than his accuser alleged. In former ages of barbarism, the duel was supposed to decide which of the parties was in the right. That delusion has passed away. A duel now decides nothing in favor of either party, but much against both. For "trifles light as air," or for a worthless "whistle," the duellist gives his life and the happiness of his friends. He also fixes on his own character a stigma never to be effaced, and precipitates himself into eternity with the guilt of murder cleaving to his soul.

In public war, military barter is practised on a larger scale, and with more horrible results. In the various kinds of barter in war, the lives, the wealth and the happiness of subjects, are regarded as the property of princes, or men in power; and are by them exchanged for the pleasures of revenge, the phantom of fame, or the fruits of robbery. To revenge some alleged wrong or indignity, the rulers of a nation have often bartered away thirty thousand or fifty thousand lives, and brought a hundred fold more distress on their own people than they had suffered, or were likely to suffer, by the wrongs of their offending neighbours.

A war is made for the recovery of a debt, or to punish for a delay of payment; and besides the sacrifice of many thousands of lives, the pecuniary expenses of the war are perhaps thirty fold greater than the debt for which the war is made. Again, a sovereign wishes to add an island or a province to his dominions, and invents some deceptive pretext for a war. Then, as Frederick the Great observed, "When princes play for provinces, the lives of men are as counters;" they are considered as of little worth, and are bartered by thousands without remorse. Armies of innocent men have often been collected and called on to shed each others' blood, to decide which of two wicked and worthless men should be their King. Thus millions of lives have been bartered for crowns, by men who were far more deserving of a halter than a diadem. Such is military barter in christendom!

TENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE M. P. S.

IN commencing their TENTH REPORT the Executive Committee have been impressed with the facts, that, from the origin of this institution to the present time, our country has been blessed with peace with all foreign powers-with a remarka

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ble share of national prosperity, and increasing harmony among its citizens. For such favors grateful acknowledgements are due to the Parent of the universe. A time of peace is, on many accounts, most favorable to the dissemination of pacific principles. The minds of men at such seasons are less irritable and more open to the reception of truth, than while subject to the excitements of war or party dissensions. Perhaps at no period since the American Revolution, has the state of society in our land been so little agitated by hostile or party passions as in the last year.

The Massachusetts Peace Society was formed soon after the close of a calamitous war, while its evils were fresh in our minds and before its irritations had subsided. To convince reflecting men of the importance of doing all that can be done to render the present peace of our country a permanent blessing, nothing more would seem necessary than impartially to compare the agitations and distresses of our country during the war of 1812, with the tranquillity and happiness enjoyed since 1820. But as the evils of war have been receding by the lapse of years, they seem to have been too much forgotten, and a concern to prevent their recurrence has too much abated. This, with other causes, has embarrassed the operations of the committee. Such has been their lack of funds, by the delinquency of too many subscribers, together with the desire of the committee to put an end to the unpleasant consideration of debt, that the whole number of tracts distributed and sold the last year, has amounted only to 9810. Of these about twelve hundred were distributed at the expense of members who had previously paid life subscriptions. The distributions have extended, as in former years, to all the United States and to various foreign countries.

The committee have pleasure in stating the following facts: That at Rupert, in Vermont a peace society has been formed -another at Alden, in New York, and that a new peace pub-lication has been commenced at Buffalo in the same state: that a new society has also been formed in Orange county, North Carolina: that by the exertions of Dr. Hibbard Jewett of Marr's Bluff, South Carolina, 649 tracts, chiefly of the Friend of Peace, have been purchased and sent by mail to gentlemen of that state and North Carolina: that at the expense of two members of the society, Capt. Isaac Metcalf has again been employed as an Agent for the distribution of tracts and for encouraging the formation of societies in this

state and in New Hampshire,-and that it appears by letters from him, that he was cordially received in the towns which he visited, and that in several of them he obtained encouragement that societies would soon be formed: that Matthew Simpson, who for several years did more by his own exertions than some peace societies, after a suspension of his labors by ill-health, has again resumed them with considerable success.

By the Ninth Report of the London Peace Society it appears that the cause of peace is advancing in that country. The society has stereotyped three of its tracts; its sales and distribution of tracts for the preceding year amounted to 24,911 the receipts of the treasury exceeded £564 sterling; and more than 1900 dollars of this sum were derived from donations. It is true that the receipts of the London society are small compared with the importance of its object; but they are great compared with the receipts of our society.

Both in Great Britain and the United States the peace societies have derived considerable aid from the conductors of newspapers, whose philanthropy has given circulation to many interesting communications, adapted to make favorable impressions. Indeed the increasing candor and liberality with which newspapers and periodical works are conducted, and controversies are managed, are auspicious circumstances in relation to the progress of pacific sentiments.

