War is Unwise | 2
2. War Is Unwise,
For Instead of Diminishing, It Increases Difficulties
As the principles and preparations of war have a natural tendency to generate war and are actually the cause of a great proportion of the wars that do exist, so actual hostilities have a natural tendency to increase difficulties and to spread abroad the destroying evil.
It is almost impossible for any two nations to be long engaged in war without interfering with the rights and privileges of other nations, which generally awakes their jealousy and resentment, so that most of the surrounding nations are drawn into the destructive vortex.
This is the more easily done, as war inflames the martial spirit in other nations not engaged, and rouses up the desperate passions of men.
Besides, the belligerent nations are not content with suffering themselves, but use every art and persuasion to get the neighbouring nations to join them;
and they are generally too successful, for it seldom happens that two nations engage in war for a length of time and conclude a peace before they have involved other nations in their difficulties and distresses, and often a great proportion of the world is in arms.
Moreover, the nations who first engage in the contest always widen the breach between themselves by war.
It is much easier settling difficulties between individuals or nations before actual hostilities commence than afterwards:
Mankind is not apt to be any more mild and accommodating in a state of actual warfare. Besides, new difficulties constantly arise:
The passions become inflamed, and charges are often made of violating the established laws of civilized warfare, which laws, however, are generally bounded only by the strength of power.
If one party makes an incursion into the other’s territory, storms a fortified place, and burns the town, the other party must then make a desperate effort to retaliate the same kind of destruction, to a double degree, on the towns of their enemy.
Retaliation, or “rendering evil for evil,” is not only allowed by Muslims and pagans, but is an open and avowed principle in the doctrine of self-defence among professed Christian nations:
Not only is it sanctioned by the laity, but also too often by the priests who minister in the name of Jesus Christ.
Both of the contending parties generally seize on each other’s possessions wherever they can get hold of them, whether on the seas or on the land.
The barbarous spoliations on each other stir up the passions of the great mass of their inhabitants, until they esteem it a virtue to view each other as natural and perpetual enemies, and then their rulers can prosecute the war with what they call vigour.
Can the wound now be so easily healed as it could have been before it became thus lacerated and inflamed?
Facts speak to the contrary, and nations seldom attempt negotiations for peace under such circumstances.
They generally prosecute the war with all their power until one party or the other is overcome, or until both have exhausted their strength,
and then they may mutually agree to a temporary peace to gain a little respite, when perhaps the original matter of dispute has become comparatively so trifling that it is almost left out of the account.
With a small spirit of forbearance and accommodation how easily might the difficulties have been settled before such an immense loss of blood and treasure!
If war does actually increase, instead of diminishing, difficulties, then it must be very unwise to engage in it.