are confined to no particular race of men, to no period of time, to no narrow circle of knowledge and refinementsusceptibilities which are present wherever two or more human beings come together. It is, then, on the impregnable ground of the universal and unalterable nature of man, that I place the fallacy of that prejudice, in obedience to which, in time of peace we prepare for war.

But this prejudice is not only founded on a misconception of the nature of man; it is abhorrent to Christianity, which teaches that Love is more puissant than Force. To the reflecting mind the Omnipotence of God himself is less discernible in the earthquake and the storm than in the gentle but quickening rays of the sun, and the sweet descending dews. And he is a careless observer who does not recognise the superiority of gentleness and kindness, as a mode of exercising influence, or securing rights among men. As the winds of violence beat about them, they hug those mantles, which they gladly throw to the earth under the genial warmth of a kindly sun. Thus far, nations have drawn their weapons from the earthly armories of Force, unmindful of those others of celestial temper from the house of Love.

But Christianity not only teaches the superiority of Love over Force; it positively enjoins the practice of the one, and the rejection of the other. It says; "Love your neighbors ;" but it does not say; "In time of Peace rear the massive fortification, build the man of war, enlist armies, train the militia, and accumulate military stores to be employed in future quarrels with your neighbors." Its precepts go still further. They direct that we should do unto others, as we would have them do unto us a golden rule for the conduct of Nations as well as individuals, called by Confucius the virtue of the heart, and made by him the basis of the nine maxims of Government which he presented to the sovereigns of his country; but how inconsistent with that distrust of others, in wrongful obedience to which nations, in time of Peace, seem to sleep like soldiers on their arms.* But its precepts go still further. They

* Oeuvres de Bernardin de St. Pierre, Harmonies de la Nature, Tom. 10, p. 138.

enjoin patience, suffering, forgiveness of evil, even the duty of benefitting a destroyer, "as the sandal wood, in the instant of its overthrow, sheds perfume on the axe which fells it." And can a people, in whom this faith is more than an idle word, consent to such enormous sacrifices of money, in violation of its plainest precepts ?

The injunction, "Love one another," is applicable to nations as well as individuals. It is one of the great laws of Heaven. And any one may well measure his nearness to God by the degree to which he regulates his conduct by this truth.

In response to these successive views, founded on considerations of economy, of the true nature of man, and of Christianity, I hear the sceptical note of some defender of the transmitted order of things, some one who wishes "to fight for Peace," saying; these views are beautiful, but visionary; they are in advance of the age; the world is not yet prepared for their reception. To such persons, (if there be such) I would say; nothing can be beautiful that is not true; but these views are true; the time is now come for their reception; now is the day and now is the hour. Every effort to impede their progress arrests the advancing hand on the great dial-plate of human happiness.

The name of Washington is invoked as an authority for a prejudice, which Economy, Humanity and Christianity all declare to be false. Mighty and reverend as is his name, more mighty and more reverend is Truth. The words of counsel which he gave were in accordance with the Spirit of his Age-an age which was not shocked by the slave-trade. But his lofty soul, which loved virtue, and inculcated justice and benevolence, frowns upon the efforts of those who would use his authority as an incentive to War. God forbid that his sacred character should be profanely stretched, like the skin of John Ziska, on a militia drum to arouse the martial ardor of the American people!*

* The following table of the Military and Naval Expenditures of the United States, during the eight years of the administration of Washington, compared

It is melancholy to consider the impediments which truth encounters on its first appearance. A large portion of mankind, poising themselves on the flagitious fallacy that Whatever is, is right, avert their countenances from all that is inconsistent with established usage. I have already, in another part of this address, set forth the superiority of principle to any human example; I would here repeat that the practice of nations can be no apology for a system which is condemned by such principles as I have now considered. Truth enters the world like a humble child, with few to receive her; it is only when she has grown in years and stature, and the purple flush of youthful strength beams from her face, that she is sought and wooed. It has been thus in all ages. Nay more; there is often an irritation excited by her presence;

with those for the last eight years, to which I have had access, will show how his practice accords with that of our day.

