Note. The two Societies now reported are important acquisitions. As a Catalogue of the Massachusetts Peace Society with all its Branches will probably be published early in the next year, it has been deemed proper not to occupy the pages of the Friend of Peace with the additional names—excepting those of officers.

ON HEARING THE NEWS OF PERRY'S VICTORY.

I HEAR the bells that echo round,

I hear the cannon's thundering sound,

And shouts of mirth and glee:

I ask the cause with haste and fear,
Of this alarm-and quickly hear
The news of Victory.

For oh! Bellona's dreadful voice
Sends forth a battle cry,

And men-deluded men, rejoice
To see their fellows die.

Yet think not that I cannot feel
A pleasure in Columbia's weal,
A grief to hear her woes;

My heart is mov'd for those decreed
By fate severe to fall and bleed,
And mourns for friends and foes.

For who can hear the work of death
On Erie's silver flood,

Nor think the victor's laurel-wreath

Is spotted thick with blood!

And how can those to whom belong
The witching power to raise the song
In measure bold and high,

Those bloody deeds in story blend
And tell how glorious is the end

Of those who bravely die!

Oh, rather in the world's esteem

A simple child I'll be,

Than wake the lyre-and name the theme,

A song of victory.

* These lines were received several months ago, as written by a “young woman" of a neighbouring state. We hope the sentiments will be imbib. ed by all the women in Christendom, whether young or old; and that inen as well as women will be led to reflect on the sanguinary expense with which victors acquire renown. We have omitted three verses, from an apprehension that the poem, without them, would be more perfect and impressive.

A DIALOGUE ON WAR WITH SPAIN.

Windham-a Member of Congress.

Plutarch-a Friend of Peace.

Windham. WELL, Mr. Plutarch, Ferdinand has refused to ratify the Treaty for a cession of the Floridas,—what do you now think of war?

Plutarch. I think as I have done for several years.

W. I believe we shall have a war with Spain, whatever you may think or say against it.

P.) hope, Sir, that your desires do not accord with your opinion.

W. I think Spain has treated us very ill, and that in case of a war, we shall take the Floridas with ease; and thus indemnify ourselves for the five millions of dollars which she has long neglected to pay.

P. Perhaps she will pay what is due without the expense of a war; if not, in my opinion, it would be poor economy to expend fifty millions of dollars to recover a debt of five. Besides, the pecuniary expenses of war are of trifling consideration when compared with its crimes, and the sacrifices of human life. Justice and humanity would not sacrifice a single life for five millions of dollars. Did you, Sir, ever read an article "On Counting the Cost of a proposed War," in the 14th No. of the Friend of Peace ?

W. I have not read any thing in that work.

P. I wish you would read that article; it may be of use to you.

W. To gratify you, I will read it; but my present views are in favor of war.

P. I suppose the five millions of dollars are due to individual merchants, and not to the government; but if the loss should be averaged on all the inhabitants of the United States, it would perhaps be fifty cents to each individual. The probable expenses and losses of a war should not be estimated at less than ten times that amount. Are you then willing to pay five dollars for fifty cents, and give your own life as an additional sacrifice?

W. My own life! what do you mean by that?

P. Why, Sir, it appears to me that those who are in favor of a war, should be as willing to sacrifice their own lives, as to vote away the lives of other men.

W. It is not expected that Members of Congress will enter the ranks of an army, and expose their lives in battle. We have thousands of regular troops who have been trained up for the business of war; they are paid for their services, and it is their duty to fight whenever they are called on for that purpose.

P. I know it is not expected that Members of Congress will expose their lives as soldiers; if it were, I should have but little fear of a war with Spain. As to the regular troops, I pity them from my heart. They are slaves in the worst sense of the term; but they have lives and souls, which should not be wantonly sacrified in projects of revenge, ambition, or avarice.

W. The military character of our nation already stands high; a war with Spain will raise it still higher. We shall doubtless acquire a firm possession of the Floridas, which are worth many millions of dollars. In this way we shall be able to extirpate the nests of pirates and robbers in the western regions, and be in a better situation to control the Indians and prevent further wars with these savages.

