What an indelible stain on our national character, unless it shall appear, that the treaty was ratified with a fixed purpose to restore the land at a future day, or appropriate all the avails of it in improving the condition of the Creeks and in a manner satisfactory to them.

We know that, in vindication of this treaty, it has been pleaded, that other nations in a similar manner have obtained cessions of land, and that such things are common and according to the usages of war. But why may not our high. waymen and pirates, with equal propriety, justify their conduct in holding the property ceded to them, by pleading that this is according to the usages of pirates and robbers in other countries? May they not also enforce their plea by observing, that the principle on which they act has been sanctioned by the example of rulers of every country in time of war?

Let it, however, be remembered, that in earlier times, it was according to the usages of war, to murder captives, or to hold them as slaves; but such a practice is now abhorred by all civilized men. In like manner posterity will abhor the operation of the great Scissors, in cutting the Indians and robbing them of their lands.

But we are told by a Member of Congress, that the "territory, ceded by the Indians, is the only acquisition made by us in the war with Great Britain, except renown." This is a very broad concession; but as we are not able to deny its correctness, we shall state a few queries, that the benefits of the war may be fairly examined and better understood :—

First. In the estimation of impartial and enlightened posterity, will not the disgrace of robbing the Indians of" fifteen millions of acres of land," be regarded as an offset to all the "renown" we acquired by our contest with the other half of theScissors ?"

Second Were not the expenses of the war twice the value of the land, which we compelled the Indians to cede?

Third. If these lands were the only acquisition made by us in the war with Great Britain, except renown," and if the

"renown" is cancelled by our cruelty towards the Indians,and if, after all, the land acquired would not more than defray half the pecuniary expenses of the war ;-what have we left to balance the loss of the many thousands of lives, and the innumerable crimes and sufferings, occasioned by the war? Let the impartial answer this question.

Still we are ready to concede, that this war was as just, as necessary, and as useful to the parties. as wars in general. But we wish our readers clearly to understand, that when princes play for provinces, the lives of men are as counters," and that the extreme anguish and distresses of millions of mourners, wounded men, and bankrupts, are accounted as cyphers, in estimating the expenses of a war.

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER.

"Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."-Gal. vi. 7. "They that plow iniquity and sow wickedness reap the same

Job iv. 8.

They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind."
Hosea viii. 7.

"To

THE inhabitants of a certain country found by observation, that peaceable people were sometimes assaulted, robbed, and murdered by hardened ruffians. To guard against such occurrences, one family after another adopted this maxim: preserve peace and secure life and property, it is best for every family to be armed and always prepared for war." On this principle a number of families assumed a military attitude, the fashion soon became general and acquired popularity.

Having furnished themselves with weapons of death, considerable pains was taken to learn to use them with dexterity and effect. The head of a family was careful to instruct his children and servants in the use of arms, and to inspire them with exalted sentiments of fighting valor, heroism, and glory. Public displays were frequently made of these defensive preparations, as a terror to the unprincipled barbarian.

It was not long, however, before this custom produced

deplorable consequences. It excited and cherished a spirit of ambition, envy and revenge; it familiarized the use of weapons for manslaughter; and soon it became a common opinion, that bravery in battle is the glory of man. The ideas of honor among this people were so refined or so corrupted, that trivial offences were deemed sufficient to justify murderous combats, the preparations, the parade, and the boastings of one family, excited the jealousy and resentment of another, and were often regarded as of the nature of insult or defiance, which could not be overlooked. Explanation or redress was demanded in a tone of menace, and of course answered in a manner unsatisfactory and irritating. The heads of the several families lost their confidence in each other, and watched one another's movements with the jealousy of rivals and enemies. The leading men had now much more to fear from each other, than they formerly had from the few vagrant robbers that infested their country. Children and servants imbibed prejudices against their neighbours. They indulged themselves in bitter revilings and invectives, and often endeavoured to effect an open rupture, that they might have opportunity for acquiring fame or plunder. Contests became frequent, and the country was filled with violence, oppression, and wretchedness.

It was an acknowledged principle with these families, that the aggressor in war is a murderer; yet of this guilt each acquitted himself, by imputing it to his antagonist. The combats, however, became so common, so necessary, and so honorable, that the idea of guilt seldom occurred; or if it did occur, it was pretty sure to be cancelled by the glory of conquest or bravery in battle. Indeed the military character rose to such a height in the estimation of this bewildered people, that it became the supreme object of ambition and applause. Men of the most abandoned characters and dissolute lives, could acquire crowns or medals of glory by the most atrocious and inhuman acts of violence and murder.

The fair sex, who should have been better instructed, were taught by custom to admire the hero who had wantonly shed

the blood of many brethren. By this injudicious appropriation of female influence, fuel was added to the fire of ambition, which served to multiply the number of widows and orphans, and to swell the tide of human wo.

On the whole, the method which was adopted to prevent private, individual murders, proved the means of increasing a hundred fold the number of ferocious and unprincipled men. It also intoxicated the minds of thousands, who were otherwise peaceable citizens, and led them to adopt the practices of those whose violence they had formerly feared, and whose characters they had justly abhorred.

This custom has already formed such a multitude of ferocious and desperate men, that the state of the country is truly perilous. To maintain the popularity of the custom will but increase the mischief and the danger; yet by many it is supposed, that to abolish the custom will expose the virtuous to become a prey to the wicked. Therefore, on what they call the principle of self-preservation, they still encourage the spirit of war, and give celebrity to the worst of crimes. They seem not to be aware that this practice has been the source of the greater portion of the bloodshed which has happened in the country and of their present danger. In opposition to the light of history, the experience of ages, and the very laws of nature, they imagine that the harvest of peace and security is most likely to be produced by sowing the seeds and cultivating the plants of war and violence.

Reader! if you please, let the foregoing parable be called a dream. The words of Daniel will then be applicable :"The dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof is also sure."-Men do not gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of thistles. If we wish for peace, we must sow its principles and cherish its spirit. The opposite course is ruinous to man, revolting to nature, and abhorrent to God.

REVIEW OF THE BEST TROOPS.

THE Hon. A. Smyth, in his defence of Gen. Jackson, has given some account of what he denominates the "best troops."

"Let us follow the General to New Orleans. There we find him with a motley force of 3600 men, meeting 12,000 of the best troops that ever appeared on our shores. May I not say the best troops that ever appeared in any age or nation? Yes, and they were as unprincipled, as fearless. They had driven the warriors of France, those conquerors of continental Europe, from the pillars of Hercules to the Pyrenees. A part of them had sacked this city and burned the capitol; a part of them had visited Hampton; they had left the fathers in anguish unutterable; they had left the matrons and virgins in tears. Yes, they had committed against us wrongs which are never to be forgotten.--Those troops who had violated the rights of war, who had committed against us every atrocity, and heaped upon our country every disgrace, sailed to New Orleans, and there they met the dire avenger-With the loss of 13 men he defeated 12,000; the incendiaries and ravishers were punished, and the wounds inflicted on our country's honor were healed." Speech in Congress.

We are not sufficiently informed to affirm or deny as to the correctness of Mr. Smyth's account of these troops. They might be the "best troops" in the sense intended by the orator--that is, best for military purposes, being "as unprincipled as fearless." The atrocities imputed to them are not incredible. Such things are common with the regular troops of Christian nations. The savages however of our country are far more chaste and exemplary in their treatment of females.

But regular troops-though" incendiaries and ravishers,” are no worse by nature than other men. The shocking depravity by which they are distinguished is to be imputed to the barbarous war policy. These wretched men are trained up by governments for abandoned, unprincipled, and fearless butchers of their species. Being deprived of their natural rights as men, deprived also of many of the comforts which render life desirable, and of the means of religious improvement, their moral feelings become deadened,—and as they are denied the sweets of liberty, they indulge themselves in the pleasures of licentiousness. The females of a conquered