It is peculiarly gratifying to observe the favorable change which has occurred within a few years, both in Great Britain and in the United States, as to the manner in which the writers on each side are disposed to speak of what pertains to the country of the other. As the press has become the principal engine for making war or preserving peace, too much care cannot be taken to cherish and increase the present spirit of urbanity, kindness, and conciliation which emanates from the presses of the two countries. For it may be truly affirmed, that life and death, war and peace, are as really in the hands of public writers, as in the hands of rulers. Indeed the governors of the two countries are in a considerable degree ruled by the press; and should this engine be duly regulated and employed, it may eventually supersede all the expensive preparations for war as means of national security; for it is in the power of the press either to excite and inflame, or to soothe and conciliate the passions of men in any free country.

Though less has been expended by the society in the last year than in some which preceded, there is reason to believe.

that the cause of peace has been continually advancing. For whatever tends to enlighten and humanize the minds of men tends to the abolition of all barbarous and sanguinary customs. The exertions to give popularity to agricultural pursuits-to internal improvements and useful enterprises, tend to sink the destructive feats of war in public estimation. Multiplying and extending friendly and commercial relations, with the interchange of benefits between the people of different countries, must so bind them together as to render hostilities more and more revolting and less and less probable; for the interests of the numerous individuals who become thus connected, will naturally lead them to employ their influence for the preservation of peace. Besides, the more christians reflect the more they perceive that the spirit of war and the spirit of Christ are opposites in nature, and in their effects; that nothing is wanting but a pacific spirit to render it possible with governments-as well as private men, to settle their disputes without a resort to the sword,—and that in general the wars of christian kings have been as unnecessary and unjust as the wars of pagan bucaniers.

The present age bas been distinguished not only by its thousands of beneficent institutions, but by many useful discoveries. Among the latter the Safety Lamp has been justly celebrated. But this invention for preserving the lives of colliers by preventing the fatal explosion of the fire damp, is far less important than the discovery of a political safety lamp for adjusting the disputes of nations. Such a discovery has actually been made, and its efficacy has been tried by Great Britain and the United States. When their last treaty of peace was formed, some points of dispute were deferred, and arrangements were made for their adjustment by special commissioners, or, in case of their disagreement, by an umpire mutually chosen. The appointed commissioners failed of agreeing on some of the disputed questions-these have been referred to the Emperor Alexander, as the umpire, and his decisions have been announced by each of the governments concerned. By this experiment it has been proved, that national controversies can be settled without a resort to arms. For if disputes arising out of war may be thus adjusted, so may those which precede hostilities, and which have heretofore been made occasions of war.

As Great Britain and the United States have made this noble experiment, it may be hoped that they will not resort to

violence to decide any future controversy which may occur between them. Their example too may have influence on other christian governments, and finally extend to all nations. The philanthropists of every country should interest themselves to give celebrity to a measure which clearly evinces, that war is as unnecessary as it is destructive.

Another example of our own government is worthy of notice. During the administration of Mr. Monroe, he undertook the part of a mediator between nine tribes of Indians on the Mississippi, whose hostilities with each other had been of long duration. He sent agents to persuade them to "bury the hatchet" and become friends. This enterprise was successful; the differences were adjusted and peace restored. This is perhaps the most glorious conquest of the white men over their red brethren which has been achieved since the days of William Peun. So at New Orleans, General Lafayette exerted his influence as mediator and prevented three appointed duels. If, in general, men of distinguished rank would employ their influence as mediators to prevent bloodshed, both public war, and private combats would become events of rare

occurrence.

But notwithstanding the many auspicious facts, and the great prosperity of the United States, the committee have deemed it proper to observe, that there is still ground to fear that the peace of our country will be interrupted by internal commotions. An artificial volcano has been formed-already of enormous size, and rapidly increasing, whose eruptions at no distant period may overwhelm the whole country with wo. At the close of our war for liberty there were perhaps not more than five hundred thousand slaves in all the states. Had our countrymen at that period acted consistently with the principles for which they had been contending, and made provision for the gradual abolition of slavery, at this day the land might have been free from the evils of that barbarous system. But unhappily a different policy was adopted, and the slaves have increased to nearly two millions. Should they continue to multiply in the same ratio to the close of this century, their numbers will exceed all the present population of the United States!

It would be repugnant to every benevolent feeling, and every principle of justice to desire that the slaves should much longer remain in their present degraded state. To hope that they will for ages continue to multiply and still remain quiet