P. It is my opinion that a pacific character would be more honorable to our nation and afford far greater security, than the highest reputation for military achievements ;-that it is not desirable that we should become robbers and pirates

ourselves, for the sake of extirpating the nests of depredators which have been already formed,—and that it is much better to control the Indians by kindness, than by cruelty.

W. If all men were of your opinion in regard to war, it might be well for them; but this is not the case. Wars must, therefore, still be expected; and a more favourable opportunity for a war with Spain will perhaps never occur. But business calls, and I must retire.

P. It should be your aim, Sir, as well as mine, to cultivate and encourage those dispositions and sentiments which, if generally imbibed, would give tranquillity to the world. But, as you are in haste, I will close the present interview by some concise statements, for you consideration while on your way to the seat of government :

Whether we shall have a war with Spain depends principally on the following gentlemen-the President of the United States, with the Secretaries or Heads of Departmentsthe Members of the two Houses of Congress, and the Conductors of Newspapers in the several States.

Suppose the aggregate of these several classes to be 500, and that it could be known beforehand, that a war with Spain and the conquest of the Floridas would cost the United States merely the moderate sacrifice of these 500 men: Which of them would raise his hand or his voice in favor of the war?

Or suppose the possession of the Floridas might be acquired by the sacrifice of one only of these individuals-which of them has the patriotism or the magnanimity to step forward and say-If my country can obtain so great a benefit as the possession of the Floridas, at so cheap a rate as the loss of my life, here I am ready to be sacrificed? Are you, Mr. Windham, the man of such exalted patriotism? But, Sir, a war on Spain cannot probably be made and closed at less expense than the lives of ten thousands of our citizens, and as many more on the part of Spain. Can he then be regarded as a man of benevolence, integrity, and honor, or a fit guardian of our rights, who will give his vote to sacrifice ten or twenty thousands of his fellow beings, while he would

not give his own life to procure to his country every benefit which he anticipates from the war?-To speak plainly, Sir, such wanton and merciless love of country is not, in my opinion, any better than the patriotism of pirates and highwaymen; and it is far less heroic-for they do their own fighting. I rejoice, however, in the belief that, of the several classes which have been named, there are many gentlemen who would sooner sacrifice their own lives to preserve peace, than to barter away the lives of others in exchange for the Floridas; and I cannot but hope, Mr. Windham, that on due reflection you will prefer being of that number. For it is written-Blessed are the PEACE-MAKERS; for they shall be called the children of God."-Whose children then are the WAR-MAKERS! and what must be their doom!

W. You have expressed your views in strong language; but I will reflect on what you have said.-Farewell.

P. Adieu-May the Lord direct you in the path of wisdom, which is ever the path of peace.

AUSPICIOUS OCCURRENCES.

THOUGH We have not been favoured with any late accounts from our brethren in England, we have still some auspicious occurrences to record. I. within the last three months two important Auxiliaries to the Massachusetts Peace Society have been organized and put in operation, an account of which is contained in the preceding pages.-The Massachusetts Peace Society, with its several Branches, comprises at this time nearly 900 Members.

II. From the Second Annual Report of the Ohio Peace Society we learn, that it is now composed of four Branches-169 Members; that a Second Peace Society has been formed in Indiana, Vigo county; and that "the Western Association of the New Jerusalem Church is also a Peace Society."

III The President and Trustees of the Peace Society of Maine have sent to the President of the United States an excellent Memorial against the practice of Privateering. Piracy, a blood-relation of Privateering, has recently excited considerable attention by her multiplied atrocities; and it is expected that the business of maritime depredation in its various forms, will soon be made a subject of discussion in the Congress of the United States.

IV. A Proposition for a Meeting to form a Peace Society in Philadelphia, has been published in the Newspapers of that city. Perhaps a Society is already formed.

V. A monthly work has been established at Glasgow in Scotland, entitled "The British Magazine and Periodical Gleaner," which is devoted to the cause of peace and other philanthropic objects. We are indebted to a friend in New York for the perusal of seven Numbers of the work.