USA > Indiana > Washington County > Salem > Minutes of the Salem Peace Society, 1818-1826 > Part 2
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pour the Standard of Strife 2 Misery, not only Individuals butstations will flee to rally under The Banner of good will and love Me believe there are Many Respectable Citizens Who
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Who have not mit lahen an active part in the work that at an well wishes to the cause; and we trust as the filumenating influence of the Gospel of Peace &helo more generalis Spread and bre werde amongst mankind that The doubts which many have intertwined of faccelo will vanish in
The bosom of sendence and that They will be it in a clean point of View, to the Their duty to be and Their and toward The advancement of do good a cause- Que Publication in Opposition to The Object of fraces Socie ties has appeared ; beat . the author had not the Confidener to expose his proper name and his ings. sections there de monsieur 2'false and foreidenty cahitited his confusion Frat tur did not diem it was thy of a particular answer From accounts Will authenheated it appears That notwithstanding The opposition arising from The prejudiersof educa. = tion + Custom the prospect is very animating .~ Az an informed There are two bence Securities in London with a Considerable number of auxilio in different parts of the Thing down also one in . Scotland and that They have published many Thousands of tracts on The Subject of universal power, Some of which have been translated into The German Language- there are many brace Pouceties Organized in the united States and Met increase~ To these Inan be added a Conference of The Methodist Reformed Church in the State I New york which has afsummit the Character of a herce procestion while Sociales thies ham for this object to place
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in the hands of the poor and the destitute the Blessed instructions of the Gospel; har Consider This to her Conducive to the great and, Which we mrepose thats of depreminating The principle of low and proces which that doctrines of the gas ·Tel inculcate- Asalet the hands of Traces for encouraged to persevere in this good, un2; you sur lelieu that the Spirit of Pulpos- = pel. Which is thatof peace on earth good will to und wun" by the Clipping and hund providence of him who is the infinite Houses of freins Low Mathant Whose aide the sfsets of man are meff. =ceturt? Will more & more spread sprecare to The completion of those ancient Propiceces , " D'e Shall Judge among the Nations 2 Shall re = bucks many profit; and They Shall beat Preis Awards into Plough Shares, and Thin Slices into preening Hooks; Nation Shall not lift up Aword against daction, neither Shall They bearan herrn any more," Isaiah II. I duead IVE3 1 1. We have no doubt of the accomplishment of This In the word of dehooch is wventure, - Which was Read approved and 500 befries directedite las printeat bagather with The com stitution in found de Pinnichtet Doctor 0. Bradley & Williams Hobby an uppoutros to attend Frat Acrecer
the Treasures producedin vecount time! Lefort
the base Laws bring Revised, Were approved and.
Se Gur preetings there be held ofren for all Wie be hacker Orderly to attend the More
wecht Meinders Shall be hereritter to Theah without having The meeting,- In The President thatthe Theater A Inau de. = bate but have no vote wecht Unen 20 tin, in Which Case he Shall give the Case = time Note, he Shall Call totor der When deforuren is not Iserande 2 Sign all Meriting going forthe for our Quarterly as abbuled meetings with the Recording drevetary and allthe Request of any one of the chesters he Shall Call a meeting of The officers
In The Bending Secretary Shall make intrys 2 beech records of all business the Society may direct, the Corresponding Secretary Shall keep Copys of all letters bedt by him to other faculties a week a regular fit of them with those the recivers, you the inchaction of the busters Ha The Trustees Shall make moderate Com. sensation to the Secretaries for Their trous
5 2 I hear any person is about to that he Shake rise on his Meet a de He died The Theater; neither Shell but one Breve Lata have. Who Are Shall Sheak Anne Than Thrice to My Subject, the hout Pain of the Greeting
6: When in motion is made 2 Arcondid Li. . proper time de lluare you debate it Brali, les but to Mai 2 u majority please a lucas
in the home appointed to meet Shall un 14
Strictly Observed, at which line TH President if there Shall take his seat 2 Phe Been tary proceed to business) hat of not present the Secretary Share open the meeting after which They Shall Choose a President Protes no
at an Election of Officers Fre Yo Showing were
Gubie Booth President
Gryamin Albertson according Acertary- Burn Bradley Corresponding Prestar 4 Mathu botten David Dediny, Milliam Hobbs, Jonathan Lyon Samuel Lindleya Muchwisch chien Trustees - additional Privious to This meeting The following, 68230:10 William box, William Anddie ! Solomon
Brace Hollingsworth Samusi Price, & John
Salem April the 8 1820 -
it de meeting of the Ax hen Indianie Place
The Corner the th h por tels to hear un 500 Copies of the annual Reports Constitution previtise What its Coupled with, The Questers 2 Other Hierro of The Docesty tu direc tore to distribute . 0 Their among the Merubens of the Society 20 Is where lasting may Hem proper Halen July the 5, 1820 ._
At a meeting of the Jackson (na) Peace Society Ordered That the Secretary have published in The doesin one mouth previous to next Ameeting a request for the members generally to attelle at next meeting pay ind Their annual notals = mento 2 recibos Such books a pamphlets as my
Salean Getter the 14th 1820- at a meeting of the Salem (Indiana) Proces Socity Ordered Mat Samuel Lindley 2 Elisha Hobby le appointed Collectors for the Security & that The Treasurer her directed to furnish Them lenth a list of the members of the respective Jumi due by each -
Jahn Osnury The 12-1821- at a meeting of the Joker (In) Peace Society .- The Residenthing about David Densiy was appointed President Prestere, The The assurer produced an account which is as
In seecoments tweet the creatures
Tänds mushy as Trin did Last year there has hen in theor nothing Recieved or bad aut she Imusters producido an annual, de portewhich -
In motion it was ordered that The 4.25 articles of the Constitution of This Society to Struck out s also that The following be inserteds in The place & steads of That y article (now The 5) (to toits there Shall be an annual. meeting of The Society, on The 2nd Saturday of clay in has been at which then The tristes & Treasures Shall make Report, and The Society may be concerned at other times by order of The Procent when The officers of The Docesty may den it hecepary, andin case of the absence of The President at any of our meetings The members present Shall have power to Choose one to act as President Pro, ter,- The next meeting (which is to be the annual
2" Saturday of next may at 20 click Pull The meeting adjourned accorderly Yukm In sana chay this 12. 1821
The President Bring Absent, Senest Pushy was Called to the bike din to det as President Posten, The Hiring le Theater Officers In the ensuing Grilling David, Dining President, Jenny Wilson
"sus Te Lite, Athan Ous blood, Backmich chiron, ind.
