nevolent exertions of a few men, and the people of Great Britain became so enlightened, that they abolished a commerce which they had long regarded as justifiable, lucrative and even necessary. Now that people have such an abhorrence of this traffic, that they cannot rest easy until it shall have been abolished by all the European governments. By their influence the subject was brought before the Congress of Vienna, and what is the result? We behold a " Declaration" in behalf of all the powerful nations of Europe, purporting that the slave trade" has been regarded by just and enlightened men in all ages as repugnant to the principles of humanity and universal morality”—that it is " a scourge which has desolated Africa, degraded Europe and afflicted humanity"-" that at last the public voice in all civilized countries has demanded it should be suppressed as soon as possible"-" that this is a measure particularly worthy of their attention"-"that they are animated with a desire to concur by every means in their power in the most prompt and effectual execution of the measure ;" and that this is a cause of which the final triumph will be one of the greatest monuments of the age that undertook it, and which shall have gloriously carried it into effect."

Such is the language of the Congress of Vienna, and such the progress of light on this subject since the American Revolution. The spark which resulted from that dreadful collision has been gradually increasing, till at length it has illuminated all the nations of Christendom. "Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth !”

Let it now be considered that the custom of war is as perfectly unnecessary, unjust and inhuman as the slave trade; that while the slave trade has destroyed and distressed its thousands and its tens of thousands, the custom of war has destroyed and distressed its millions and its tens of millions; that war has not only "desolated Africa and degraded Europe, but has eclipsed the light of Christianity, stained with blood the Christian name, "afflicted humanity" in all parts of the earth, and filled the world with crimes and woes. Let it also be considered that the custom of war as really depends on popular opinion, as the slave trade ever did, and that it may be abolished by similar means. What then ought to be our feelings, our prayers, our hopes and our exertions

relating to this tremendous scourge and curse of nations! As the Revolution in America was overruled by God for the dawn and diffusion of light on the subject of the slave trade, so the late unhappy contest between our country and Great Britain, may be overruled for the diffusion of light on the subject of war. And should there be suitable exertions on the part of professed Christians in the two countries, the way may soon be prepared for another European Congress to pronounce as decisive a doom on the custom of war, as the recent Congress has done on the traffic in slaves.

Is it not a fact that fifty years ago the traffic in slaves was as popular in Europe and America, as war is at the present time? Is there not now in this country a far greater number of "just and enlightened men" who are, on principle, decidedly opposed to war, than there was fifty years ago opposed to the slave trade? Would not a serious attempt for the abolition of the slave trade at that period, have met with ten times the opposition that the attempt for the abolition of war now does? Where is the godly minister of any sect, or where is the man renowned for talents and virtue, who has attended to the subject, that feels any disposition to oppose the efforts for the abolition of war? Truly we have not heard of so many as three respectable opponents, among all who have read what has been written on the subject. Was there ever a subject brought forward in our country, so novel and half so interesting, which met with so little opposition? May we not then humbly hope in God, that in less than fifty years from this time, our country will be as free from war advocates, as it now is from advocates for the African commerce in slaves?

With what abhorrence would the people of these states now regard a proposition to revive the abolished slave trade! What odium would a man bring on himself who should propose and urge such a project! In a light not less odious will a proposition for a revival of the traffic in blood soon be regarded, if Christians should not be deficient in their exertions. Say not "there is a lion in the way;"-the cause is the Lord's and his grace and his arm are all-sufficient.

This article may be closed by an extract from the conclusion of the late pamphlet from London, by Mr.

Scargill :- "Would it not then be desirable to form as sociations in every part of the kingdom, whose object should be to raise a little fund for the necessary expenses attending such unions, and that these associations should use their best endeavors to impress upon the minds of the people at large, the desirableness and practicability of abolishing the system of War altogether. Could the ministers of religion make a better use of their pulpits than to inculcate from them the doctrine of Jesus Christ-the doctrine of peace ?

"Nor let us imagine that associations for this benevolent purpose will be confined to this country; the friends of humanity and religion in every part of Europe, in ev ery quarter of the globe, would cheerfully contribute their assistance to an object so powerful in its tendency to ameliorate the human race and increase the comforts of mankind."

