As the principles and preparations of war have a natural tendency to
generate war and are actually the cause of a great proportion of the
wars which do exist, so actual hostilities have a natural tendency to
increase difficulties and to spread abroad the destroying evil.
It is almost impossible for any two nations to be long engaged in war
without interfering with the rights and privileges of other nations,
which generally awakes their jealousy and resentment, so that most of
the surrounding nations are drawn into the destructive vortex, which is
the more easily done, as war inflames the martial spirit in other
nations not engaged, and rouses up the desperate passions of men.
Besides, the belligerent nations are not content with suffering
themselves, but use every art and persuasion to get the neighboring
nations to join them; and they are generally too successful, for it
seldom happens that two nations engage in war for a length of time and
conclude a peace before they have involved other nations in their
difficulties and distresses, and often a great proportion of the world
is in arms.
Moreover, the nations who first engage in the contest always widen the
breach between themselves by war.
It is much easier settling difficulties between individuals or nations
before actual hostilities commence than afterwards. Mankind are not apt
to be any more mild and accommodating in a state of actual warfare.
Besides, new difficulties constantly arise. The passions become
inflamed, and charges are often made of violating the established laws
of civilized warfare, which laws, however, are generally bounded only by
the strength of power. If one party makes an incursion into the other's
territory and storms a fortified place and burns the town, the other
party must then make a desperate effort to retaliate the same kind of
destruction, to a double degree, on the towns of their enemy.
Retaliation, or "rendering evil for evil," is not only allowed by
Mahometans and pagans, but is an open and avowed principle in the
doctrine of self-defense among professed Christian nations; not only is
it sanctioned by the laity, but too often by the priests who minister in
the name of Jesus Christ.
Both of the contending parties generally seize on each other's
possessions wherever they can get hold of them, whether on the seas or
on the land. The barbarous spoliations on each other stir up the
passions of the great mass of their inhabitants, until they esteem it a
virtue to view each other as natural and perpetual enemies, and then
their rulers can prosecute the war with what they call vigor.
Can the wound now be so easily healed as it could have been before it
became thus lacerated and inflamed? Facts speak to the contrary, and
nations seldom attempt negotiations for peace under such circumstances.
They generally prosecute the war with all their power until one party or
the other is overcome, or until both have exhausted their strength, and
then they may mutually agree to a temporary peace to gain a little
respite, when perhaps the original matter of dispute has become
comparatively so trifling that it is almost left out of the account.
With a small spirit of forbearance and accommodation how easily might
the difficulties have been settled before such an immense loss of blood
and treasure!
If war does actually increase, instead of diminishing, difficulties,
then it must be very unwise to engage in it.