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EUROPE A THOUSAND YEARS AGOSource: Advocate of Peace (1847-1884), New Series, Vol. 14, No. 1 (JANUARY, 1883), pp. 2-3Published by: World Affairs InstituteStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27906317 .

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2 THE ADVOCATE OF PEACE.

Earl of Beaconsfield (Disraeli).? "Let us

terminate this disastrous system of wild expenditure by mutually agreeing, with no hypocrisy, but in a manner and under circumstances which admit of no

doubt, by the reduction of armaments, that peace is

really our policy ; and then the Chancellor of the

Exchequer may look forward with no apprehension to his next budget, and England may then witness the termination of the income-tax."?Speech, July

2, 1859.

President Hayes (U.S.A.), in his inaugural ad"

dress, 1877, said:?"The policy inaugurated by my honored predecessor. President Grant (U.S.A.), of submitting to arbitration grave questions in dis

pute between ourselves and Foreign Powers, points to a new, and comparatively the best, instrumentality for the preservation of peace, and will, as I believe, become a beneficent example, of course to be pur sued in similar emergencies by other nations."

President Garfield (U.S.A.), in 1881, spoke of arbitration as being "a beneficent rule for the

future conduct of all governments."

Hon. W. M. Evarts, U. S. Secretary of State, declared in 1879 :?"It is the deliberate purpose of this Administration to arbitrate every case of diffi

culty, or difference, that may arise between this

country and any other. ' '

President Arthur (U.S.A.), in his message to

Congress, 1882, said:?"I am unwilling to dismiss this subject (a peace congress of American nations), without assuring you of my support of any measures the wisdom of Congress may devise for the promo tion of peace on this continent and throughout the world, and I trust that the time is nigh when, with the universal assent of civilized peoples, all interna

tional differences shall be determined without re course to arms, by the benignant processes of arbitration."

LEGISLATURES AND ARBITRATION. On the 8th of July, 1873, Mr. Henry Richard,

M.P., carried a motion in favor of Arbitration in

the British House of Commons. This example was followed soon after by several other parlia ments. On November 24, 1873, Signor Mancini

introduced a similar motion in the Italian Cham ber of Deputies, which passed by a unanimous

vote. On June 17, 1874, the Hon. Mr. Wood ford proposed and carried a motion to the same

effect in the House of Representatives at Wash

ington, which was subsequently passed also by the Senate of the United States. On March 21, 1874, the Second Chamber of the Swedish Diet, on proposal of Mr. Jonas Jonassen, adopted a

similar resolution. On November 27, 1874, M.

Van Eck brought the subject before the States General of the Netherlands with the same happy result. On January 19, 1875, M. A. Couvreur carried an Arbitration motion in the Belgian Chamber of Deputies, and the same motion was

afterwards adopted unanimously by the Senate ; and although the question has not yet been for mally brought forward in the French Assembly, a resolution was carried there in 1878 referring a petition that had been presented on the subject to

the Minister of Foreign Affairs, 4'to whom," it was added, 4'shall be left in charge to determine the

opportune moment when this idea, already tried with success, should be submitted for the consent of States whose constitution and principles are best

adapted for seeking in concert its realization/'

ARBITRAL CLAUSES IN TREATIES.

Surely the conviction will gradually dawn upon the minds of European statesmen that by clinging to the old system of armed and mutual menace, as

the only condition on which the nations can live side

by side, they are very heavily weighting their own

people in the race, not only of civilization and hu

manity, but of national progress and prosperity. One obvious method by which the government can

help on this great reform is by proposing to enter into treaties with the other governments, binding the parties beforehand, whenever any differences arise between them, to refer those differences to

Arbitration. If this arrangement should prove

successful, as it could hardly fail to do, many gov ernments may be tempted to follow the example, in their relation to each other, and thus the foundation

might gradually be laid for a Court of Nations, which might become the great tribunal of humanity.

EUKOPE THOUSAND YEARS AGO. In the year 800 after Christ, what was the state

of Europe? The Goths, the Vandals, the Franks, the Huns, the Normans, the Turks and other barba

rian hordes, had invaded and overthrown the Ro

man Empire, and had established various kingdoms upon its ruins. These hordes of savages had de

stroyed, not only all the works of civilization, but

civilization itself. Ignorant as they were of every

thing that distinguishes and elevates human nature,

they broke up the schools, ruined the monuments, abolished arts and manufactures, prevented com

merce, and reduced the conquered nations to their

own condition, inaugurating in the compietesi man

ner the reign of brute force and mental darkness.

If they afterward espoused Christianity, they moulded it to their own savage superstition, till at last naught was left of the divine dispensation but its name, to cover the most degrading idolatry and demonism. At the time we begin our specific ex amination we find that, in the then so-called Chris

tian countries?