Let Christians in the United States awake, take courage, and "go and do likewise."

THE HORRORS OF NAPOLEON'S CAMPAIGN IN RUSSIA.

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INTRODUCTION.

THE object of this work is the peace and salvation of mankind. Whether we display the blessings of peace or the evils of war, the ultimate purpose will be the same. As men are influenced by motives, of good to be enjoyed, and of evils to be avoided or endured, such motives will be exhibited, to excite a love of peace, and an aversion to war.

It is natural to suppose, that circulating correct histories of the evils of war, would have the effect to excite a general abhorrence of the custom. But in the usual way of writing such histories, the horrors and distresses of the sanguinary scenes are in such a manner accompanied with encomiums on the bravery of fighting men and the glories of victory, that the mind of the reader is diverted from the tremendous havoc and distress. He is perhaps told that a wonderful victory was obtained at great expense, that the number of killed and wounded on the part of the victors could not be less than 15 qr

20,000; and that the loss on the side of the vanquished was much greater. But he is not permitted to dwell on the miseries of such a scene. His attention is soon called to the display of skill and valor on the part of the officers and soldiers. If the prepossessions of the historian are in favor of the victors, he will perhaps admit that much praise is due to the enemy, that they fought with astonishing intrepidity, and displayed heroism worthy of a better cause. But nothing could resist the valor of the victorious army. In respect to the loss on the side of the victors, the writer consoles himself and his reader, with such considerations as these :-The honorable manner in which the dead and the wounded exposed their lives for the good of their country-the honor of the vic tory-the great advantages obtained, and the fact that the loss was much greater on the part of the enemy. By the time the reader has attended to all the displays of heroism, the praises bestowed on the living and the dead, and the glories of victory, he has in a great measure lost sight of the horrors of the scene-a scene in which acres of ground were crimsoned with human blood, and covered with the bodies of the dead and the dying, and the mangled limbs of wounded men.

An account of such a battle in a News Paper, headed" A GLORIOUS VICTORY," or 66 GLORIOUS NEws," would probably leave a fainter impression on the mind, of the horrors of the scene, than another article in the same paper headed-" HORRID MURDER," containing particulars of the distress of a single family, occasioned by the murder of one man or woman. Yet both the guilt and distress accompanying the "Glorious Victory" may have been ten thousand times greater, than that which accompanied the "Horrid murder.” Indeed the narratives of bloody battles are often so embellished with feats of valor, heroism and glory, that they leave on the minds of the gay and inconsiderate little more impression of guilt or distress, than a brilliant account of a horse race.

Two histories of Napoleon's campaign in Russia have arrived in this country. One by Sir Robert Ker Porter, entitled "A Narrative of the Campaign in Russia, during the year 1812:" The other by Eugene Labaume, Captain of the Royal Geographical Engineers, &c. &c.

entitled "A circumstantial Narrative of the Campaign in Russia." Porter was on the side of the Russians, and Labaume on the side of the French. These two historians sometimes differ in their accounts of battles, but they agree in pronouncing the war " unjust" on the part of Napoleon.

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From the two Narratives which have been mentioned, the following accounts will be given, and generally in the language of one or other of the historians. A concise view of that expedition is all that can be expected. As the object will be to excite a just aversion to war, no pains will be taken to veil its horrors by expatiating on the valor by which they were produced, or the delusive glories by which they were accompanied. Neither will any false coloring be employed to represent the scenes as more dreadful than they really were. The object will be to exhibit the horrors of the campaign in a naked form, for the contemplation of the reader.

Napoleon left Paris in May; found himself at the head of his grand army in Poland, June 16; and commenced hostilities on the 23d of the same month. The events from this time prior to the battle at Smolensko will be passed over in silence.

In the following Narrative the paragraphs under P. will be taken from Porter; those under L. from Labaume. The reader may therefore continually know whose account he is reading.

As all the nations concerned in that war were professed Christians, some motto will be prefixed to each article, which the reader is requested to keep in view while reading what follows.

BATTLE OF SMOLENSKO.*

"This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.

"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another! Messiah.

P. "On the morning of August 17th there was an awful pause. The armies of two vast empires stood gazing at each other as if studying where to strike the mortal

*Or Smolenzk.