From The Book of Peace, 1845
A people highly moral and highly intellectual, would not endure the existence of such a distinct class as Bacon’s “soldiery professed”. They would realize that the principle of military life resulted in making moral agents machines, free citizens slaves; that a soldier can have no will but his officer’s, and know no law but his commands; with him conscience has no force, Heaven no authority, and conduct but one rule,—implicit, military obedience.
If it be asked, how a nation destitute of a military class, can be safe from foreign violence and invasion, it may be answered, first, that the existence of such a class is ever a main inducement both to the one and to the other. For either your military force is weaker than your neighbor’s, in which case he is insolent; or it is stronger, in which case you are so; or it is equal, in which case the very uncertainty begets in both a spirit of rivalry, of jealousy and of war. Secondly, all experience has shown that a well-appointed militia, defending their own altars and homes, are competent to every purpose of repelling foreign violence and invasion. Thirdly, a society which would engage in no intrigues, covet no foreign possessions, and exemplify in all its conduct a spirit of justice, moderation, and regard for the rights of others, would assume a position the most favorable to predispose its neighbors to adopts towards it a kind and peaceable demeanor.
Another quotable selection from The Book of Peace:
One of the beautiful pictures, adorning the dome of a Church in Rome, by that master of art, whose immortal colors breathe as with the voice of a Poet, the Divine Raffaelle, represents Mars, in the attitude of war, with a drawn sword uplifted, and ready to strike, while an unarmed Angel from behind, with gentle but irresistible force, arrests and holds the descending arm. Such is the true image of Christian duty…