Rhode Island Republican

From the (N. J.) TRUE AMERICAN.

TO THE

People called Quakers,

But worthy the perusal of every Individual.

Friends & Fellow-Citizens,

Of all the calamities with which mankind is afflicted, War is by far the most dreadful, as like the baleful comet, it draws in its train every misery to which the human race is liable. This truth is strikingly illustrated by the choice of David, the man after God's own heart. When the prophet Gad announced to him the displeasure of his divine master at his people, and propounded to him the three judgments, viz. War, Famine or Pestilence, of which he must choose one as a punishment for his guilt, he wisely chose the latter, for this emphatic reason, that "it was better to fall into the hands of God, for with him was great mercy."

The pages of history record the calamities of war in such glowing colours that the feeling mind is frozen with horror at the detail of miseries produced by or incidental to it. But a living picture, still more horrible, is now exhibited in Europe. The hardy peasantry of England are dragged from the plough, to perish on foreign shores, or linger out a wretched existence in their floating bastiles: while her fields remain untilled; and famine daily thins the ranks of her wretched inhabitants. Nor is Europe alone suffering from the visitation of this offspring of avarice and ambition. Africa and Asia are bleeding at every pore, and their miserable sons forgetting their sufferings in the oblivion of death!

How ought America to thank that Being who averted from our peaceful shores this destructive visitation, in despite of the machinations of wicked and the delusions of weak men! How ought they to praise and bless that beneficent Providence who rules and reigns according to his good will and pleasure, for preserving to us the most inestimable of blessings, the surest ingredient in the cup of national felicity—PEACE!

—In vain did the presumptuous ADAMS exclaim "to arms, to arms!" and declare the "finger of Heaven pointed to war!"—In vain did the inhuman TRACY propose to "arm the men, women, and children of America against the men women and children of France," and prosecute "a war of extermination"—a war of extermination!—In vain did the voice of corruption, ambition and avarice, cry aloud for war; which was declared to be as necessary to the existence of the body politic, as phlebotomy to the health of the human body! In vain were all the arts and intrigues of aspiring, designing, and abandoned peculators employed to entangle us in the toils of Europe, and sacrifice the peace and happiness of the nation to their own private aggrandizement!—He who "rides on the whirlwind and directs the storm"—He who "overturns and overturns till he whose right it is Shall rule"—confused their councils, defeated their wicked attempts, and from evil produced good.

Remote as we are from the contentions of the old world—distinct as are our interests from theirs—blessed as we are with all the necessaries, conveniences, and most of the luxuries of life; it requires but a wise and prudent ruler (under Providence) to preserve us forever from a participation in the scenes which devastate Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Such a ruler we have now chosen as an important part of whose creed is, "Peace with all nations—ENTANGLING ALLIANCES with none."

Under the auspices of a ruler thus disposed to cultivate peace, we have the most flattering prospect: that we may "all repose under our vines and fig-trees, and have none to molest or make us afraid." And not only that we may be happy ourselves, but that we may exercise our benevolence, and dispose of our abundance, in relieving the miseries of the inhabitants of these unhappy nations, who are suffering from the combined scourges of War, Famine, and Oppression. This ought to be an additional motive of gratitude to Him who disconcerted the designs of those that strove to involve us in foreign war.

Had they succeeded, our own country would have called for all the efforts of benevolence, and all the surplus of wealth. As it is, we are enabled to contribute liberally to the relief of that nation from whose loins we are descended; and to reward in some degree the
progress of meagre and deathful famine. In this benevolent work, your society has taken the lead: and even the half-famished inhabitants of Great-Britain have cause of thankfulness that war did not extend its ravages to n for then they would have had no resource from starvation.

But though we have succeeded in electing to the office of the first magistrate of the union, a man who is remarkable for his mild, peaceful, and philanthropic disposition; and who has declared it his intention to preserve peace with all nations; our work is not yet wholly accomplished. To preserve the harmony of the whole, it is necessary there should be an agreement of the parts. However peaceably disposed our general government may be, it is necessary for the tranquility of the country that the state governments should be administered by men of a like peaceable disposition. Indeed, no man, whatever may be the excellence of his other qualifications, should be entrusted with the confidence of the people, who considers War as necessary or expedient. Nor can I reconcile it with the pacific principles which form the ornament and the excellence of your society, that many of you, at the last election, gave your votes for men who had left no stone unturned to produce an exterminating war between us and a powerful foreign nation.

It must have been owing to some deep and wicked deception. You could never willingly and knowingly consent to involve our country in all the miseries of War, merely to gratify the wishes of a few ambitious lordlings.

If, on reflection, you should discover that you have been deceived in giving your votes to the friends of war and confusion; if you should approve of the declaration of Mr. Jefferson, that he would preserve peace with all nations; I hope you will not bestow your suffrages upon men who are inimical to his pacific and mild administration.

A Friend to Peace, Liberty, and the Constitution.