Ye bright mosaics! that with storied beauty 'Neath cloister'd boughs, each floral bell that swingeth, Not to the domes, where crumbling arch and column To that cathedral, boundless as our wonder, Whose quenchless lamps the sun and moon supply: Its choir the winds and waves, its organ thunder, Its dome the sky. There, as in solitude and shade I wander, Yes! He is a "refuge,"-worn, weak and alone, SUMMARY OF NEWS. M. CONGRESS.-In the Senate, the debate on the Ten Regiment Bill has been continued by Hunter, of Virginia, Niles, of Connecticut, Miller, of New Jersey, Underwood, of Kentucky, Turney, of Tennessee, and Breese, of Illinois. A bill to establish a Territorial Government in Oregon, has been re Through the green aisles, or stretch'd upon the sod, ported. Resolutions of the New York Legislature, Awed by the silence, reverently ponder The ways of God: instructing their Senators to vote in favour of the Wilmot Proviso, have been presented. with the thanks of Congress, to Generals Scott and In the House, resolutions presenting gold medals Taylor, have been passed, yeas about 180-J. R. Giddings alone voting in the negative. A large number of members appear to have been absent at the time. J. R. Giddings subsequently offered resolutions thanking Albert Gallatin for his efforts against the war. They were laid on the table, 132 to 45. The Loan Bill is under discussion in Committee of the Whole. The sum now called for by the Secretary of the Treasury, is $16,000,000; and to this the bill will probably be conformed. PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE.-A resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution, so that Judges shall be elected by the people, has passed the Senate by a vote of 19 to 11. The bill for the abolition of capital punishment has been defeated by a vote of 11 to 16. We learn that a bill for the further protection of personal liberty, has passed the Legislature of Rhode Island, by a vote of 39 to 16 in the House, and by an unanimous vote in the Senate. The bill is said to be a literal copy of the Massachusetts act, and very similar to our own. MEXICO.--President Anaya's term of office has expired, and it is reported that Pena y Pena has again become President, by right of his office of Chief Justice. A projected insurrection in the City of Mexico had been discovered and prevented. EUROPE.-By the arrival of the Sarah Sands at New York on the 10th inst., Liverpool dates to the 22nd ult, have been received. But little change had taken place since the sailing of the Acadia. Both the Corn and Cotton markets were flat, with a downward tendency. The influx of the precious metals continued, and the money market had become comparatively easy, but there was still a great want of confidence, and operations were conducted on a very limited scale, and with great caution. The state of monetary affairs on the continent was rather unfavourable. The surrender of Abdel Kader (noticed in our 20th number,) was made on the pledge of the Duke d'Aumale, governor general of Algiers, that he should be allowed to go to St. Jean d'Acre, or to Egypt. The French Government had broken faith with him, and placed him in continement. quarrel or a war."-" Whatever the quarrels of the Pennsylvania Indians were with others, they uniformly respected, and held sacred, as it were, the territories of William Penn." The settlers of Pennsylvania, relying upon Price two dollars per annum, payable in advance, or six Divine protection, placed themselves in the midst copies for ten dollars. This paper is subject to newspaper postage only. of savages, without the means of resisting aggression;-and even savage magnanimity felt the appeal-suppressed the war-cry-and permitted CONSIDERATIONS ON THE LAWFULNESS OF them to possess the land in undisturbed repose. WAR UNDER THE GOSPEL DISPENSATION. "Shall the sword devour forever?"-2 SAM. ii. 26. (Concluded from page 339.) It may be said, indeed it often is said, that war, though an evil, is an evil that cannot be avoided in the present state of the world; and this conclusion may serve to quiet the consciences of many, whose feelings revolt at the fearful realities of war. Let us examine the correctness of the conclusion, that war is unavoidable-has the trial been made, and found to be impractica ble? any What a lesson, may we not ask, to Christian nations! How painfully, how instructively, does the situation of other American colonies contrast We will not attempt to portray it; with this! but refer to the blood-stained pages of colonial history. Will it be said that the same confiding spirit, and peaceable deportment, if practiced in sincerity and truth, towards nations professing the benign religion of the Gospel, would be more dangerous, or less successful? We trust notsuch a conclusion would be a libel upon mankind -a denial of the efficacy of the Christian religion-and an inexcusable distrust of the Providence and moral government of God. It is indeed to be regretted, that no instance of a strictly national character has yet occurred, to test the practicability of the principles for which we plead, an unreasoning reliance upon the Omnipotent Arm for protection and defence. It is not unusual to attempt a justification of There is, however, a case to which we may rewar under the Gospel dispensation, by referring fer, of a strong character, and sufficiently national to the wars of the Jews, under the dispensation for all the purposes of our argument. Pennsyl- of the Law. It is conceded that many of these vania, it is known, was settled by men who wars were authorized by the Supreme Ruler of believed that Christianity forbade war under the universe, for purposes of his own inscrutable and every pretext. They acted in strict accord- wisdom; but this high authority cannot be ance with this belief. They planted themselves claimed by Christian nations; and it has been in the midst of savages. They were surrounded shown that the two dispensacions are essentially by inen who knew nothing of written treaties, or different-that holy men during the continuance the obligations of revealed religion; by men who of the legal dispensation, predicted, under the inwere addicted to war in its most sanguinary and fluence of the spirit of prophecy, that the time revolting forms;—and yet "for more than seventy would come when nations should cease to lift up years," and up to the time that the government sword against nation, or to learn war any more. of the Colony passed into other hands, they en-Founder of the existing dispensation, called the We have seen that the Divine Author and joyed uninterrupted peace. "The Pennsylvanians," says Clarkson, "be- attention of his followers to those violent and came armed, though without arms; they be- vindictive passions, the indulgence of which came strong, though without strength; they became safe without the ordinary means of safety. For the greater part of a century, and never, during the administration of William Penn, or that of his proper successors, was there a *Proud. were allowed under the Law, for the express purpose of excluding them from the code of morals which it was His purpose to establish; and that His immediate followers, and their successors for nearly two centuries, firmly believed that war was forbidden by their Divine Master.. We have shown that the conviction was so solemnly sealed upon their consciences, that when called by the rulers of that day to serve as soldiers, no earthly consideration or suffering could induce them to swerve from this article of primitive Christian faith. And the early writers, Ireneus, Justin Martyr, and Tertullian, affirm as their belief, that the prophecy which declares that men should turn their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks, was then fulfilled. With the hope of enforcing our views upon this subject, and for the purpose of showing that they are neither wild nor visionary, we here offer the sentiments of persons respecting it, who lived at different periods of time, and were eminent for their piety or learning. "War," says Erasmus, "does more harm to the morals of men than even to their property and persons:"-and again, "They who defend war, must defend the dispositions which lead to war; and these dispositions are absolutely forbidden by the Gospel." Richard Watson, Bishop of Llandaff, asserts that "War has practices and principles peculiar to itself, which but ill quadrate with the rules of moral rectitude, and are quite abhorrent to the benignity of Christianity." Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon and Lord high Chancellor of England, says, that "War introduces and propagates opinions and practices as much against Heaven as against earth; it lays our nature and our manners as waste as our gardens and habitations; and we can as easily preserve the beauty of the one, as the integrity of the other, under the cursed jurisdiction of drums and trumpets." William Law, a pious minister of the church of England, and well known as the author of "A Practical Treatise on Christianity," avers that "There is not a virtue of Gospel goodness, but has its death-blow from war," The eminent Dr. V. Knox, after remarking that almost all the professions have some characteristic manner, observes, "It happens, unfortunately, that profligacy, libertinism, and infidelity, are thought by weaker minds, almost as necessary a part of a soldier's uniform, as his shoulder-knot. To hesitate at an oath, to decline intoxication, to profess a regard for religion, would be almost as ignominious as to refuse a challenge." The British poet, Southey, notwithstanding he had eulogized the heroes of his native land, was constrained to speak in terms of high commendation of those who refuse to fight; and he declares that "The prohibition of war by our Divine Master, is plain, literal, and undeniable." The Bishop of Llandaff, already quoted, says, "I am persuaded that when the spirit of Christianity shall exert its proper influence over the minds of individuals, and especially over the minds of public men in their public capacities, over the minds of men constituting the councils of Princes,-when this happy period shall arrive, war will cease throughout the whole Christian world." Now, if it be true that "The dispositions which lead to war are absolutely forbidden by the Gospel ;"-if they "are quite abhorrent to the benignity of Christianity;"-if war “introduces and propagates opinions and practices as much against Heaven as against earth;"—if it lays our nature and our manners as waste as our gardens and habitations," and renders it as difficult to preserve the beauty of the one, as 66 66 the integrity of the other: " If there is not a virtue of Gospel goodness, but has its death-blow from war ;"-if it is productive of "profligacy, libertinism, and infidelity;"--if all this be true, should not every wise and good man-should not all who are seeking to promote the present and eternal welfare of their fellow-men, unite in one great and untiring effort to abolish,-to banish from the earth this cruel, demoralizing and destructive scourge? A state of universal and enduring peace-even if, as some suppose, it is to be accomplished by a special interposition of Divine Providence, at some remote period of time, is a delightful theme to contemplate. We, also, believe, in accordance with prophecy, that it will arrive; but, we believe that it will be a result of individual faithfulness. We fully unite in opinion with the Bishop of Llandaff, that peace will become universal, "whenever the spirit of Christianity shall exert its proper influence;"-and we have shown that Christianity did produce it, in an earlier and purer state of the Church-so far, at least, as Christianity prevailed. If, then, peace on earth be looked to as an end and an aim of our holy religion-is not each individual believer called upon to cultivate in himself, and endeavour to promote in others, those feelings, and that course of conduct which are calculated to produce this blessed effect? We have ventured especially to request