Thus it appears that the expenditures for the defences of the country, under the sanction of Washington, amounted to about eleven million dollars, while those during a recent similar period of eight years, stretch to upwards of one hundred and sixty-four million dollars! To him who quotes the precept of Washington I commend the practice. All will agree, that, in this age, when the whole world is at peace, and when our power is assured, there is less need of these preparations than in an age convulsed with war, when our power was little respected. The only semblance of an argument in their favor is founded in the increased wealth of the country; but the capacity of the country to endure taxation is no criterion of its justice!

and men who are kind and charitable forget their kindness and lose their charity towards the unaccustomed stranger. It was this feeling, which awarded a dungeon to Galileo, when he declared that the earth moved round the sun; which neglected the great discovery of the circulation of the blood. by Hartley; and which bitterly opposed the divine philanthropy of Clarkson when he first denounced the wickedness of the slave-trade. But the rejected Truths of to-day shall become the chief corner stones to the next generation. Auspicious omens in the history of the Past and in the present, cheer us for the future. The terrible wars of the French Revolution were the violent rending of the body which preceded the exorcism of the fiend. Since the morning stars first sang together, the world has not witnessed a Peace so harmonious and enduring as that which now blesses the Christian nations. Great questions between them, fraught with strife, and in another age, sure heralds of war, are now determined by Arbitration or Mediation. Great political movements, which only a few short years ago, must have led to forcible rebellion, are now conducted by peaceful discussion. Literature, the press and various societies, all join in the holy work of inculcating good will to man. The Spirit of Humanity now pervades the best writers, whether the elevated philosophical inquiries of the Vestiges of Creation, the ingenious but melancholy moralizings of a Story of a Feather, or the overflowing raillery of Punch.* Genius can never be so Promethean as when it bears the Heavenly fire of Love to the hearths of men.

* While this Oration was passing through the press, I read in one of the public prints, a letter dated Birmingham, July 3d, 1845, from which I make the following extract; "The Peace Question makes rapid progress in this country. I verily believe that if the people were polled to-morrow, nine tenths of them would pronounce all war to be unchristian, and not a few would vote for the entire abrogation of our military and naval forces. The London Peace Society is doing much to deepen and confirm this feeling, and nearly all our cheap periodicals are peace-toned." The last fact is of peculiar importance; for it is in this way that the hearts of the people are to be touched. The agitation in Ireland, and that gigantic combination in England, the Anti-Corn Law League, proceed on the Peace principle. "Remember," says Mr. O'Connell, in words that will be immortal, "that no political change, is worth a single crime, or above all, a single drop of human blood.

It was Dr. Johnson, in the last age, who uttered the detestable sentiment, that he liked "a good Hater;" the man of this age shall say he likes "a good Lover." A poet, whose few verses will bear him on his immortal flight with unflagging wing, has given expression to this sentiment in words of uncommon pathos and power;*

.*

He prayeth well who loveth well
All things, both great and small.

He prayeth best who loveth best
Both man and bird and beast,

For the dear God, who loveth us
He made and loveth all.

Every where the ancient law of Hate is yielding to the law of Love. It is seen in the change of dress; the armor of complete steel was the habiliment of the knight; and the sword was an indipensable companion of the gentleman of the last century; but he would be thought a madman or a bully who should wear either now. It is seen in the change in domestic architecture. The places once chosen for castles or houses, were in the most savage, inaccessible retreats, where the massive structure was reared, destined solely to repel attacks, and to enclose its inhabitants. The monasteries and churches were fortified, and girdled by towers, ramparts and ditches, and a child was often stationed as a watchman—not of the night-but to observe what passed at a distance and announce the approach of the enemy! The houses of the peaceful citizens in towns were castellated, often without so much as an aperture for light near the ground, and with loop-holes above, through which the shafts of the cross-bow might be aimed. In the system of fortifications, and preparations for war nations act towards each other, in the spirit of distrust and barbarism, which we have

*

Coleridge; Ancient Mariner.

+ Guizot, Histoire de la Civilization, Tom. III. 336.

The two volumes of colored plates from the illuminations of Froissart which have been recently published, will give an accurate idea of the system of defences within which private individuals sheltered themselves. For other illustrations, see Appendix, Note F.