT TREE,
f. G. KEITH,
II. w. PATTERSON,
VICTOR f. LAWSON,
o. W. NIXON,
fl. II. koHLsAAT,
| THOMAS KANE,
WILLIAM G. GRAY.