Miscellany: War Defensive

líl nevcr cntered into a war," saiil Napoleon, at St. Helena, 'Mhal wns not a war of defence." Ií we should examine the various wars that havo convulsed Christendom, it might be difficult to decide which are to be justiíied as defensivo. It vill be seeh that they bccome wars of aggression or wars of defence, just as the poim of obser'-ation changes from one side lo the other. The war of the American Uevolution, which, though all others since the murder of Abel were devilish, must be considered holy, if surveyed from the American side, is purely a war ofdefencc, an act of resistnnce to aggression; butchange the point to the other side of the Atlantic, and a proprietor is seen defending his property from others, who, pistol in hand, cry '"Giveor die!" ShouldTexas be annexed as a sister State, the consequent war wilh Mexico would ominently be a dcfensive war; aye, a war of necessity - as it would be binding upon us, tïrst,to protect ourselves; secondly, to defend a much abused sister. Should the vcry probable event of an insurrection of on r Southern slaves occur, the spectacle of a wardefensive on.buth sides would be ngain presentcd to tbc world. A trodden down race,in comparison to whose wrongs those of the Colonists, the Poles, the (reeks, dwindle inlo insignificance, risitig in defence of their liberties: while en the other side the landed aristocracy of America would be fighting in defence of life, of rightof property. It iscertainly among the impossibilities of the day. that enlightened Christian America should engngc in other than a war purely defensive. It reniinds me of an anecdute I once rend. A man got very angry with a lahorer, and abused him shainefully. His little son obsefving him sometime afterward, asked his father?vith the simplicity of childliood, fhe could be angry without committitig sin. "Is not yonr father a good man, my son?' "Yessir." "And achilianl" "Yes sir." liW'l!, then, whenever yousee a good man and a Christian angry, you may be sure they commit no sin; as the Bible says 'Be ye angry and sin not.' "