the attention of those who have assumed the responsible station of ministers and teachers of the Christian religion, to this subject, because, whatever affects the character of this religion, or opposes its progress in the world, seems peculiarly to claim their notice. And we would suggest, that the fact of our country being at the present time engaged in war, furnishes a strong reason for entering into a careful examination of the evidence respecting the lawfulness of war under the Gospel dispensation. May we venture to ask whether those pacific principles by which the Church in the apostolic age-and, indeed, during the first and greater part of the second centuries, was so remarkably distinguished, are inculcated by the Christian teachers of the present day, with that clearness and fulness, to which they are justly entitled? Even those who do not fully unite with us in For Friends' Review. the belief, that "war is unreservedly prohibited MEMOIRS OF THE LIFE OF ELI WHITNEY. (Concluded from page 328.) by the Christian religion," must admit that, besides the misery and suffering it produces--it is highly demoralizing--and that it eminently tends As the facility with which cotton was cleaned to retard the progress of vital religion among of its seed by Whitney's gin caused a sudden men and if so, the glorious theme of " increase in the culture of cotton, so, that augmenon earth" should not fail to find devoted advo-tation created a pressing demand for the gin, and cates in all who are sincerely seeking to promote soon called into existence one or two rival mathe present and eternal welfare of their fellow-chines. One of these was the roller gin, which men. peace We are aware that, when the public mind is strongly excited, it may require great moral courage, and a deep and abiding sense of duty, to enable a pastor to stand firmly at his post, and advocate the noble cause of peace. But these are occasions when, by reason of the position he occupies, his constant intercourse with the people, and the influence he exerts upon their feelings, he may-by restraining, or by giving a right direction to the popular impulse become instrumental in hastening the day when righteousness shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea. In conclusion, we would ask attention to one view of the subject of war, which commends itself with awful solemnity to the consideration of all, and with peculiar force to those we are now addressing. We refer to the ultimate-to the unseen consequences of war-to the final state of the myriads of spirits, disembodied, it is greatly to be feared, while under the influence of the most ferocious passions, and sent uncalled, into the world of righteous retribution. The reflection is awful indeed-and must, we would fain hope, command the most serious at tention ;—and by producing a firm conviction of the utter incompatibility of war with the meek, forgiving, and peaceable spirit of the Gospel, lead to increased and earnest efforts to eradicate from the earth this scourge to the family of man. If, then, the fruits of war be anguish unspeakable, and bitterness in the latter end-how strong -how powerful is the claim upon our efforts to oppose it, and restore the Church to the state of purity in which it stood in the primitive period of its existence ! May the Lord in his mercy hasten the day when this shall be effected;-when nation shall no longer lift up sword against nation, and the people shall learn war no more; but the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ. Signed on behalf and by direction of a Meeting of the Representatives of the Religious Society of Friends, of the Yearly Meeting of New York, held in the City of New York, the 4th of First month, 1848. RICHARD CARPENTER, Clerk. It is thy duty to be a friend to mankind, as it is thy interest that man should be friendly to thee. crushed the seeds between heavy rollers, but the fragments were still apt to adhere to the cotton, and thus render it inferior to that cleaned by the former instrument. Another rival machine was constructed on Whitney's plan, with teeth cut in the manner of a saw, on a circular rim of iron, instead of being composed of projecting wires. While these efforts to supplant his machines were going on in Georgia, he had the misfortune to have his shop in New Haven consumed by fire, with all his papers and machinery. By this event he was reduced to bankruptcy; but neither Miller nor Whitney was of desponding temperament, and they were aroused by this untoward accident to more vigorous exertions. Yet, as the former had but little money at his command, and the latter had neither money nor any thing to offer as security, except the uncertain proceeds of his future industry, they were willing to receive as a favour the loan of money at twelve per cent. per annum. This While these difficulties were pressing upon them, a rumor was put in circulation, that the staple of the cotton, which was cleaned by this gin, was greatly injured by the operation. was a blow for which they were not prepared, and the consequence appeared for a time likely to be a total failure of their hopes. The merchants would purchase the cotton only at a reduced price, and those who were trespassing on their patent rights, held them in derision. At the same time, the roller gin appeared to be taking the place of Whitney's, and was by many persons preferred to it. As this rumor was ostensibly founded chiefly on the experience of the English manufacturers, it became an important object with Miller and Whitney to ascertain the truth or falsehood of the report; and it was concluded that the latter should repair to England, to challenge a rigid comparison of the cotton cleaned by his gin, with that which was extricated from its seed by other means. He was entirely confident, that the prejudice which was raised, and industriously fomented in the South, would be removed by the proper experiments; and this confidence was eventually discovered to be well founded. At this time (1796) Miller and