THE SAFEGUARD OF THE NATION 77 



school of politicians about peace — peace, when there is 

 no peace — the safeguard of every nation is the hardihood 

 and bravery of its people, and the safest method to 

 maintain peace is ever to be prepared for war. The 

 history of the world teaches us that when we shall cease 

 to be warlike, we shall cease also to be independent. 

 Giving our backs to the smiters, forgiveness of injuries, 

 patience, and submission to insults and abuse, are 

 virtues which ought to be practised by members of a 

 Christian community towards each other ; but, until 

 the whole world binds itself by treaty to observe and 

 obey these laws of God, the doctrine of " peace at any 

 price," as applicable to or practicable by nations, is a 

 fallacy and delusion. 



** A nation of shop-keepers " may sound very har- 

 monious to mercantile ears, but were this consummation, 

 so ardently desired by cotton-spinners and manufacturers, 

 attained — were England to become the workshop of 

 the whole globe — the pursuits of agriculture abandoned, 

 and the muscles and fibres of her hardy peasantry 

 devoted to loom and workshop only, her Cobdenite 

 rulers would then indeed have to plead (like the Roman 

 Senators at the decline of their Empire) for " peace at 

 any price," and purchase a hollow truce on any terms 

 from an insulting enemy. The spectacle of Roman 

 Senators in their robes might have been an imposing 

 one to barbarians ; but I doubt of any other effect being 

 produced by a motley group of members of the House 

 of Commons (even with the Speaker at their head, in 

 his full-bottomed wig), on the conquerors, but ridicule 

 and contempt. When country sports, and pastimes 

 also, shall be discontinued and discountenanced, and the 

 higher and middle classes driven to the mighty Babylon 



