This important change in public opinion must be highly gratifying to men of intelligence, reflection, and philanthropy, as it affords ground to hope for still further changes, and changes, too, of still greater importance. At a future period, not far distant, public opinion may say, that the principles and spirit of peace, duly cultivated and diffused, are much the cheapest and best means of defence to a nation, not only against foreign invasion, but against internal violence and insurrection.

In the documents of the War Department, immediately following the Circular from the Secretary, we have the Answer of R. Harwood, Adjutant-General of Maryland. He says—“ My experience of musters is considerable, having attended as commander of the 22d regiment for many years; and I am decidedly of the opinion, that they are disadvantageous to the militia. They tend to corrupt the morals of the people, and no information can be derived at them. I am equally positive in the belief that it would be an improvement to instruct the officers exclusively." Should this plan be adopted, a further "improvement" may be proposed. While militia officers are taught the science of war, let all other classes of people be duly instructed in the science of peace. This course pursued twenty years may place the country above the danger of war.

ACCOUNT OF THE PEACE SOCIETY IN ANDOVER.

THE following letter to the Editor of the Friend of Peace, is from a respectable student in the Theological Seminary at Andover.

"Andover, Theo. Sem. April 7, 1827. "DEAR SIR-I received your letter last evening; and I will very gladly give you all the information I am able relative to our Peace Society. I have not conferred with Dr Murdock, because your letter demands an immediate answer, and because I believe I know all that has been done on the subject.

"William Ladd, Esq. delivered an address here on the evening of the 16th of February, and after hearing it, the persons present, consisting of nearly all the members of the Seminary, voted to form a society, adopted a constitution previously drafted, and chose the officers. As the Constitution is not long I will here transcribe it.

CONSTITUTION.

1. This Society shall be called The Peace Society of Andover; and shall consist of such members of the Theological Seminary, and such gentlemen and ladies of the town and vicinity, as shall choose to join it,

2. The sole object of this Society shall be, to disseminate the principles of permanent and universal peace.

3. Any person, of a good moral character, may become a member of this Society, by subscribing to this Constitution, and paying the sum of twenty-five cents annually, or five dollars at one time.

4. The whole funds of this Society shall be employed in the purchase of books and tracts, on the subject of peace; in the first instance, to form a library for the use of the members; and, if there be any surplus, it shall be expended in the purchase, or printing of tracts on the principles of peace, for distribution.

5. The officers of this Society shall be, a President, three Vice-Presidents, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, and Librarian; who shall constitute a Committee to manage all the affairs of the Society.

6. There shall be an annual meeting, on the third Monday in the month of December; at which one of the Secretaries shall make a report of the progress of the Society, and also of peace principles throughout the world, as far as has come to his knowledge, with such appropriate remarks as he shall think proper to adopt. The Treasurer shall report the state of the funds; the Librarian, of the library; and one of the members, appointed by the Committee, shall deliver an address in public.

7. There shall be, besides the annual meeting, three quarterly meetings, one in each of the months of

at which such of the members of the Society as the Committee shall have designated, shall read essays on topics connected with the principles of peace, which may afterward be published, at the discretion of the Committee.

8. The Committee shall also have power to call on individuals of the society, to write tracts or essays on the principles of peace, for publication.

9. It shall be the duty of every member of the Society, as God shall be graciously pleased to grant him or her the talents and opportunity, by conversation, exhortation, writing, and the formation of new societies when practicable, to endeavor to disseminate the peaceful principles of our holy religion, as they relate to national war.

10. Amendments may be made to this Constitution, at any annual meeting, provided notice of the intended amendment be given at the quarterly meeting preceding, and also provided that three-fifths of the members present at the annual meeting, agree to it. But in no case shall the funds of the Society be diverted from the object of disseminating the principles of national, permanent, and universal peace.

"The above is the constitution adopted at the meeting, and it was left to the officers chosen to fill up the blank in the 7th arti

cle, which they have not yet done. They have determined, however, to have one meeting in August next, day not fixed. With regard to the stated meetings, beside the annual one, they have not agreed as to the days or the number. The reason why we have not yet become more consolidated as a society, is what was suggested in your letter-the sickness of the President and some others of the Faculty. On this account the constitution bas not yet been presented to the students for their signature; so that the exact number of the members of the society cannot be told. I have no doubt, however, that seven eighths of the students, and many persons in the vicinity will enrol their names as soon as it shall be presented. Nor have I any doubt that the interest on the subject here may be kept deep and permanent. For I believe there is only one voice and one feeling in relation" to the principles of national and universal peace." I trust we shall soon be entirely settled into a decided and efficient association.

"I know of no more facts, relative to the object of your inquiries. I should be glad to communicate more, if I had them. “With the highest respect, your obedient servant, "DUDLEY PHELPS.

"REV. NOAH WORCESTER."

The establishment of a Peace Society at the Theological Seminary at Andover, may be regarded as one of the most important occurrences, in regard to the cause of peace. Here a large number of hopefully pious young men devote themselves to the study of theology, to be the better prepared for the Christian ministry. From this nursery are annually transplanted a considerable number to preach the gospel in different parts of the country. If, in the course of their studies, their minds become thoroughly imbued with the principles of peace, which are in fact the principles of the Christian religion, we may expect that the cause of peace will be continually advancing by their instrumentality. For every such minister will do all he can to render his Church and Parish a Peace Society. It has not yet been duly understood how much Peace or war is dependent on the influence of the teachers of religion in every country, whether Pagan, Mahometan, or Christian. In any country, let the acknowledged teachers of religion unitedly set their faces against war, and it must cease. How great then is their responsibility! Happy should we be to hear that a Peace Society had been formed in every theological seminary, every college, every academy, and every school in our land, and throughout the world. It is desirable that the science of "peace on earth and good will to men" should become, in the estimation of mankind, the most honorable of all sciences.

