World Affairs Institute

REVIEW OF 1883Source: Advocate of Peace (1847-1884), New Series, Vol. 15, No. 1 (JAN. and FEB., 1884), pp. 2-3Published by: World Affairs InstituteStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27906419 .

Accessed: 18/06/2014 17:14

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

World Affairs Institute and Heldref Publications are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extendaccess to Advocate of Peace (1847-1884).

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 188.72.126.181 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 17:14:28 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

2 THE ADVOCATE OF PEACE.

such governments as may be induced to unite there

with, in order to secure the practical adoption of international arbitration, and that Congress be re

quested to make au appropriation for this purpose.

The Public Ledger, of this city, remarked respect ing it, 44It is a movement that commends itself to the good sense of all people as well as to the enlight ened humanity of our age."

44It is no new or untried thing, either in private policy, in the proceedings of law courts, or in inter course among nations. In most instances where it

has been tried in good faith, it. has been successful : and wherever it has been successful, its operation has been productive of the best results?beneficent in all wa}'s."

44No more impressive spectacle was ever pre sented to the world than when two such nations as Greart Britain and the United States agreed to sub mit the war-threatening dispute over the Alabama Claims to the tribunal at Geneva. That arbitration not only elicited the admiration of the civilized

world, but excited the hopes of the people of all Christian countries that the time had come when good sense, regard for the lives and fortunes of their citi zens and subjects, and the claims of universal hu

manity, would displace war, with its privations, its

devastation, its sacrifices, its unspeakable miseries

and afflictions. That was more than ten years ago, but the fruition of that grand example has not yet appeared. It is the business of the Convention to

day-to renew the impulse then given to international arbitration as a means of preventing some wars, an

impulse that should never have been permitted to halt.

The convention was called hy the National Arbi tration League of the United States. Delegates were present at it, from peace associations in

Great Britain, Geneva, and this country, from some of the Western Yearly Meetings, and some minis terial associations of different religious bodies. A letter from General Grant, excusing himself from

being present, says, "My views on the subject of

peace arbitration, in the settlement of international

differences, instead of the sword, have not changed."

Several essays were read and discussed, and a

number of resolutions adopted as to t he best methods of spreading correct views on peace and arbitration

among the people and governments. One of these

states, "That the methods of teaching history which dwell on the details of war, rather than on the inner

life of nations, foster an erroneous impression as to

the relations of war to humanity, and favor a belief in the error that international disputes cannot be settled except by a resort to arms." - Christian

Statesman, Philadelphia.

The good fruits of this Convention are already

appearing. On the 12th of December, Senator Sherman introduced the following bill, which, if

adopted, will place it in the power of the President to send notes to all the independent governments of

North and South America inviting them to appoint delegates to a continental peace and commercial

convention, to meet in Washington during the com

ing year. Senator Sherman is one of the country's most practical legislators; and this plan, which has seemed fanciful when suggested by others, gains an air of usefulness from the fact that it is presented by hiin.

By Mr. Sherman?To provide for the encourage ment of closer commercial relationships, and in the interest of the perpetuation of peace between the

United States and the republic of Mexico, Central and South America, and the empire of Brazil. It provides that the President be authorized and re

quested to invite the republics of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the empire of Brazil, to send delegates to meet in Washington on such

days as he may appoint during the year 18S-L to consider the best mode of establishing upon a.firm and lasting basis, peaceful and reciprocal commer

cial relations, and to adopt such measures as may be considered most practical to promote the con

struct ion of an international railroad to connect the

countries named with the United States. Fifty thou sand dollars is appropriated to defray the expenses of the convention.

The friends of peace throughout the country should bestir themselves and forward petitions to

Congress in support of this important bill. It looks to the consecration of this Western Hemisphere to freedom from war. and to the pursuits of peace, and

consequent prosperity. Such an example could not fail to react on the Kastern World, now burdened with a militarism most crushing to the millions.

REVIEW OP 1883. The Temple of Janus would have been virtually

closed, but for the restless and wicked greed of France to conceal or compensate for her declining

power by encroachments in Africa and Asia. She has pushed her brigandage into Tunis, Madagascar, South Africa, Cochin China, and up the Congo. She seems now to be pulling the whole Chinese Empire upon lier head in persistent advance through Ton

quin, with a view to open up the province of Yun nan to European trade. At home the feebleness of the government has been shown by the frequent changes of administration, the measures proposed for banishing the Orleans Princes, and by the hyster ical panic over the bill-sticking of Jerome Bonaparte.

This content downloaded from 188.72.126.181 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 17:14:28 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

THE ADVOCATE OF PEACE. 3

France lost her political brains when Gambetta died.

