is not so light a matter as the Georgia Delegates seem to imagine. Had the Cherokees been but a tribe of grass-hoppers, their extinction" could not have been spoken of with less evidence of brotherly affection, humane feeling, or christian sympathy. How was it possible for intelligent men of this age, in a Christian country, to arrive at such a state of exterminating misanthropy, or such unfeeling disregard to the rights, the happiness, and the lives of fellowmen! Can the liberties of our country be safe in such hands? If their avarice would sacrifice without remorse thousands of Cherokees to obtain their lands, what bounds are to be set to the sacrifices they would make to their own convenience or aggrandizement? Is not the policy which they propose to pursue, a horrible improvement on the policy of modern bucaniers, or a resort to the ancient exterminating policy of barbarians? And is the Sun of American civilization, American justice, and American philanthrophy, to "go back ten degrees," or a whole century, to give the Georgians an opportunity to effect the "extinction" of the Cherokees? Or shall all good men in the nation combine to form a breastwork for the defence of their red brethren, against those who thirst for their blood?

Is it not to be regretted that the Secretary of War took the ground he did, in his interview with the Cherokee Delegates ? Was it dignified, was it generous, to try to intimidate them into a sale of their lands? Is it true in fact, that it is "incompatible with the nature of our government to suffer independent tribes to reside within our territories?" If so, why did he offer the Cherokees land" west of the Mississippi?" Was not the land offered in exchange "within our territory?" And are the hundred tribes of Indians, between our Atlantic shores and the Pacific Ocean, exposed to be exterminated by "the nature of our government ?" If such be its "nature," it is time to change it for a better; for a government so malignant and destructive can deserve neither praise nor support. But we hope and believe better things of our government, and things which may conduce to the salvation of the Indian tribes. All that is wanting is the due exercise of benevolence on the part of our rulers and the nation towards the aborigines of the country. The remnants of these tribes are entitled to the commiseration and protection of the United States, and enough has already been done at the work of extermination.

We must however acknowledge, and we do it with pleasure, that for several years past, our government has generally displayed a commendable spirit towards the Indians, particularly in what they have done to encourage learning, agriculture, and civilization. And we rejoice in the belief that neither the Congress nor the Executive will be so intimidated by the Georgian threat, as to do injustice to the Cherokees. What a surprising

want of benevolent feeling was displayed by the Georgia Delegates in reproaching the Executive for attempting to improve the character and condition of the Indians by promoting schools and agriculture among them!-But we are in danger of forgetting that pity is due to men who have no pity for their red brethren. They are as really objects of compassion as those whom they would destroy. While we censure their conduct, we should seek their good, and not render evil for evil.

In the course of the last winter much sympathy was excited in favor of the Greeks, who were suffering under Turkish barbarity. But what instance of Turkish cruelty can be named more horrible than that with which the Cherokees are menaced? Shall, then, our sympathy be excited for the sufferings of men 4,000 miles distant, and shall we have no compassion for the unoffending Cherokees within our own territories, who are threatened by our own countrymen with utter "extinction " Shall we pour out reproaches on the oppressors of the Greeks, and yet justify those of our own people, who propose not only to rival the Turks in cruelty, but to "out-Herod" even Herod himself! No-it is believed that Christians and Philanthropists of every name in the United States, will awake, arise, and boldly step between the Cherokees and those who meditate their destruction.

As much, however, as we deplore the fact that there have been found in our country any men of rank and talents, capable of such a demand and such a menace, a hope is indulged that the evit will be overruled for good, and made subservient to the progress of pacific sentiments. The demand and the threat are made in the genuine spirit of war, which tramples on the laws of justice, the principles of mercy, and the rights of God and man. The question between the Georgians on the one hand, and the United States and the Cherokees on the other, will probably be discussed during the next session of Congress. The discussion, if properly conducted, will naturally throw light on several of the principles of war, and open the eyes of many people in regard to their injustice and their atrocity. The disgust and horror which have already been excited by the threat of Georgia, will prepare the minds of many to listen to the voice of reason and religion, against the menaced "extinction" of the Cherokee tribe. We may hope, too, that the Editors of Newspapers and periodical works will take an interest in the subject, and exert their influence to save the nation from the reproach of barbarism, from the infamy of employing its power for the injury of a feeble tribe of Aborigines. May it not also be expected that the ministers of the gospel of peace throughout the nation, will cry aloud and spare not, to show to the people the enormity of the threatened evil, and the importance of diffusing among all classes of society the genuine sentiments of peace

on earth and good will to man. Should this be the course of events, public opinion, thus enlightened, will be interposed between the Georgians and Cherokees, and save the former from unparalleled crime and reproach, and the latter from the threatened massacre and extinction. Should such be the result, it is difficult to say which of the parties will have the greater reason for joy and thanksgiving. Nor will the benefits b thus limited; the nation will become better informed as to the nature of war, and the proper means of avoiding it; and they may discover that public opinion, properly enlightened by Christian benevolence, affords the best security against the greatest of national calamities.

Fearing that some of our readers will think that the preceding paragraphs evince too much excitement, we shall close the article in dispassionate language borrowed from the Report of the Committee of Congress on Indian Affairs. This will be done in the hope that the sentiment will be repeated at the next session of Congress, as the unanimous voice of all the Members of both Houses the Georgia Delegates not excepted :-"The Indians are not now what they once were. They have partaken of our vices, more than our virtues. Such is their condition at present, that they must be civilized or exterminated; no other alternative exists. He must be worse than savage, who can view with cold indifference an exterminating policy."

"Earth is sick,

And Heaven is weary of the hollow words

Which States and Kingdoms utter, when they speak
Of Truth and Justice."

WORDSWORTH.

"The fiercest Animal that thirsts for blood,

In Lybian wilds or dread Hyrcanian wood,

Respects his figure in his Kindred race,

Nor dares, though hunger press,-the impious chace :
Man, only Man, alas! to nature blind,

With brutal fury tears his hapless kind."

AUTHOR NOT KNOWN.

AUSPICIOUS OCCURRENCES.

1. March 23, 1824. The Committee of Congress on Indian Affairs made an admirable and philanthropic Report against repealing the "Act making provision for the civilization of the Indian tribes adjoining our frontier settlements." We hope to give the Report in our next Number. If the sentiments and spirit of that Report should be properly diffused through the nation, we shall have little reason to fear any more wars with the Indians, or with any other people.

2. On the 9th of April, by a majority of 30 to 12, the Senate of the United States refused to make an appropriation for maintaining a military post at Upper Missouri, for the purpose of securing the fur trade with the Indians to the exclusion of foreigners. The same day the Senate, by a majority of 24 to 19, passed a bill for the abolition of imprisonment for debt.-CENTINEL.

3. Magnanimous proposals have been made by President Boyer, encouraging the free people of colour in the United States to emigrate to Hayti. He not only offers them land for settlements, liberty and protection, but proposes to bear a part of the expenses of their voyage. He has also sent to New-York an Agent to explain his views and to superintend the business of emigration.

4. A new and respectable Society has recently been formed in New York, to aid the unfortunate sons of Africa in the United States, to transplant themselves according to the proposals of the Haytian Chief.

5. While correcting the last proof, we received the pleasing intelligence from Maine, that at Minot, July 9th, a READING PEACE SOCIETY was organized, consisting of seventy-nine members. Dr. Seth Chandler, President;

Elder Ricker, Vice President; Rev. E. Jones, Secretary,—and William Ladd, Esq. Treasurer and Agent for the Society.

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 10 cents a copy, or 10 dollars a hundred.

The several Nos. of the Friend of Peace are also for sale at the Boston Bookstore, Cummings, Hilliard & Co. No. 1 Cornhill, and at the Bookstore of J. W. Burditt, No. 94 Court Street.

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

N..B. The Treasurer of M. P. S., Mr. David Reed, will receive subscriptions, at No. 4, Spear's Buildings, Congress 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 inclosed to the Corresponding Secretary, as Post Master in Brighton, and he will return receipts.

It is expected that Richard Fletcher, Esq. will deliver the Address at the next Anniversary of M. P. S.

Several communications have been recently received, but necessarily excluded from this No.

Obituary-Members of M. P. S.

Hon. George Thatcher, lately one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts.

Samuel Parkman, Esq. of Boston.

At Philadelphia, Rev. Henry Holcombe, D. D. Corresponding Secretary of Pennsylvania Peace Society.

THE

FRIEND OF PEACE.

Vol. IV.....No. II.

MILITARY COURTSHIP.

HENRY VIII. wished to unite the crowns of England and Scotland, by the marriage of his son Edward with Mary, Queen of Scots. Edward and Mary were then children, and James V. the father of Mary, had recently died. Henry made the proposition for marriage to the Parliament of Scotland. At first they consented; but haughty demands on the part of Henry disgusted the Scots, and they declined ratifying the bargain. Henry, enraged at this indignity, sent an army into Scotland, under the Earl of Hertford, with the following orders" to put all to fire and sword-to burn Edinburghto sack houses and as many towns and villages about Edinburgh as ye may conveniently.-Sack Leith and subvert it, and all the rest, putting man, woman. and child to fire and sword, without exception, when any resistance shall be made against you and this done, pass over to Fifeland, and extend like extremeties and destruction to all towns and villages whereunto you may reach conveniently."

All this was done to induce the Scots to acquiesce in the proposed alliance, and to revenge a supposed affront.

"These barbarous orders," says Dr. Robertson, "seem to have been executed with a rigorous exactness." In confirmation of this remark he gives a report of what the Britons effected in fifteen days in the second year of the war, in two counties only. 66 They burnt, razed, and destroyed in the counties of Berwick and Roxbury-Monasteries and Friar's houses, 7;--Castles, towns, and piles, 16;-Market towns, 5; -Villages, 243!"

"Such a rough courtship, as the Earl of Huntly humorously called it, disgusted the whole nation; their aversion to the match grew into abhorrence." But this manner of court Vol. IV. No. 2.

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