THE "NEWCASTLE CHRONICLE" ON PEACE

PROGRESS.

In

The Editor states :-"Bishops have often been seen in days of old at other work than that to which Dr. Westcott recently addressed himself. The blessing of war banners was surely a strange task for chiefs of the Christian Church. recent years we have not been often favoured with visits of the apostles of Peace. Joseph Sturge, and the generation he represented, have passed away. But the tribute Whittier paid to the great Quaker, will keep his memory green in quarters where Henry Richard's elaborate memoir has never penetrated. Joseph Sturge pursued his heroic task with a perfect appreciation of all the great qualities conspicuous in not a few who have followed the profession of arms. The Peace Society, whose cause the Bishop of Durham and others have pleaded for, like most of the beneficent societies that exist in England, was called into being to counteract pernicious tendencies. Even, therefore, though it may not have achieved all that could be desired, it has been eminently useful in keeping before the country the horrors of war.

"When international discord appears, the best thing is to settle it amicably. Where possible, Arbitration should be resorted to. The prominence given to Arbitration some twenty years ago, in our controversy with the United States, led many to imagine it a new principle introduced into the regulation of State affairs. But there is really nothing new about it, though the circumstances in which it was resorted to, drew upon it the attention of the world. While the Crimean War was being waged, the friends of Peace were active, leavening the nation with their principles; and it was in some measure due to their exertions that Arbitration was recognised in the "TREATY OF PARIS." There were not wanting those who thought this going a little too far. But many precedents existed for such a course.

"It has often escaped attention that a function of the SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES-the settlement of controversies between the States-is essentially Arbitration. There are, moreover, a good many examples, in our own times, of the invocation of the principle. When the war of 1812. created difficulties between this country and America, Count Nesselrode arbitrated successfully on the subject. The ASHBURTON TREATY was another example of the virtue of practical Arbitration. That settlement was effected after prolonged altercation. Some ten years later, another Arbitration took place between England and America. Indeed, the frequency with which this principle has been invoked in the New World emboldens us to hope that again it will prove equal to composing the differences now existing between ourselves and the great Western Republic. Nearly every State in Europe has in turn benefited by Arbitration. The principle may be defined as settling by Peace, rather than by War, the difficulties of nations. We have not, indeed, sought to veil the fact that within the last thirty and forty years great wars have arisen; but all of them might have been settled without appealing to the sword.

FACTS ABOUT THE UNITED STATES.

The greatest length of the United States, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, on the parallel of 42 deg., is 2,768 miles; and its greatest breadth, from Point Isabel, Texas, to the northern boundary near Pembina, 1,611 miles. The ocean coast, including the larger indentations, is estimated at 23,603 miles. The total area is 3,607,684 square miles, or 2,308,866,560 acres.

In 1783, the territory ceded by Great Britain was confined to the country east of the Mississippi River and west of Florida. Louisiana was bought from France in 1803. Florida was ceded by Spain in 1821. Texas was annexed in 1854. California was conquered from Mexico, in 1847. New Mexico was added by treaty in 1854.

The Senate is composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislatures. A Senator must be thirty years old, and a Representative at least twenty-five years old. The terms are six and two years respectively. The House of Representatives consists of one or more members from each State, elected by the people in equal election districts.

Slavery was abolished January, 1863, in the Southern States, except in Tennessee and part of Virginia and Louisiana, by proclamation of the President, and was abolished throughout the Union by an amendment to the Constitution adopted December 18th, 1865.

Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867 for 7,500,000 dols. ; and the United States Government has already received that sum from the seal fisheries.

MARTHY VIRGINIA'S HAND.

In a recent number of the Century Mr. G. P. Lathrop contributed a pathetic poem, entitled " Marthy Virginia's Hand." At the battle of Antietam a Colonel sent his orderly to see how many of the enemy had been killed in a wood which they had shelled.

"What's your report ?"-and the grim Colonel smiled when the orderly came back at last.

Strangely the soldier paused: "Well, they were punished." And strangely his face looked aghast.

"Yes, our fire told on them; knocked over fifty-laid out in line of parade.

Brave fellows, Colonel, to stay as they did! But one I'most wish hadn't stayed.

Mortally wounded, he'd torn off his knapsack; and then, at the end, he prayed

Easy to see, by his hands that were clasped, and the dull, dead fingers yet held

This little letter-his wife's-from the knapsack. A pity those woods were shelled!"

Silent the orderly, watching, with tears in his eyes, as his officer scanned

Four short pages of writing. "What's this, about 'Marthy Virginia's hand' ?"

