among the foremost in literature, art, science, and in fact, everything which centuries of civilization could give them, yet they have not learned that love for mankind and contentment with self gov ernment give peace in the highest degree. They have not learned that the love of country alone, in the hearts of its citizens, is the greatest assurance of defense in times of war j although they have repeatedly seen this demonstrated. The countries of Europe are so connected by boundaries and marriage relations, that a quarrel between any two of them affects, if it does not involve, all of them. The people are held down under aristocracies, to whose purposes armies are best suited, and through which largely, they maintain their power. Old grudges still existing between them serve to keep up the fear of inva sion from without, while bad rule and oppression keep up the fear of insurrection within. Standing armies are the instruments with which monarchs and aristocrats hold sway over ignor ant and oppressed peoples, and with which they conquer and hold their smaller states. The enormous cost of maintaining these many millions of men in the field drags heavily on the people. The effect of keeping this large percent age of the able bodied men in comparative idle ness, and thus keeping them from the industrial pursuits, is to create and maintain pauperism over most all Europe. Military drill is good for physical develope ment, but man was not made to spend years of his time on dress parade, for it will not earn bread and butter for him in after life. It is to be doubted whether the men who have spent years in a standing army are superior to the citizen soldier who has lived and worked with love for his country. Read history. Who freed Switzerland ? A timid population that knew not what war was until compelled to fight for their liberties. Who defeated the regiments famous for being victorious over Napoleon at Waterloo, but the American farmer and laborer recruited a few months pre- ¥he free LaM(SI. vious to the battle of New Orleans ? Where can you find in the world’s history men who fought with the skill, courage and coolness, that the citizen soldier of our own country did at Gettysburg, Spottsylvania, or the Wilderness? France, smarting from her experience of 1870, has maintained since then a large standing army, much to the burden of her people: The exper ience of the last half century has shown that the armies of Europe have been more useful in op pressing than in defending the true interests of man. They are great evils, and can promote no good to humanity j and may the time speedily appear when shall come to pass the ancient pro phecy of the Bible, "And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks ; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” MORNING'S SOLILOQUY. John Smith, Vanish I ye clouds of night! Release the winged light Tlint soon must soar To the Western shore To porch for rest In Its onward Right. Roll baek thy curtained gates, Impatient morning walls. Arise ye mountain walls 1 Give echo to my calls, Resume your sheen, Of forest green And breath your fragranco through tny halls. Yield flowers to greet my eyes; ’TIs Morning bids you rise. Bestir yourselves, ye winds I Your hymn of praise reminds My happy heart Of Cupid's art, While gratitude expression finds, Thy sweetest volees ralso In Morning’s mend of praise. Come forth thou foe of night And clothe me with thy light, Bring jewels, too, Of every hue To grace my beauty rolled In white Put diamonds In my hair, And flowers everywhere.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers