not only of this country and this age, but of every country in ages yet to come.

That the "Devil is the author of all wars" was the opinion of early Christians. If this be correct, and the scale of glory be admissible, which has been reviewed, will it not fol low of course, that the great Destroyer of men is the glory of Christendom, that he, who was a "murderer from the beginning," is worthy of more honor and praise, than the benevolent Messiah, who "came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them ?" And is not the popular scale of glory completely adapted to bring into contempt the meek and forgiving spirit of the Saviour to lead men to despise both his precepts and examples, to become worshippers of Odin rather than the Father of mercies, and to cherish dispositions the reverse of those to which the bliss of heaven is promised in the gospel?

SKETCHES OF THE PIRATICAL BUCANEERS.

"BEFORE the English had made any settlements at Jamaica, and the French at St. Domingo, some pirates from both nations, who have since been distinguished by the name of Bucaneers, had driven the Spaniards out of the small island of Tortuga, and fortifying themselves there, had, with an amazing intrepidity, made excursions against the common enemy," the Spaniards." They thought the cruelties the latter had exercised on the New World," or the natives of South America-"justified the most implacable aversion they had sworn against them."

They were so intrepid, so successful, and so terrible in their depredations, that "the Spaniards, who trembled at the approach of the Bucaneers,-whom they called devils, imme diately surrendered." This course was pursued by this plundering society, till the Spaniards were disheartened, and, in a great measure, gave up the business of navigation in those regions. The Bucaneers "no sooner found their cap

tures begin to diminish, than they determined to recover by land what they had lost at sea. The richest and most pop

ulous countries of the contineut” of South America “were plundered and laid waste. The culture of lands was equally neglected with navigation, and the Spaniards dared no more appear in the public roads, than sail in the latitudes which belonged to them."

Accessions were made from year to year to the number of Bucaneers, of men of the most ferocious and desperate character. The distress occasioned by them, and the amount of their plunder, was great indeed. Among their most distinguished leaders were Montbar, Michael de Basco, and Morgan. "The Spaniards suffered so much from Montbar, by sea and land, that he acquired the name of the Exter

minator.

We are now to notice some other traits of character in these Bucaneers" Such were their principles of justice and religion, that whenever they embarked on any expedition, they used to pray to Heaven for the success of it; and they never came back from the plunder, but they constantly returned thanks to God for their victory."-What a religious people!

"Such brave men among them, as had been maimed in any of their expeditions, were first provided for. If they had lost a hand, an arm, or leg, or a foot, they received 261. An eye, a finger, or a toe, lost in fight, was valued at only half the above sum. The wounded were allowed 2s. 6d. a day for two months to enable them to have their wounds taken care of."

"After this act of justice and humanity, the remainder of the booty was divided into as many shares, as there were Bucaneers. Every share was determined by lot. Instances of such rigid justice are seldom to be met with, and they extended even to the dead. Their shares were given to those who were known to be their companions when alive. If the person who had been killed had no intimate, his part was sent to his relations, when they were known. If there were

no friends or relations, it was distributed in charity to the poor and to churches, who were to pray for the person in whose names the benefactions were given."

When they took Maracaybo, "they carried off all the crosses, pictures, and bells of the churches, intending, as they said, to build a chapel in Tortuga, and to consecrate this part of their spoils to sacred uses."

The duration of this society is not mentioned in the Encyclopedia, from which these extracts have been taken. But if the several dates which are given are correct, the society must probably have existed during the whole of the seventeenth century. In 1603" they pillaged the city of Vera Cruz, which was after they had driven the Spaniards from the Ocean; and it was not till 1697" that they plundered Carthagena.

We have now before us a series of facts from which considerable instruction may be derived respecting the character of public war.

These Bucaneers established an independent community, adopted a democratic form of government, and elected their own chiefs or rulers. These rulers obtained their offices as honorably as those who acquire dominion by the sword; and, when elected, they had as good a right to make war and invade the rights of others, as any Emperor, King, or President. For in every case, what is called the right of making war is a mere assumption of power to which no man or body of men has any just claim, unless it be derived from a divine commission; or if the right docs otherwise exist, it is common to every community, whether great or small, and to every man, whether high or low.

A more brave and daring class of men than the Bucaneers perhaps never traversed the ocean or the land. Montbar, Basco, and Morgan would not, we believe, suffer in comparison with Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Gen. Jackson; and if bravery in fighting is the great excellence of the human character, the Bucaneers must be allowed a forward seat in the temple of fame.

These brave warriors by force of arms took possession of Tortuga, and erected fortifications. This, however, was only imitating the examples of the Spaniards, the French, the English, and a long list of other nations.

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The Bucaneers made depredations on private property as well as on public, and often robbed and killed those who had done them no harm they captured, plundered, and destroyed vessels at sea; they pillaged and depopulated cities,—and they sometimes murdered captives, and burnt towns, or villages. For all these atrocities, they had numerous examples in the conduct of celebrated conquerors, and the rulers of Christian nations.

On account of their terrible character the Bucancers were by the Spaniards denominated devils," and one of their chiefs was called the "Exterminator." But they were no more deserving of the name of devils, than the Spaniards who conquered South America; and Cortes was as truly an "Exterminator" as Montbar. Indeed all nations act the part of devils or tormentors when engaged in war; and perhaps every country can boast of having produced, nourished, and extolled as much as one "Exterminator."

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In dividing their spoils, the Bucaneers were very precise, and in some respects singular. A chief claimed only an equal share, with a common scaman. Sometimes, however, when he had greatly distinguished himself by his exploits, he was allowed two or three shares ; but this depended wholly on the pleasure of the crew. In this there was perhaps as much equity as in the Christian modes of dividing the fruits of violence and robbery.

The care of those celebrated pirates in providing for their maimed and wounded, and in allowing the shares of the slain to go to their friends or relations, has not probably been surpassed by any class of privateersmen, or other Christian depredators.

Their customs of praying to God for assistance in their horrible enterprises-of giving thanks for their inhuman conquests, and of devoting a part of their plunder to sacred

uses, were all borrowed from the examples of Christian rulers. They had been taught by Christians to associate prayer and thanksgiving, with fighting, robbery, and manslaughter.

It will doubtless be admitted by Christians in general, that the conduct of the Bucaueers was unjust and abominable; that they were under the influence of strong delusions" in supposing that God could approve their wars, or be pleased with their bloody prayers, thanksgivings, and offerings. But what do we find in any part of their conduct more unjust or more inconsistent, than the conduct of Christian nations in time of war? What was done by these pirates which they did not learn in the common war schools, or derive from the examples of Christian rulers? What kind of deeds or exploits did they perform which had not been by Christians a thousand times perpetrated, and as often eulogized as just and glorious? What did they do in the seventeenth century, which was worse than hundreds of similar deeds which have been both done and applauded by Christian rulers in the nineteenth century?

In what respect is it a less evil for innocent men to be robbed, to have their habitations consumed, or to be killed, by order of an Emperor, a King, a President, or any other Ruler or General, than to suffer the same injuries by order of a piratical Chief? And why is it less shocking to associate prayers and thanksgivings to God with such flagrant acts of violence and injustice in the former case, than in the latter?-If the Bucaneers were deluded in supposing that their conduct could be approved by the Father of mercies, so it may have been with all Christian nations, who have gloried in their war exploits and associated with them the forms of a benevolent religion.

It is hoped, that these remarks will have at least so much influence on the minds of Christians in this country, as to induce them to reflect on the character of privateering, and all the modes of maritime depredation, which have been sanctioned by Christian nations. Were it not for the evidence