Swift from his honeymoon he, the dead soldier, had gone from his bride to the strife;

Never they met again, but she had written him, telling of that new life,

Born in the daughter, that bound her still closer and closer to him as his wife.

Laying her baby's hand down on the letter, around it she traced a rude line:

"If you would kiss the baby," she wrote, "you must kiss this outline of mine."

There was the shape of the hand on the page, with the small, chubby fingers outspread.

"Marthy Virginia's hand, for her pa," so the words on the little palm said.

Never a wink slept the Colonel that night, for the vengeance so blindly fulfilled,

Never again woke the old battle-glow when the bullets their death-note shrilled.

Long ago ended the struggle, in union of brotherhood happily stilled;

Yet from that field of Antietam, in warning and token of love's command,

See! there is lifted the hand of a baby-Marthy Virginia's hand!

HEROISM OF A CAPTAIN'S DAUGHTER. News comes from America of a remarkable story of heroism on the part of a girl of eighteen years, the daughter of a sea captain, who navigated her father's ship when he and all the crew were down with yellow fever. The barque "James H. Hamlin," a coasting vessel, bound from South American ports to Savannah, was last spoken at sea off Navassa, when all hands were reported ill with yellow fever, and no attempt was made by the vessel which reported her to give any assistance. It appears that Captain Annis, the master of the "Hamlin," fell ill with the fever, when the mate took command. He, too, fell ill, and one after another the crew came down until not a person was left to navigate the

ship. The captain had with him on board his only daughter, Miss Maud Annis, aged eighteen years, who appears to have been the last to catch the fever. With the aid of one or two sailors, who managed to crawl to the deck, she navigated the vessel for several hundreds of miles, and succeeded in reaching port with a crew dead and dying, and Captain Annis in a critical condition. From the date when the "Hamlin" was spoken off Navassa, nothing was heard of her until the steamship "Alvo" arrived at Aux Cayes, Hayti, with Captain Annis, his daughter, and all the crew, except two men who had died. The captain died the day after reaching Aux Cayes, and Miss Annis was dangerously ill and delirious. She was being nursed at the house of the British Consul. The remainder of the crew were recovering.

"At the time of the nominations at Chicago (1860) Mr. Newton Bateman, Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State of Illinois, occupied a room adjoining, and opening into, the Executive Chamber at Springfield. Frequently this door was open during Mr. Lincoln's receptions, and throughout the seven months or more of his occupation he saw him every day. Often when Mr. Lincoln was tired, he closed the door against all intrusion, and called Mr. Bateman into his room for a quiet talk. On one of these occasions Mr. Lincoln took up a book, containing a careful canvass of the city of Springfield, in which he lived, showing the candidate for whom each citizen had declared it bis intention to vote in the approaching election. Mr. Lincoln's friends had, doubtless at his own request, placed the result of the canvass in his hand. This was towards the close of October, and only a few days before election. Calling Mr. Bateman to a seat by his side, having previously locked all the doors, he said: 'Let us look over this book; I wish particularly to see how the ministers of Springfield are going to vote.' The leaves were turned one by one, and as the names were examined, Mr. Lincoln frequently asked if this one and that were not a minister, or an elder, or a member of such or such church, and sadly expressed his surprise on receiving an affirmative answer. In that manner they went through the book, and then he closed it and sat silently for some minutes,

At

regarding a memorandum in pencil, which lay before him. length he turned to Mr. Bateman, with a face full of sadness, and said: 'Here are twenty-three ministers of different denominations, and all of them are against me but three; and here are a great many prominent members of the churches, a very large majority are against me. Mr. Bateman, I am not a Christian-God knows I would be one-but I have carefully read the Bible, and I do not so understand this book;' and be drew forth a pocket New Testament. 'These men well know,' he continued, that I am for freedom in the Territories, freedam everywhere, as far as the Constitution and the laws will permit, and that my opponents are for slavery They know this, and yet, with this Book in their hands, in the light of which human bondage cannot live a moment, they are going to vote against me; I do not understand it at all.'

"Here Mr. Lincoln paused-paused for long minutes-his features surcharged with emotion. Then he rose and walked up and down the reception room, in the effort to retain or regain his self-possession.

"Stopping at last, he said, with a trembling voice and his cheeks wet with tears: 'I know there is a God, and that He hates injustice and slavery. I see the storm coming, and I know that His hand is in it. If He has a place and work for me --and I think He has-I believe I am ready. I am nothing, but Truth is everything. I know I am right, because I know that liberty is right, for Christ teaches it, and Christ is God. I have told them that a house divided against itself cannot stand; and Christ and reason say the same; and they will find it so !

