These men have gone;

Peace Society, the venerable BENSON. the hollow, sepulchral tone of warning and exhortation arises from their tomb; but in the charities which they laboured to promote, in the impulses which they imparted, in the energy of their example, they live, and will live, until the sound of strife shall cease, and the noise of battle be no longer heard upon the earth.

ARTICLE II.

THE OBJECT OF PEACE SOCIETIES PRACTICABLE.

BY WILLIAM M. HOLLAND, PROFESSOR IN WASHINGTON COLLEGE, HARTFORD.

THE good natured indifference, with which superficial observers regard the efforts of the friends of peace, would be to those who are engaged in those efforts, a source of amusement, if they could permit themselves to be amused in a matter so serious. The operations of war are so grand, terrific and startling, and the efforts of peace-makers so quiet and unobtrusive, that to those who look only at the surface of things, nothing appears to be more futile than any attempt to counteract the former by the latter. The historian records that all ages and nations have been stained with blood; the philosopher observes the furious passions inherent in man; the theologian reflects on his depravity of heart; the phrenologist examines his combative organs, and all agree that he was born to fight, and that any efforts to restrain the tendency of his mischief-making propensities, are little short of insanity. War, to be sure, is a great evil; all know it to be so; but then there must be wars; men will fight; nations will disagree; monarchs will be covetous, and unjust, and oppressive; human nature is always the same; wars have always raged and always will rage, until a miraculous influence from heaven shall bring on the glorious era of the millennium. What' then can a few voluntary asso

ciations of individuals hope to effect? Can they change the nature of man; or control the lust of ambition and tyranny? Can they spread the oil of peace over the angry sea of human passion? The attempt is hopeless: it is weakness and folly to engage in it. The members of peace societies may be very amiable enthusiasts; their cause is a very good one; we should have no objection to their success; but their means are wholly inadequate to the object they have in view. Their project is unattainable, and to devote thereto, either time or money, is to waste resources which should be devoted to some end less chimerical and hopeless.

Such are the prevailing sentiments of the great mass of careless observers. They regard the friends of universal peace, who are uniting for cooperation, as " amiable enthusiasts," with very good intentions, but consummately foolish. They suppose these weak well-wishers to their species have never rightly estimated the magnitude of that with which they propose to contend and the feebleness of their own resources. They regard war as a necessary evil, now grown to such magnitude and occurring with such frequency, that nothing in man can arrest it; and least of all, a few feeble societies, scattered over the Christian world and merely appealing, in the accents of reason and religion, to the common sense of mankind.

We propose briefly to examine some of these current opinions, and to ascertain, if possible, as well for our own advantage as for the enlightenment of our kind and tolerant friends, whether the objects we have in view are so utterly beyond all reasonable hope of attainment, and the means at our command, so immeasurably below the end we aim at.

It is something, however, we may remark in passing, that our object is admitted to be good. The being regarded with indulgence, as respects our motives, and with commiserating pity, that we are so totally unable to effect our purposes, is one point gained. Herein we are more fortunate than many others, and we are suitably grateful in being credited with the possession of honest hearts, though we are supposed to be guided by weak heads; and if, as is generally supposed, our

efforts are harmless, we may presume they will come to be regarded with favour, if we can show them to be efficient and reasonable.

What then, are the objects of Peace Societies, and what are the means they possess to effect those objects?

The first article of the Constitution of the American Peace Society is in the following words: The object of the society shall be to diffuse light respecting the evils of war and the best means of effecting its abolition. With similar purport, the second article of the Constitution of the Connecticut Peace Society says; The object of the society shall ever be to diffuse correct information, by the printing and distributing of Addresses, Tracts, &c., to the extent of its funds, respecting the evils of war, and the best means of effecting its abolition by the promotion of permanent and universal peace.

The ninth article of the Constitution of the American Peace Society, provides, that "the object of the Society shall never be changed."

