War, it is said, kindles patriotism; by fighting for our country we learn
to love it. But the patriotism which is cherished by war, is ordinarily
false and spurious, a vice and not a virtue, a scourge to the world, a
narrow unjust passion, which aims to exalt a particular state on the
humiliation and destruction of other nations. A genuine enlightened
patriot discerns that the welfare of his own country is involved in the
general progress of society; and in the character of a patriot, as well
as of a Christian, he rejoices in the liberty and prosperity of other
communities, and is anxious to maintain with them the relations of peace
and amity.
It is said that a military spirit is the defence of a country. But it
more frequently endangers the vital interests of a nation, by embroiling
it with other states. This spirit, like every other passion, is impatient
for gratification, and often precipitates a country into unnecessary
war. A people have no need of a military spirit. Let them be attached to
their government and institutions by habit, by early associations, and
especially by experimental conviction of their excellence, and they will
never want means or spirit to defend them.
War is recommended as a method of redressing national grievances. But
unhappily the weapons of war, from their very nature, are often wielded
most successfully by the unprincipled. Justice and force have little
congeniality. Should not Christians everywhere strive to promote the
reference of national as well as of individual disputes to an impartial
umpire? Is a project of this nature more extravagant than the idea of
reducing savage hordes to a state of regular society? The last has been
accomplished. Is the first to be abandoned in despair?
It is said that war sweeps off the idle, dissolute, and vicious members
of the community. Monstrous argument! If a government may for this end
plunge a nation into war, it may with equal justice consign to the
executioner any number of its subjects whom it may deem a burden on the
state. The fact is, that war commonly generates as many profligates as
it destroys. A disbanded army fills the community with at least as many
abandoned members as at first it absorbed.
It is sometimes said that a military spirit favours liberty. But how is
it, that nations, after fighting for ages, are so generally enslaved?
The truth is, that liberty has no foundation but in private and public
virtue; and virtue, as we have seen, is not the common growth of war.
But the great argument remains to be discussed. It is said that without
war to excite and invigorate the human mind, some of its noblest energies
will slumber, and its highest qualities, courage, magnanimity, fortitude,
will perish. To this I answer, that if war is to be encouraged among
nations because it nourishes energy and heroism, on the same principle
war in our families, and war between neighbourhoods, villages, and
cities, ought to be encouraged; for such contests would equally tend to
promote heroic daring and contempt of death. Why shall not different
provinces of the same empire annually meet with the weapons of death, to
keep alive their courage? We shrink at this suggestion with horror; but
why shall contests of nations, rather than of provinces or families, find
shelter under this barbarous argument?
I observe again: if war be a blessing, because it awakens energy and
courage, then the savage state is peculiarly privileged; for every savage
is a soldier, and his whole modes of life tend to form him to invincible
resolution. On the same principle, those early periods of society were
happy, when men were called to contend, not only with one another, but
with beasts of prey; for to these excitements we owe the heroism of
Hercules and Theseus. On the same principle, the feudal ages were more
favoured than the present; for then every baron was a military chief,
every castle frowned defiance, and every vassal was trained to arms. And
do we really wish that the earth should again be overrun with monsters,
or abandoned to savage or feudal violence, in order that heroes may be
multiplied? If not, let us cease to vindicate war as affording excitement
to energy and courage.--_Channing._
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Suffer not your spirit to be subdued by misfortunes, but, on the
contrary, steer right onward, with a courage greater than your fate seems
to allow.
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