There existed no science worthy of the name, no schools whatever. Reading, writing and cipher

ing were separate and distinct trades. The masses, the nobility, the poor and the rich, were wholly unacquainted with the mysteries of the alphabet and the pen. A few men, knowrn as clerks, who

generally belonged to the priesthood, monopolized them as a special class of artists. They taught their business only to their seminarists, apprentices ; and beyond themselves and their few pupils, no one knew how to read and write, nor was it ex

pected of the generality, any more than it would be

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THE ADVOCATE OF PEACE. 3

nowadays, that everybody should be a shoemaker or a lawyer. Kings did not know even how to sign their names, so that when they wanted to subscribe

to a written contract, law or treaty, which some

clerk had drawn up for them they would smear their

right hand with ink, and slap it down upon the parchment saying, ''Witness my hand." At a later

date, some genius devised the substitute of the seal, which was impressed instead of the hand, but of ten er besides the hand. Every gentleman had a seal with a peculiar device thereon. Hence the sacra

mental words now in use, '* Witness ray hand and

seal," affixed to modern deeds, serve at least the

purpose of reminding us of the ignorance of the middle ages.?Popular Science Monthly.

An article recently appeared in the New York Herald giving the statistics of the military strength of the great Continental Powers of Europe, and the cost of its support is of special interest and impor tance. First of all it serves to show the difference be tween the two forms of government which are now

on trial before the world?the monarchical system of Europe and the Democracy of America. Sec

ond, it is of interest to us as a people for the reason that it forcibly points out the advantages of the Democratic system and writes in letters of light the dangers and perils we should avoid. France,

Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary and Italy have an aggregate population of two hundred and thirty eight millions. Their standing armies on a peace

footing number two million men, which on a war

basis are swollen to more than seven millions.

The cost of their support in money runs into figures that are almost appalling, but the indirect cost of their existence, owing to the withdrawal of so vast a body of men from the farm, the workshops and the pursuits of trade, is almost incalculable. And what advantage does it all bring to the people who are compelled to toil and starve that the ambitions, the whims, the caprices of kings may be advanced and gratified. The standing armies of Europe teach

America a great and valuable lesson?to cherish and

cling to government of the people, by the people, for the people.

HOPEFUL ASPECTS OF THE PEACE CAUSE. It is pleasant and instructive to trace the "logic

of events" as recently developed in the cause of

peace in this country. In May last a peace con

vention, largely representative in its character, con

vened in Washington, D. C, at which important action was taken urging upon all civilized govern ments, especially upon Great Britain and the United

States, pacific methods in the settlement of Inter national difficulties. Interviews were had with the President and heads of departments which were

quite satisfactory. President Arthur was pleased to utter in his last

message, after alluding to the postponement of the

proposed Peace Congress of the American States, these memorable words :

"I am unwilling to dismiss this subject without assuring you of my support of any measures the wisdom of Congress miiy devise for the promotion of peace on this continent and throughout the world, and I trust that the time is nigh when, with the universal assent of civilized peoples, all international differences shall be determined without resort to arms, by the benignant processes of arbitration."

On the 20th of the Twelfth month, Senator Hoar, of Massachusetts, offered and, by unanimous consent

obtained leave to bring before the United States Senate the following joint resolution, which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations :

"Resolved by the Senate and House of Represen tatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,'That the President of the United States is hereby authorized and directed to negotiate, with all civilized powers who may be willing to enter into negotiations, for the establishment of an inter national system, whereby matters in dispute between different governments agreeing thereto may be ad justed by arbitration, and if possible, without re course to war."

The friends of international arbitration who have secured the introduction into the Senate of this reso lution, are very desirous that all those who are favorable to the cause should write to the Senators and Representatives of their respective States asking their favorable attention to it. It is thought that a

general effort made in its behalf might secure its

passage, and prepare the wajr for future practical action. The United States from its position, is free from many embarrassments in negotiations with other nations upon this subject which would attend the great European powers.

The American Peace Society has taken prompt action and communicated with our delegation in

Congress in support of this resolution, which we trust will be carried in both Houses with great unanimity. We are glad to learn that our friends of the National Arbitration League at Washington are pushing this important measure with commend able zeal, and that the press of the country comes to its support.

EspThe Angel of Peace has entered on its 13th volume. It has performed a mission of peace and good will to the youth of this and of other lands. Many have received the Angel with special favor, and have given to it substantial support. But we feel moved to say that this pure little reform paper, with terms exceedingly low, should have a larger patronage, and this for the sake of the good it will do. Will not the friends of peace aid by personal efforts to have the Angel of Peace introduced, so far as possible, into the Sabbath schools and families of the land ? Are there not many mission schools and destitute places where it can be circulated to advan tage and result in a harvest of purity, truth and peace? Friends of peace, Help! H. C. Dunham.

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