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It is true, 66 one swallow does not make a summer;" but this effect was expected to be produced by the efforts of the friends of Peace; and it is therefore a highly gratifying pledge of successful experiment. But this is not all. It is certain, that a great change of opinion has taken place in Europe, concerning the lawfulness of war;--a change, which is steadily and constantly advancing.

In this country, it must be acknowledged, many inauspicious circumstances have lately taken place. The celebration of battles, the erection of military trophies, and adoration of military characters, are certainly not to be reckoned among the harbingers of the Millennium. But there is no reason for des pair. These vibrations of public opinion are always to be expected. The friends of Peace have much to hope from a reaction. Though "the nation's guest" has almost universally been received with a display of military pomp, yet it is certain that the civil part of his character, has been a much greater object of respect, with the thinking part of community, than the military. The Bunk

er Hill Monument, it is true, obtrudes itself upon our notice with a most unwelcome aspect; and this famous obelisk seems to be a return to Egyptian darkness. But, on the other hand, it is to be observed, that a very small part of community have been concerned in this stigma of the age-and many of our most valuable citizens have disdained the cheap honour of enrolling their names in this temple of fame, (to be erected by a union of individual with national vanity,) whose refusal never appears before the public. Means of begging, too, have been resorted to, which "beggar description;" and the aid of convicts in the State prison is resorted to, to bring forward the capstone. In this last measure, there seems to be some sort of congruity. Many of the convicts were probably warriors by profession, taken prisoners in the private war they have waged against community, and, in helping to erect a monument of military glory, are only labouring in their vocation.

These things should put the friends of Peace on the alert. They must remember that they have something to do that they!

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are not to stand with their arms folded, and expect so great an event, as the peace of the world, to take place without exertion. Satan will be busy, whether they are or not. God has committed the work into their hands, and it depends on them, whether the world shall roll backward into ages of war, darkness, Vandalism, and slavery, or forward to peace, knowledge, refinement and liberty.

NO. 8.

ON THE CONDEMNATION OF A BRITISH OFFI CER, FOR HESITATING TO COMPLY WITH AN ORDER BY WHICH HE WAS REQUIRED TO ASSIST, AND PARTICIPATE IN THE CEREMONIES OF THE ROMISH CHURCH.

In my last number, I gave a promise, that I would next take a similar, recent event into consideration. Extracts of a review of the trial preceding the above mentioned sentence, have already appeared in the Mirror, but unaccompanied by any remarks. Hav

ing obtained further information on this subject, from other sources, I think that the singularity and notoriety of the case, require further consideration. By singularity I do not mean, that it is any ways singular, for a soldier to be obliged to put his conscience into the hands of his commanding officer-for this is always the case ;-but it is singular that a soldier should think for himself, and dare to obey God, rather than man.

It seems that Lieut. Dawson, of the Royal Artillery, was tried at Mala, by a court martial, and sentenced to be cashiered, and rendered "incapable of serving his Majesty hereafter, in any military capacity whatever," for the above mentioned crime. An ap peal was followed by a new trial, with the same result, except the latter part of the sentence, relating to future incapacity. The president of this court martial was himself a catholic; from which it would appear, that a soldier, if of any religion at all, is obliged to conform to the religion of his officer, when required so to do. Thus war, not only subjects the person of the warrior to a state of vile and abject slavery, but the mind,

and soul also, to a state of degradation, which is not surpassed on a sugar planta tion.

Capt. Thrush, the British officer referred to in my last, who, like Marcellus, Martin, and Tarachus, military men, mentioned in a late number, resigned his commission, because he found the profession of arms to be inconsistent with the practice of religionor, to use his own words-that it is impossible to "be at the same time a faithful follower of Christ, ad a warrior by profession."— In his letter to the King, accompanying his resignation, he says,

"The moment a man sells himself to his sovereign or to his country, for the purpose of human destruction, he loses caste (if I may be allowed the expression) as a Chris tian. He forfeits that liberty, that freedom to think, to speak, and to act, on moral and religious principles, which, as a Christian, it is his privilege, as well as his duty, to maintain.

"If a subject may be permitted to make the remark, your Majesty appears to entertain opinions similar to these. In confirm

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