We have been informed that the officers of the Peace Society of Andover are officers of the Theological Seminary; the Rev.

Dr Porter is President, and Rev. Dr Murdock, Corresponding Secretary.*

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Chief Complaint of Napoleon."His affection," says the Edinburgh Review," was strongly marked." "I feel," said he, "the conduct of the allied sovereigns to be more cruel and unjustifiable towards me in that respect than in any other. Why should they deprive me of the comfort of domestic society, and take from me what must be the dearest objects of affection to every man-my child and the mother of that child?"-Review of Capt. Maitland's Narrative.

Thus this warrior could complain of being separated from his wife and child! Why did he not reflect on the hundreds of thousands who had by him been deprived of "the comforts of domestic society," and even of life itself, not to prevent their doing mischief, but to gratify his lawless, inhuman, and desolating ambition!

The Death of a Hero.-A Porto Rico paper announced the execution of eleven pirates, and observed-" The ferocity of their chief continued to the last. He refused to be blindfolded, saying, 'I have murdered three or four hundred; I ought to know how to die."" Seldom has a military or naval commander displayed more firmness in the hour of death than did this piratical Chief. Many of them have been able to boast of having murdered more than 400 men, but in other respects this pirate might be deserving of as much praise as is due to the greater murderers of mankind.

AUSPICIOUS OCCURRENCES.

THE Peace Society of Andover, mentioned in the preceding pages, may be hailed by all the friends of peace as an auspicious occurrence.

Considerable additions have been recently made to the Portsmouth Peace Society, N. H.-Ninety copies of the present Number of this work have been called for by that growing society.

The Salem Peace Society, Indiana, has been revived, and has sent for Peace publications, to be forwarded by mail, equal to 100 copies of the Friend of Peace.

Peace publications are annually multiplying, and men of rank and talents are not ashamed to plead the cause of peace. The Address of the Hon. Timothy Fuller, delivered at the last Anniversary of the M. P. S. has been recently published. The Windham County Peace Society bave not only published one Tract, but an Address delivered before the Society in February, by Samuel Perkins, Esq. These are valuable additions to the number of peace publications.

*It would doubtless be found a convenience should the name of the society be changed from "The Peace Society of Andover" to "The Andover Peace Society."

New Zealand.-The Missionary Register gives a pleasing account of an effect produced among the barbarians of New Zealand by the exertions of the Missionaries. One of the Missionaries says, that "they condescended to give a candid hearing on a point which was most calculated to raise their prejudices, and create disgust-the present and eternal consequences of their cruel wars. But, contrary to all expectation, they declared that they were not only not angry, but it was good for us to speak to them. Another of the Missionaries says-" We have this summer made it a point to dissuade the natives from going to war; and, blessed be God! we have succeeded very far beyond our expectations.-War had been heretofore literally their pastime." We rejoice in this missionary example, and its happy effects. We wish that Christendom might be overspread with such missionary efforts, that there might be a fair opportunity to see whether Christians are more barbarous than the Pagans of New Zealand. Let all Christian ministers "make it a point to dissuade" their countrymen "from going to war." The effect will be glorious.

Congress have appropriated twenty thousand dollars, to defray the expenses of 180 liberated slaves now in Georgia; and $36,710 for future exigencies in supporting those recaptured from slave ships, and carried back to the coasts of Africa.

The Genius of Universal Emancipation, mentions having received, in about three weeks, accounts of twelve new associations formed on the plan of the Anti-Slavery Society of Maryland. Six in different counties of Virginia; three in Maryland; two in the District of Columbia, and one in Ohio. A newspaper called Freedom's Journal has recently been established at New York by Cornish and Russwurm, educated men of color. A principal object of the work is truly philanthropic-the improvement of the colored population in the United States. This is an object worthy to be extensively encouraged by white people.

NOTICES.

THE Constitution of the Massachusetts Peace Society requires the subscription of one dollar annually to constitute a member.

The subscriptions in each year to be paid on or before the first day of February; and one half of the subscription is refunded in Peace Tracts, at the wholesale price, the Friend of Peace at ten cents a copy.

The numbers of the Friend of Peace prior to the present year, may also be had by subscribers, of the Editor, at ten cents a copy, or ten dollars a

hundred.

The several Numbers of the Friend of Peace are also for sale at the Boston Bookstore, Hilliard, Gray, & Co. No. 134 Washington Street, and at the Bookstore of J. W. Burditt, No. 94 Court Street.

Any member who shall fail of otherwise receiving his copy at any quar. terly distribution, may obtain it by applying to Mr. Burditt.

N. B. The Treasurer of M. P. S., Mr. David Reed, will receive subscrip tions, at No. 81 Washington Street, Boston. All who can do it with convenience are desired to make their payments to him; those who cannot without expense settle with the Treasurer, may send their subscriptions inclosed to the Corresponding Secretary, as Postmaster in Brighton, and he will return receipts.

Editorial Notice.

The Editor, deeming it improbable that he shall conduct the Friend of Peace after this year, proposes to add two more Numbers to the present volume and to close the volume with the present year.

Obituary.-Died, HON. CHRISTOPHER GORE, formerly Governor of Massacnhusetts, and an early and worthy member of M. P. S.