A monthly publication of about 200 pages a year, and the organ of the American Peace Society, is devoted to discussions, notices, and intelligence relative to the cause of peace, and the application of Christianity to the intercourse of nations. Terms. One dollar in advance, with an increase of 50 ets., if not paid before the close of the year. Six copies for §5; twenty for $15; thirty for $21; fifty for $30 : one hundred for $50. Subscribers may commence with any number. No subscription received for less than a year, or discontinued till arrearages are paid, except at our discretion. Any person sending us two new subscribers with pay for one year, shall receive a copy gratis for one year. RECOMMENDATIONS. The ablest writers are expected to contribute to the work, and no pains will be spared to render it useful and interesting to all classes, and worthy of such recommendations as the following: "An interesting periodical;-containing much important matter which is well adapted to interest, &c." Chr. Register. "It deserves, and, sustaining its present elevated character, will find an extended circulation." Boston Recorder. "It is a work conducted, in our judgment, with more ability than any thing of the kind we have ever seen. Our acquaintance with its present editor, and some of the expected contributors to its pages, confirms our confidence that it will be a sound, useful and interesting work." Signed by WILLIAM JENKS, D. D., Boston, Hon. SIDNEY WILLARD, Cambridge, Mass., and thirteen others. CONSTITUTION OF THE SOCIETY. Object-to illustrate the inconsistency of war with Christianity, to show its baleful influence on all the great interests of mankind, and to devise means for insuring universal and permanent peace.-Condition of membership. Per sons of every denomination, whatever their views concerning wars called defensive, may become members by paying $2 a year, Life-members by $20, and Life-directors by $50. Ministers preaching and taking up a collection for the Society, entitled to the Advocate. One half of all contributions returned, if requested during the year, in peace publications. SUGGESTIONS IN FORMING AUXILIARIES. 1. That their object be to promote the cause by cooperating with the Parent Society. No other pledge recommended. 2. That every memher pay something, receiving, if sufficient, the Advocate, but, if not, one half in other peacepublications. 3. That the officers be few, and the main reliance placed on a small Execu tive Committee, with power to fill all vacancies. Time and place of annual meeting left with them. Communications, post paid. to GEO. C. BECKWITH, Cor. Secretary, and JAMES K WH PLE, Treasurer, in either case, to the care of Whipple & Damrell, No. 9 Cornhill, Boston. Boston, WHIFFLE & DamrELL. AGENTS. New York, Ezra Collier, 144 Nassau St. Philadelphia, N. KITE, 50 North Fourth St. PEACE PUBLICATIONS, FOR SALE AT THE SOCIETY'S GENERAL DEPOSITORY, NO. 9 CORNHILL. DYMOND ON WAR, 8vo. pamphlet form. do. 12mo., bound, with Grimke's Notes, DISSERTATION ON A CONGRESS OF NATIONS, 12mo. UPHAM'S MANUAL OF PEACE, 8vo. STONE'S SE" MONS ON WAR, 18mo. OBSTACLES AND OBJECTIONS TO THE cause of pEACE. By a Layman. JUVENILE STORIES ON PEACE. GRIMKE'S Address BEFORE THE CONN. PEACE SOCIETY. PUBLICATIONS OF THE LONDON PEACE SOCIETY. CAPT. THRUSH, ON THE UNLAWFULNESS OF WAR. 8vo. An excellent work, DUTY OF MINISTERS TO THE CAUSE OF PEACE. 8vo. 12 pp. A CONGRESS OF NATIONS. 8vo. 12 pp. SOLEMN REVIEW. By Dr. WORCESTER, 8vo. pp. 24. SOLEMN APPEAL By WM LADD. 8vo. pp. 40. DIALOGUES ON PEACE TESTIMONIES AGAINST WAR, 12mo. pp. 12. HANCOCK ON PEACE WAR AND THE BIBLE. 12mo. pp 4. CAUSE OF PEACE, 12mo. pp. 18. SKETCH OF WAR, 12mo. pp. 12. POSTAGE.-Less than 100 miles, 1 cts.-over 100 miles, 24 cts. Postmasters are requested, where this work is not taken from the office, to return it to the Postmaster at Boston, immediately, ACCORDING TO LAW, Writing upon it the name of the subscriber and place of residence. ADVOCATE OF PEACE. No. XIII. FEBRUARY, 1839. A CONGRESS OF NATIONS. Extracts from notes of a Lecture by William Ludd. SKETCH OF ANALOGOUS TRIBUNALS OR CONVENTIONS. The principle for which we plead, has been in occasional operation for thousands of years. The Amphictyonic Council was established about 1500 years before the birth of Christ, and continued for ages to perform important services in preserving peace, and regulating intercourse between the petty states of Greece. The date of the Achæan League, a similar confederacy, is uncertain; but it acquired a high and widely extended reputation, and was occasionally solicited to act as mediator in settling disputes between other nations. The Hanseatic League began in the twelfth century, but proved abortive as a means of preserving peace, for the very obvious reason that peace was no part of its object, and it fomented wars which led to its eventual dissolution, or reduced it so far as to leave only three cities out of nearly a hundred. But the Diet of Switzerland comes the nearest to such a Congress as we would recommend. That confederacy began in 1308; and for more than 500 years it has for the most part kept peace among twenty-two states as independent in respect to all their internal affairs as England and France, with forms of government varying from the extremes of democracy to the extremes of aristocracy, and with a population speaking four different languages, and differing in dress, manners and religion. Here is Christendom in miniature; and, if such a diet as that of VOL. II.NO. XIII. 17 Switzerland can thus preserve peace among such cantons, the Congress we propose could keep the peace of all Christian nations with equal certainty and ease. Here we have on a small scale what we would propose upon a scale commensurate with the limits of civilization. But review the history of International Congresses. In two centuries, there have been no less than fifty in Europe. The Holy Alliance deserves not the name; for it was in fact a conspiracy of kings to keep down their subjects. GLANCE AT EFFORTS FOR A CONGRESS OF NATIONS. Attempts have been made expressly for a permanent Congress of Nations. The first was the great scheme of Henry IV of France. He contemplated a general representation and confederacy of all the nations of Europe to keep peace, and promote other objects. The plan had many defects, but was still marked by much wisdom. Its fatal defect would have been the proposed employment of force to insure compliance with its decrees. We would exclude physical force, and rely solely on moral influence; for, so long as armies are kept up, wars will continue, just as game-cocks brought together will fight. The plan of the French monarch was far too complicated; ours is simple enough for the comprehension of a child. The death of Henry by an assassin put an end to his scheme for the execution of which he had made extensive and somewhat successful efforts by his ambassadors at the various courts of Europe. Nothing more was done for this object until William Penn published a dissertation on the subject. But his name at that time had few attractions for the mass of mankind, and his work was little heeded, and soon forgotten. Next came St. Pierre, an ecclesiastic of some note, and disclosed in 1743 a plan somewhat like the preceding. He was very zealous, sent to all the powers of Europe, and received favorable answers from some. Cardinal Fleury entertained his project with favor, but told him there was need first of missionaries to go to the rulers of Christendom, and dispose them to come into the measure. The day of reliance for such things on rulers has gone by; we must first go, not to kings but to the people, their masters in fact. If they can unmake one king to-day, and make another to-morrow, as they did in Paris, we may and must depend on them. If they are for us, kings cannot long be against us. |