Such, then, is the object of these associations. We presume they have never been exactly understood by those who regard them as foolish and chimerical. It appears to have been supposed by many, that the immediate extinction of war was the end proposed. But it will readily be seen that Peace Societies entertain a more moderate design, and one which is more immediately within the reach of reasonable efforts.

A near and careful consideration of their immediate and only object will, we are persuaded, relieve them from the charge of folly and enthusiasm. They propose "to diffuse light respecting the evils of war, and the best means of effecting its abolition." Is there any thing irrational or quixotic in this proposition? The means they propose to employ are "the printing and distributing of addresses, tracts, &c., to the extent of their funds." It appears to us that both the object and the means are rational. Their exertions are to be limited to the extent of their funds, and these funds are to be applied to the printing and distributing of tracts, and other publications, and the adoption of similar means "to diffuse correct information." Nothing sure

ly can be more reasonable; no design more simple, unique, and well refined. Any association, however humble, nay, any individual of moderate property and zeal, might hope in some measure to effect it.

It will also be seen by this exposition, what the Peace Societies do not expect or propose to effect. It is not an object they have immediately in view, to abolish all war and bloodshed upon the face of the earth. They do not expect or propose to obtain a controlling iufluence, at once, over the public mind, and over monarchs and national councils. They have it not for their immediate object to effect an instant revolution in human nature, or to open men's eyes, in a day, to the folly and wickedness of destroying each other. They are not so foolish as to suppose that the evil passions which distract mankind can be lulled, at once, into repose; that savages will become Christians, and Christians become wholly righteous in a day. They have too thorough a knowledge of the perverseness of man's nature, and of his subjection to evil passions, to expect that the voice of reason and religion will, instantly, secure his attention and correct his practices. Let not these things then be laid to their charge in disparagement of the reasonableness of their undertaking. Neither let it be said that their efforts are directed to the destruction of patriotism and the means of national defence. The Peace Society requires no pledge from its members. For aught that appears in its constitution, the greatest warrior of the age might become one of its members and contributors. No pledge is required with respect to individual conduct; no creed or subscription to any class of sentiments. Its members may believe in the necessity, or even utility, in certain cases, of war. To be sure, the object of the society implies that there are evils attendant upon war, and that the extent of these evils is not sufficiently understood. Few persons who consider the subject, will probably dissent from this implication. It will, also, readily be admitted, that a thorough knowledge of these evils, on the part of the community, is desirable. Even they who believe in the unavoidable necessity of war, and its occasional utility, may be willing to have cor

rect information diffused as regards the evil consequences which flow from martial conflicts. If it be conceded that some wars are just and necessary, it cannot, on the other hand be denied, that even these wars are in many respects fraught with suffering and distress; while of those which are unnecessary and unjust, nothing flows but unmixed evil.

It is, then, both laudable and reasonable to diffuse correct information on the subject of war. Without this information, men cannot judge when war may be expedient, and when it may involve greater distress than will be endured without it. The diffusion of this kind of information does not at all interfere with patriotism or national security. On the contrary, it is very essential to the discreet exercise of the patriotic sentiment. The patriot should understand the true interests of his country. If he does not properly estimate the evil effects of war and bloodshed, he may hastily rush into a contest in which his blind zeal will but increase the distress he would avoid.

It

may be the theory of some governments, that ignorance and delusion, in the people, are necessary to their preservation; but such a doctrine can gain no converts in a republic. The more completely the public mind is enlightened, the more firmly are freedom and national security established.

With this view of the object of Peace Societies, we are prepared to enquire whether this object can probably be effected by the means to which the society has resorted. And on this point we shall meet with no difference of opinion. Information with respect to the evils of war is easily obtained; it may be found in all history; it may be gleaned from personal observation; it may be deduced by argument from the very nature of war. The amount of information is, indeed, immense; vastly greater we presume than is usually apprehended. Hitherto, the fair side of warfare has generally been presented to mankind. We have only heard of victories and glory, conquests and wealth. The splendour of martial achievements has been pictured in the pages of eloquence and poetry. The evils have been shaded in forgetfulness. Truth has, therefore, a laborious duty to perform in bringing to light the other as