The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-21
Is War Necessary.


have carried on four great wars. do not
include minor contentious, but only the
prominent ones
Beginning in 1776 we rebelled against au-
thority of our lawful King George, and
We're successful in throwing off the yoke
and becoming a nation. From 1877 TO
1874 war with Great Britain resulted at
last in peace. with no greater result than
in demonstrating that on sea or on land
the Anglo-SaNon would fight. Coming TO
the next period the war with Mexico SEEM
ed to US desirable.
The East, particularly New England, OPP
posed it. 1t never became popular there.
Many refOrmers believed that at least
considerable number of intelligent people
were prepared to affirm that all wars are
wasteful, wicked and unnecessary, and to
shape their lives and acts upon the cOnVic-
ton; but the result proved that the senu-
ment was only a surface one and the OPP
position was not TO war only 20 this war,
for in the stormy days of 1861 many of
those who had detained against the
cruelty and wickedness of the Mexican
war were ready to cry gOdspeed to those
who invaded our Southland. The one was
wicked. but in some way the latter was
righteous crusade.
SO it has been and must be until men
consent to apply the test of reason and
conscience to the affairs of every day life.
l write from the point of view of one who
holds it to be axiomatic-war is always
wrong. 1t may vary in the degree of the
wrong, bat never in the character.
Any apparent good which follows a war,
could be and should be obtained through
appeal to the reason. Enough faithful
men and women now hold to the truth of
this doctrine to largely influence the
world, and it needs only that the number
be increased as it must be sufficiently to
form a majority to compass the attain
ment Of peace between the peoples of the
world
The entire freedom of trade all over the
world would do away with even the APP
parent need of war. Protective tariffs
which do not protect, and revenue tariffs
which do not produce legitimate revenue
are the FRACTIONAL cause of most of the
worlds contention. Sweep these out Of
existence and the chief obstacle to uni
versal peace is removed. Let the people
know that every war causes loss of COM
mercial prosperity. loss of moral fibre,
retrogression in every direction ana we
shall learn TO substitute arbitration end
so compass the way of peace.
During my boyhood in New England the
Mexican war was inaugurated. Col. rhos.
H. Seyaour and a Mr. Webb formed
company or battalion, and proceeded to
Mexico and did good service Of such SER
vice can be good. Both were Democrats
which from our Wing position was the
apex of wickedness. But Col. Seymour
was magnetic, genial, courtly gentleman
and was deservedly popular by reason of
his personal qualities. On his. return
from Mexico he was accorded a public re-
oeption one which was attended by the
IA vic as+ III
teal unanimity but there must be some
form of protest.
Mr.. w II. Burleigh was editor of a Free
Soil paper in Hartford. and soon after the
reception uttered his warning note in no
uncertain words. l recall the preamble
after more than fifty years. something
like this:
Thomas H. Seymour and Mrs. Webb
who have recently returned to our city
from a maurauding expedition into the
heart of Mexico, where their instincts led
them" There followed much in the same
vein sufficient to arouse the Indignation
of the citizens so that on the eve of the
day in which the editorial appeared Mr..
Burleigh was attacked at his residence on
Main street He made his escape through
the scuttle and entered by some means
another house, clad, it is reported, some
what scantlly in manner similar TO
the robes adopted few years Garner by
the followers of Miller who had prophesied
the second coming of the Lord.
Burleigh was a very clever and sarcas-
tic writer, but no man ever doubted his
sincerity. He was also a poet and our
modern English contains nothing more
charming than his poem upon June, one
verso of which l recall:
1.-THE sky weareth softer tint, a lovelier
hue
AS If the light of Heaven were breaking
through
It's sapphire home on high,
Bearing the sunshine in there, a vapory
breast
The clouds float on like spirits to their
rest"