Whitney had thirty gins in various parts of Georgia, some of which were impelled by horses or oxen, and others by water. Of these, a number were standing idle. They had also invested about $10,000 in real estate, which was suited only to the purposes of ginning cotton. It was, of course, essential to their success, that the character of their machine should be cleared of the defect imputed to it; and E. Whitney, during nearly the whole year, deemed himself on the point of departure for Europe. But the funds requisite to defray the unavoidable expense, could not be procured, and the plan was finally abandoned. It was not long before the reputation of Whitney's gin was restored. Respectable manufacturers at home and abroad, gave certificates in its favour, and the cotton cleaned by it was soon preferred to any other in the market. But another 'difficulty was presented, by the want of integrity in the cotton planters or dealers in the article. The encroachment on their patent rights had become so extensive, as nearly to annihilate the value of the patent; and the issue of the first trial which they were able to procure was, in the highest degree, discouraging. A person being prosecuted for using Whitney's gin without a license from the patentees, the judge gave a charge so decidedly in favour of the plaintiffs, that the defendant told an acquaintance, he would give two thousand dollars to be free from the verdict of the jury, and yet, after about an hour's consultation, that jury gave a verdict against the patentees; and this verdict seems to have been founded on the quibble of law-that the legal offence consisted in making, devising and using, or selling the machine; whereas the defendant was only charged with using it. This occurred in the spring of 1797. Great efforts were made to bring the validity of their patent right again before the court at Savannah in the spring of the following year, but in this case they failed even of obtaining a trial. The result of the first trial, and the failure to procure a second, induced the patentees to relinquish the design of monopolizing the ginning of cotton themselves; and they would willingly have sold the right of using their gin to the cotton planters; but very few would buy a right which they could use without purchasing; and, of the few who did, a small number only paid the cash. They generally gave their notes, and afterwards evaded, by various subterfuges, the payment of these obligations; so that an agent, who was employed to make a tour of collection through the State of Georgia, could not recover money enough to pay his expenses. Thus, after five or six years of assiduous attention, and the expenditure of nearly all the money they could earn or borrow, the patentees had the mortification to find the mass of the population in their adopted State, apparent'y united in a league to deprive the inventor of the cotton gin of all the benefits of his labour and ingenuity. This case, if it stood alone, might probably be considered as a specimen of slaveholding morality. Near the close of the year 1801, proposals from Miller and Whitney were laid before the Legislature of South Carolina, in which, after representing the importance of their machine, and stating that the people of that State were gaining many millions of dollars by its use, they offered to transfer their patent right, as far as South Carolina was concerned, to the Legislature, for the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, one half to be paid on the transfer of the right, and the other by subsequent instalments. After some discussion, the legislature voted the sum of fifty thousand dollars, to purchase the right in question, of which twenty thousand were to be paid in cash, and the rest in yearly instalments of ten thousand dollars each; and in a few hours afterwards closed the session. Thus E. Whitney was left to choose whether he would accept the terms proposed, or try what could be obtained by other means. He supposed that, from the extensive use of the machine then made in the State, he was entitled to four or five times the sum offered. The value of the land was raised to nearly double its former amount by the introduction of the gin; yet he judged it safest to accept the offer of the legislature, and make the transfer required. Near the end of 1802, a sale of the patent right was negotiated with the legislature of North Carolina. A tax was laid upon the cotton gins used in the State, to be collected with other taxes during five years, and, after defraying the expense of collection, the balance was punctually paid to the patentee. Application being made to the legislature of Tennessee, that body, in 1803, passed an act laying a tax for four years, of thirty seven and a half cents per annum upon every saw contained in the gins used in the State. What sum was thus raised, we are not informed; but as some of the gins contained forty saws, it is probable the amount was considerable. But while the prospect was thus brightening in these states, a storm was gathering in another. Strenuous efforts were used in Georgia to produce an impression that Whitney was not the original inventor of the cotton gin; and the governor in his message to the Legislature in 1803, called their attention to the subject. A committee of that body to whom the case was referred, at length produced a report, which, even at this distance of time, is not easily read with entire equanimity. After complaining of the odiousness of monopolies, and the wound which the exclusive power of the patentees to tax the cultivators of cotton at pleasure, must inflict on the culture and cleaning of that precious commodity, it is asserted that a witness had been examined, who stated that a certain individual was in possession of a cotton gin, in miniature, similar to Whitney's, twelve months before the latter was brought into view; and another witness had deposed that a machine, of similar construction, was used in Switzerland forty years ago, for picking rags into lint. But |