mans: The Romans commenced their career as robbers, and when they rose from their petty villany of a single murder to the splendid heroism of slaughtering millions, they continued the same policy, enlarged from the plunder of a neighboring village to the aggrandizement of their empire by the subjection of Kingdoms. Tudor's Letters on the Eastern States. We are grieved to find that such remarks are applicable to the people who have inhabited the country of our ancestors; and, prior to the Burmese war, we had hoped that the ancient policy had been abandoned by the government of that favored land. The robber policy ultimately ruined the Roman empire; and should it much longer be persisted in by Britain, it will unquestionably ruin her empire in India, if not in Europe and every part of the world.

Gersau. Simonds, in his history of Switzerland, says, that Gersau existed four centuries as an independent sovereignty, and was then annexed to Schwytz; and that "during the whole period of the republic of Gersau, no instance occurred of an individual punished for any crime."

Declarations of War. In the 14th century, 167 Lords and Princes combined for a war on Switzerland; and in the course of two days 67 distinct Declarations of war were received by the Swiss ! Simonds.

At that period, each Lord or Baron was supposed to have the right of waging war, just as an Emperor or King is supposed to possess such a right in our day; and the opinion in the former case was as well founded as in the latter. The progress of light has shown that a Nobleman has no more right to wage war than a peasant; and it will hereafter show the same in regard to Kings and Emperors.

Extraordinary Delusions. Between the years 1345 and 1349, "a frightful plague was sweeping away one third of the inhabitants of Switzerland."-" By a strange accumulation of wo the country was shaken by earthquakes of unexampled violence and duration."" An active persecution of the Jews being supposed by many to be the best means of propitiating Providence, at Basle they were collected in a wooden building and burnt together! At Zurich they met with the same fate."-"The Bernese indulged in a whim of another sort; their magistrates, fancying that war might be a happy diversion to the plague and earthquakes, invaded their neighbors of the Simmenthal, and effected a permanent conquest of the country." Simonds.

Execution of Dr. Dodd. "Poor Dodd was put to death yesterday, in opposition to the recommendation of the jury-the petition of the city of London, and a subsequent petition signed by three and twenty thousand hands. Surely the voice of the public when it calls so loudly, and calls only for mercy, ought to be heard." Dr. Johnson's Letter to Boswell, June 28, 1777.

Dr. Dodd was executed for forgery; but, having been a popular clergyman, great exertions were made to save his life. The opinion of Dr. Johnson, that the voice of the public, calling so loudly for mercy, ought to have been heard, was probably correct. But if the life of one man, when exposed to be cut off for the crime of forgery, should excite such interest, and call forth petitions from so many thousand persons, what should be the feelings and the exertions of a people to prevent a declaration of war between two nations, by which hundreds of thousands of innocent people may be exposed to perish! And if a king may be blamed for not listening to the calls for mercy in a case like that of Dr. Dodd, what shall be said of him when wantonly involving whole nations in the calamities of war! In the black catalogue of human crimes there is perhaps no other so great as this, or which deserves more universal reprobation.

Anecdote of Burleigh and Essex. After the destruction of the Spanish Armada in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, her ministers were divided on the question, whether to accept propositions for peace, or to continue the war which had been so disastrous to Spain. The young Earl of Essex, still thirsting for military fame, urged with vehemence the maintenance of perpetual hostility. The aged Lord Burleigh was for peace; he thought the King of Spain was now sufficiently humbled to render an accommodation safe and honorable. Wearied and disgusted at length with the violence of his young antagonist, the hoary minister in whom

'old experience did attain,

To something like prophetic strain,'

drew forth a Prayer-book, and with awful significance pointed to the text

Men of blood shall not live out half their days.' But the clamor for war prevailed over the pleadings of humanity and prudence," and before peace was restored, the ominous text was verified in the fate of Essex, for he was beheaded as a traitor. Court of Queen Elizabeth.

Let other "men of blood" take warning.

AUSPICIOUS OCCURRENCES.

1. The American Journal of Education. This important work has been recently established in Boston, by T B Wait & Son, under an editor who appears to possess correct views of the power of education on the character of man, and of the importance of extending it on enlightened and humane principles. We anticipate aid from this work in the cause of peace; for the more correct ideas of education shall be disseminated, the more the whole

system of war will become abhorrent. Dr. Johnson, in his conversations with Boswell, said, "The discipline of a school is military." This opinion accorded with what has been too common in schools to the present time. But one object of the "Journal of Education" is, to render the discipline of schools humane and parental. Should this object be attained, it will have a salutary influence on the general character of society, and render military discipline odious, wherever it may be exercised.

2. "Essays on Peace and War." A small volume with this title, "by Philanthropos," has been published in Portland, and is for sale in Boston. This is a very valuable production, and deserves the serious attention of all who wish the peace of the world.

3. The legislature of Alabama has passed a law for the suppression of duel. ing; also, an act prohibiting further licenses for gambling houses.

4. Col. Smith of Virginia, a Revolutionary officer, died, it is said, "about the 20th of February, leaving directions in his will, for the emancipation of all his slaves, 70 or 80 in number, bequeathing 5 or 6000 dollars to defray the expense of transporting them to the African colony."

5. New Peace Societies. By the exertions of William Ladd, Esq. several new societies have been formed auxiliary to the Massachusetts Peace Society. In Portsmouth N. H. Feb 17th, a Society was formed. N. A. Haven, Esq. Jun, President; Andrew Halliburton, Esq. Secretary.

Another in Newburyport, Mass. Hon. D. A Tyng, President; Dr. Nathan Noyes, Jun. 1st Vice President; Richard Pike, Esq. 2d Vice President; and E. Stone, Esq. Secretary.

A third was formed in Exeter, N. H. Feb. 27. Hon. J. T. Gilman, President; Hon. George Sullivan, Jun. 1st Vice President; Col. John Rogers 2d Vice President; Dr. Gorham, Secretary.

Since the above dates, Mr. Ladd has formed a Society at Brunswick, Me. auxiliary to the Maine Peace Society. Jacob Abbot, John Perry, Joseph McKean, Esquires, Committee.

News has just arrived that a Peace Society of 20 members has been organized at Dorset, Vermont. Hon. John Underhill, President; Gordon B. South. ard, Secretary.

NOTICES.

THE Constitution of the Massachusetts Peace Society requires the subscription of one dollar annually to constitute a member.

The subscriptions in each year to be paid on or before the first day of February; and one half of the subscription is refunded in Peace Tracts, at the wholesale price, the Friend of Peace at ten cents a copy.

The numbers of the Friend of Peace prior to the present year, may also be had by subscribers, of the Editor, at ten cents a copy, or ten dollars a hundred.

The several Numbers of the Friend of Peace are also for sale at the Boston Bookstore, Cummings, Hilliard, & Co. No. 134 Washington Street, and at the Bookstore of J. W. Burditt, No. 94 Court Street.

Any member who shall fail of otherwise receiving his copy at any quar. terly distribution, may obtain it by applying to Mr. Burditt.

N. B. The Treasurer of M. P S., Mr. David Reed, will receive subscrip tions, at No. 81 Washington Street, Boston. All who can do it with convenience are desired to make their payments to him; those who cannot without expense settle with the Treasurer, may send their subscriptions in closed to the Corresponding Secretary, as Postmaster in Brighton, and be will return receipts.

THE

FRIEND OF PEACE.

Vol. IV.....No. IX.

THOUGHTS ON WAR AS A DIVINE JUDGMENT.

As the Sacred Oracles teach us to regard war as a judgment of God, by which he punishes guilty nations, some good people have inferred that wars must be necessary for that purpose, till a general reformation shall have been effected, or until men shall cease to be depraved. This seems to be the sentiment of the Hon. John Jay, in the following paragraph of the letter to the Editor of this work, which was published Vol. I. No. XI.

"Until the Gospel shall have extensively corrected the hereditary depravity of mankind, the wickedness resulting from it will, in my opinion, continue to produce national sins and national punishments; and, by causing unjust wars and other culpable practices, to render just wars occasionally indispensable."

Many other good men have doubtless been of the same opinion. But it should be understood and remembered, that war is not merely the effect of "depravity," but a cause of "depravity," and one of the principal causes of its dreadful prevalence and extent. Hence it is, that war, as well as "depravity," becomes "hereditary" among men. One contest sows the seeds of another, and by constant preparations for war, and gloryings in those which are past, these seeds are made to vegetate, and to bring forth another harvest of Divine judgments. How, then, is the Gospel to "correct the hereditary depravity of men," while its professed friends continue to plead that "unjust wars and other culpable practices will render just wars occasionally indispensable! "

As all the laws of nature and providence are established by God, those calamities, which are the natural fruits of vice, are Vol. IV. No. 9.

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as properly Divine judgments, as those which are produced by miraculous agency. The gambler, who first ruins himself and his family, and then commits suicide-and the drunkard, who by a course of intemperance brings on himself disease. and untimely death, as really perish by Divine judgments, as did Nadab and Abihu, or Annanias and Sapphira.

The fatal effects of duelling are as properly judgments of God on guilty individuals, as wars are on guilty nations; and we may as rationally plead, that just duelling may be "rendered occasionally indispensable" by unjust duelling and other culpable practices, as to talk in this manner in favour of war. In truth, duelling is as necessary as public war; and it is in all respects as defensible, aud in many respects less criminal. What there is of necessity in either case, results from detestable principles, passions, and popular means of excitement. Let a reformation in these be effected, and both practices will become the abhorrence of the world.

The principles adopted, the feelings indulged, and the course pursued by the duellist, tend to his destruction. They expose him to fatal combats, and to the judgments of Heaven. Duellists adopt the principle, that it is honorable in gentlemen to settle their disputes by weapons of death. The feelings requisite for murderous combat, they cherish by preparatory training, by wearing arms, and by familiarizing to their minds the work of bloodshed. When a numerous class in any community take such ground in relation to each other, what can be more obvious than that their lives become endangered by the very means which they adopt for their own defence and security? or what can be more reasonable than to expect that many of them will perish by each other's hands? or what more just in God than that he should connect calamity and death with such flagrant disregard to his precepts?

In like manner the Divine judgments of war are brought on warring nations. These nations adopt the principle, that war is a glorious mode of settling national disputes; they cultivate and cherish the passions of war, by exulting in those that are past, and by preparing for future hostilities. In this course of proceeding, wars frequently become as inevitable to nations, as private combats are to duellists. In each case, the calamities which follow are both the natural effects of the course pursued, and just displays of the anger of Heaven.

Sometimes in duels, and generally in public wars, the judg ments of the Lord fall heavily on both parties; and often the