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WHY WAR?
Sra—No doubt, there has been much said about the war by its advocates that "will not wash." This always happens in all popular discussions. No doubt, the " Peace party " are quite right in telling us that war, with its sufferings, cannot make the selfish benevolent, although it gives the un- selfish great opportunities for self-sacrifice. No doubt, the Laureate did write bombast. All this is true; but this is not the question ; and the Peace party must not be allowed to take advantage of the folly of some of their antagonists, and to try to set aside the greatest practical duty of the day, by going off upon the abstract question of the comparative benefits of peace and war,—a subject fit for the Mutual Improvement Society of Little Peddlington, not for English men. It seems, and has for years seemed, to many in this land, that Russia is a power determined upon the same career of ruthless conquest which was at- tempted in veins by Persia and Spain—attempted successfully by Macedon and Rosin. It seems to them, that Russia is not devoted to conquering bar- barians so that they may be civilized, but to crushing civilized states in order to barbarize them. It seems to them, that this present war is Europe's last chance ' • that Russia should have been stopped in Poland—should have been stopped in Hungary—must be now effectually disabled. This chance of re- sistance is the last offer of the Sibyl. Now it is being decided whether we are miserable life-tenants of civilization, or whether we are to transmit it as
a ip ltd. And with such a power as Russia, it is not a present check, but assurance against future peril, that is needed. We may even now be too late, (God forbid !) but at least we will try the issue.
We know right well that war is a curse, (would to God we could avoid it !) but a foreign yoke, a barbarian invader, and the bitterness of the con- viction that we have received from our fathers rights and blessings which we could not keep safe for our children, are curses a millionfold greater. To men who look upon the question thus, those who are now crying out for peace =1st seem traitors.
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