gain, and the arms would rattle in that sound, which is
part of the speech of Liberty. But it is useless to affirm or to deny
such possibilities. It is plain, however, that we are organizing most
formidable elements, and learning how to forge them into bolts. The
spirit of the people, therefore, must be high and pure. The more
emphatically we declare, in accordance with the truth, that this war is
for a religious purpose, to prepare a country for the growing of souls,
a place where every element of material success and all the ambitions of
an enthusiastic people shall only provide fortunate circumstances, so
that men can be educated in the freedom which faith, knowledge, and awe
before the Invisible secure, the better will it be for us when peace
returns. A great believing people will more readily absorb the hurts of
war. Spiritual vitality will throw off vigorously the malaria which must
arise from deserted fields of battle. It must be our daily supplication
to feel the religious purport of the truths for which we fight. We must
disavow vindictiveness, and purge our hearts of it. There must be no
vulgar passion illustrated by our glorious arms. And when we say that we
are fighting for mankind, to release souls and bodies from bondage,
we must understand, without affectation, that we are fighting for the
slaveholder himself, who knows it not, as he hurls his iron disbelief
and hatred against us. For we are to have one country, all of whose
children, shall repeat in unison its noble creed, which the features of
the land itself proclaim, and whose railroads and telegraphs are its
running-hand.

How often we have enumerated and deprecated the evils of war! The
Mexican War, in which Slavery herself involved us, (using the power of
the Republic against which she conspired to further her conspiracy,)
gave us occasion to extol the benefits of peace, and to draw up a
formidable indictment against the spirit which lusted for the appeal to
arms. We have not lusted for it, and the benefits of peace seem greater
than ever; but the benefits of equity and truth seem greater than all.
Show me justice, or try to make me unjust,--force upon me at the point
of the sword the unspeakable degradation of abetting villany, and I will
seize the hilt, if I can, and write my protest clear with the blade, and
while I have it in my hand I will reap what advantages are possible in
the desolation which it makes.

Among these advantages of a war wag