By the death of the Comte de Chambord, the Comte de Paris, grandson of Louis Philippe, became the

legitimate heir in the line of succession of the French

monarchy. Bismark has succeeded in isolating France by

an alliance between Germany, Austria, Italy, and

Spain, and even alienating Bulgaria and other Slavic

provinces from Russia. An ostentatious exchange of royal visits has marked the year, the most nota

ble incidents of which were the insults cast upon the

Spanish King in the French Capital, and the tour of the Crown Prince of Germany. An arrange

ment has at last been concluded with the Vatican, which is practically a surrender on the part of Ger

many. Russia also has been isolated on her side of the

map. Alexander III. was crowned with magnificent and impressive ceremonies. The Nihilists seem to

have been got under control, and the work of their

repression and extermination goes ruthlessly for

ward. The anti-Jewish spirit continues to show

itself in occasional outbreaks.

England still flounders in its Irish Slough of

Despond. The Ph nix Park massacre case has been

finally closed by the hanging of O'Donnell for the murder of Carey, the informer. Parnell seems to

be more than ever the idol of the Irish people, not

withstanding the opposition of the Pope. Dyna mite is still resorted to, and plots continue to be

discovered. An attempt was made during the year

to blow up the government offices at Westminster. The Liberal party has been sustained, and has given notice of progressive measures, especially in the

extension of the suffrage. Alfred Tennyson has been

made a peer, and will henceforth be known as Baron

d' Eyncourt. The Egyptian question has assumed a new phase

in the victorious advance of the False Prophet from the Soudan into Lower Egypt. As a result, the

departure of the British troops has been indefinitely postponed. The construction of a second Suez Canal

has been delayed by the short-sighted opposition of the English merchauts to Mr. Gladstone's treaty with M. de Lesseps, but will doubtless be built, and be virtually an English Channel.

Chili has at last made a treaty of peace with

Peru,?the lamb lying down inside of the lion.? Hie Christian Intdligencer.

I know a little girl who heard some Irish work men beginning to fight. Sii e flew to her organ and began singing an Irish song, and the men stopped and joined in the song. It was not hard work, but it stopped a fight. Can't 3'ou sometimes sing a

quarrel away?

HOW HE CAME TO BE LOST.

Outside an eating-house, on a cold, drizzling morn

ing in November, stood a ragged, dirty young fellow. He shivered as the raw, damp wind moaned around

him, finding out every hole in his scanty clothes. Let us scan his face. Dirty it is, pale and pinched ; but it tells a sad and eloquent tale to him who will read it aright. That high, broad forehead, sunken

eye, finely cut nose, and thick, coarse lip and jaw, tell of intellect degraded and clouded by dissipation.

The swing door of the eating-house opened, and a benevolent looking man came out into the rain.

"Give me a penny, please, sir, and 1 repeat a

chapter in the gospels. I'm starving." The gentle man gazed at the speaker. A tear stood in his eye. 44You can repeat chapters in the gospel, can you?

Let me hear you." The twenty-seventh of Matthew

was recited word for word. ''Young man," said the

gentleman, ulet me give you some breakfast." He

took him into the coffee-house. After giving him a good meal, he said, "My lad, I did not bring you in here to give you a cup of coffee and then to turn

you adrift upon the streets. I want to help you. You don't look as if you had many friends in the world. Tell me your story ; and, if you are to be saved from this life, by God's grace I'll pledge my self to be the man to save you. Only tell me truly who you are and how you came here."

"Sir," said a low earnest voice, "I was born the

son of a clergyman. I played, a happy child, with

my little brothers and sisters. I can see, now, the

old school, and the faces of my school-fellows ; and

then, and then"?he broke down, covered his face

with his hands and sobbed aloud?"all is dark

ness and misery."?"What then?" said his ques

tioner, kindly,?"after the happy schooldays, what then?" He dried his eyes : "I went to college, sir, the first boy in the school, proudly thinking that I should carry all before me. I fell in with clever but wicked companions. I was soon found at wine

parties ; I took to drinking freely, and when intox icated I committed an act which closed the college gates against me. What could I do? Home I would not go after what had happened. I tried one kind of work and then another, my taste for drink get

ting stronger and stronger as I sank lower ; and now,

sir, no one will employ me. My character, my respectability, my health, and strength are gone. I'm a wreck, and am content now to be so. I have sworn

never to cross my father's threshold again, and I never will. Good-day, sir ; you mean kindly, but it's too late for me." A hasty step, the swing door closed, and the tall, thin form had disappeared.

This content downloaded from 188.72.126.181 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 17:14:28 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions