THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 19 
Again, how often in England recourse to arms has’ been 
necessary to secure or maintain the rights and liberties of the 
people—notably in opposing the tyranny of King John and 
wresting from him the Magna Charta. In defying the Spanish 
Armada, and preserving the libertiés of England. In the civil 
war of Charles I.’s reign, the people vindicated their right to 
oppose unjust taxation; and by a resort to arms the revolution 
of James II.’s reign was accomplished and England freed 
from religious despotism. In the past, when might 
was right, there seemed. to be no. other way to 
preserve liberty, to bring about reforms, to oppose 
the despotism of kings, or to defeat the selfishness and creed 
of nations, than to stand and fight the evil in whatever form it 
appeared; and in the end those standing for right generally 
proved the stronger and prevailed. 
Have the nations arrived at that state when war is no longer 
necessary? Some have; many have not. The time is fast ap- 
proaching, however, we believe, when amongst the civilized na- 
tions there will be formed a national opinion which will prevent 
war amongst themselves. The less civilized nations, however, 
to whom the morality of this national opinion would not ap- 
peal, must be lett to develop, and if need be to tight their way 
up to the same condition. 
In the third place, we may now ask, Do the results of war 
justify or condemn it? The N. A. Indian seems to have con- 
sidered war necessary for the display of his manhood. It de- 
veloped in him the qualities of courage, strength and cunning, 
and you say of cruelty as well—ingenious, devilish cruelty. 
Yes, but cruelty no worse than has been shown in times of peace, 
and under the guise of religion—the Spanish Inquisition being 
an example. In seeking for an explanation of the feverish de- 
sire of tribe to make war upon tribe, I have concluded that it 
was a means of giving vent to the strength, the skill, the cun- 
ning, and the vindictiveness of their natures. What else had 
they, in their state of civilization, to do but hunt and make war?! 
Better, then, that they should engage in war and develop them- 
selves, than remain sluggish and inactive. In later years the 