"Douglas don't care whether slavery is voted up or down, but God cares, and humanity cares, and I care; and with God's help I shall not fail; I may not see the end; but it will come, and I shall be vindicated; and these men will find that they have not read their Bibles right.'

"Much of this was uttered as if he were speaking to himself, and with a sad and earnest solemnity of manner, impossible to be described. After a pause he resumed, 'Doesn't it appear strange that men can ignore the moral aspects of this contest? A revelation could not make it plainer to me that slavery or the government must be destroyed. The future would be something awful, as I look at it, but for this rock on which I stand (alluding to the New Testament which he still held in his hand) especially with the knowledge of how these ministers are going to vote. It seems as if God had borne with this thing (slavery) until the very teachers of religion have come to defend it from the Bible, and to claim for it a divine character and sanction; and now the cup of iniquity is full and the vials of wrath will be poured out.' -Christian Statesman.

No. 503. NEW SERIES.

CURRENT NOTES.

THE PEACE SOCIETY'S ANNUAL REPORT.

Copies of this Report, for 1891, can now be had, in pamphlet form, on application to the Secretary.

AUSTRALIA.-QUEENSLAND.

The Chief Secretary for the important Australian Colony of Queensland, the Hon. S. W. Griffith, in a letter acknowledging his receipt of the transactions of the London Peace Congress, says "It is impossible I think to read this without feeling the warmest sympathy with the objects of the Members of the Congress. Unfortunately, the work must be gradual and slow, but I have no fear of its ultimate

success.

THE PRESIDENT OF ECUADOR.

The President of the South American Republic of Ecuador writes most cordially from Quito (May 12th), conveying his thanks for the Report of the London Peace Congress, and alludes in particular to the efforts which his country has made in its diplomatic intercourse with other nations to provide for a recourse to Arbitration instead of War, in the event of any disputes arising between them. He states that an arbitral clause has recently been inserted in two treaties made by Ecuador with France and Spain respectively. And the President concludes with the words:-"May Almighty God, whose name the Peace Congress reverently invokes, bless your endeavours. for the accomplishment of His inscrutable purposes, and prosper your united efforts to bring about the reign of justice amongst the brotherhood of nations, by the substitution of charity in place of selfishness and pride, and by your animating reminders that all people are the children, in common, of the one great Creator and King."

WISE TRADES UNIONISTS.

In view of the great losses to the nation and to individuals caused by recent Strikes, it is gratifying to observe that the Trades Unionists of the." Old School" have held a meeting, which resulted in their wisely issuing a manifesto warning workmen of the inevitably disastrous consequences as they deem them, of the doings of the "New Unionism," and pointing out that foreign labour is in a fair way to swallow up the livelihood of the British workman. They declare: To the stevedores and dockers of all sections,

[PRICE 1d.

which is driven to the foreign rival ports, which are advancing in prosperity by leaps and bounds, through the senseless strikes now going on, you will be the greatest sufferer."

THE ANGLO-PORTUGUESE CONVENTION.

During the past month the Anglo-Portuguese Convention has been finally adopted and confirmed. Like its superseded predecessor of last year, it makes provision for referring to Arbitration the disputes which may arise in connection with its stipulations. It differs from the previous Convention in admitting the right of Portugal to an additional 50,000 square miles of African territory north of the river Zambesi, whilst it claims for England a new strip of land near the Manica plateau. In announcing to the House of Lords the acceptance of this agreement by Portugal, the Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury, concluded his speech with the words: "We have, therefore, done our best to recognise such plain rights of Portugal as seemed to us to be justified either by treaties which we ourselves have made, or by the claims of effective occupation on their part. I hope that the agreement to which we have come, though very angry things have been said of us, will be recognised as one dictated by a sense of equity, by an earnest desire to uphold international law, and by a sincere wish to renew and to continue upon those terms of friendship and amity which have so long distinguished the relations of Great Britain and Portugal."

THE BEHRING SEA ARBITRATION.

It is announced at Washington that the British Ambassador has been arranging with the United States Government the details of the plan of Arbitration which is to follow the decree for a close season in Behring Sea. Reticence is observed as to these arrangements. Enough is known, however, to warrant the statement that the questions at issue will probably be submitted to a commission of three members, one chosen by each Government, and the third selected jointly, or, in the event of a failure to agree, the third to be chosen by some friendly Power having nothing at stake in the controversy. The interests of Russia will be looked after by a special Commissioner, but, as the main points of the dispute concern only the United States and Great Britain, it is not believed that the Russian representative will act as a full-fledged member of the Commission. On its being stated in the House of Lords last month that the friendly settlement of this dispute is thus being arranged, the Earl of Kimberley expressed his lively satisfaction at the prospect of such a settlement