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Ön Motion "mas White saus A chantiers pristant 6 th Measures to Bileet What Money may be due
The Contribution Herbert
The checking adjournes untill martincourse (in ) n
Salen Indianas May The 10. 1822
Report Says Collections of funds to agreeable to appointment are of Shall amount The Trustees produced an annual Reportthick Was Read 26%
John boy is appointed to inform the Treasures That its his duty to give a reason for not Reporting to this creating beglesable to Constitution 2 also to Report to next fannual electing-
The following officers were Elected for the ensuing year to With David Denny President, Henry Wilson Treasurer Burr Bradley Col, Presetary BenjeAlbertson Re Secretary, Micah Mely, William Hobbs, Jons Yohit, Alten True blood, Binomiallouis & Zachariah Mixon Trustees
The luceting adjourns until the 2nd Saturday of
falem andiamo ellay 10.0 /8220
at The annual electing of the Saleand Practice The Treasure Reperto free Le hapens were not un 4 his poprepion at last meeting 2 Therefore nofunds int fif hands at This tenho The Justees producido an annualreport
the Motion it that Recommended that the Queen's rothen members of the Society as linary
Many arafeed a quando do to do to them free Sulleuptions to raise funds in ording to publish & Eaculate Hora tracts im propsafe = com of this Society & you offen ceses auffallait that The members of this society the requested to pay in to the hands of the treasure in Tax of Fifty cents (can) for the Same purposes Received: s head to Satisfaction The 5 annual Lapart of the this paces docesty accompanied In motion AMillion Lables 2- Bentia Wilson area Committee aposentado to place in The Patern Library in Teokys of The numbers
of The quando of Peace & Der that the other Claus are in the hands of the Corrshouding The tany 2 report to next meeting
The following Members were Election ofusers
Resident
Benny Atilson
Gentile Clienteon acc, Acceptany
Defre Bradley
Milliam Hobbs.
Jams Mette
Trustees
Jose thecar
The meeting adyour us until 2nd Satur. Kay of next to tung at 2 O clock P. de.
{
Datein indiana dias 18th 1844 at the annual director of the delen Indianco ance decerty
The President being absent Methane True blood wes Cfilede to the chair to actas President. Protein
The Committuralprometido to place in The Salem Library, anche of The prendo of Prince ruperthits met fin ter Courth ise a bit that Committee to Continuesanto hebertto a futurs meeting of the society It appears buy that Measures report that the So cultu is now behind in part of 'de manos about Seven Dollars, The Members are still descride to have in The tag' Fifty Cents each agreeable to last years request to nuet The present demands over publishing the Painphlets as proneved at last annual diceting The Trustees produced an annual report which was satisfactory
The following officers were Elected for the ensuring y for -
(To tii) David Denne President .
Gen224 Wilson
Biber Bradley Millis autant
bor, Acortury
William-Balls. Jonas Muito
Trustees
Josefok allora The meeting adjourns until The 2. Saturday of next day, a Beloch Della
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Saberan Indian a May 14. 1825 The annual Meeting of the Sabem du" Peace fruity, not being general,
Therefore Some Members Austin cleary 1826 2 and jour med to the 15. July 2, 0 block Pell in order That hotels might for queens of The annual , one that day"-
Salen Indianas July 15. 1826 At a meeting of the Sales Indiana. Рама Восеву -
The following Officers fours Sleeve for the Couvent Man (Namely) David, Deazny, President Henny Wilsont, Treasurer
Gery'Albertson Ree Averetary
> Millian Hobbs >
C Questões Nathan Bluebloods
Denonis ellornis
Ordered that every Member paying in One Dollar annually Shall be entitled to four numbers of the hiend of Peace the amount of money andbooks Obtained thereby brent about her bers to belong to the So- - ciety for distribution
Millian. Hobbs
of S. Inonay
is achoun ted to receive subscriptions a meeting of the officers ordered I Mondayin any? The gabreak meeting adjourns to The 2 latund of Away ment at & cdlak Pelo.
Salem (Indiana) Peace Society Minutes
Edited by Pamela J. Bennett Contributed by I. George Blake*
One of the earliest peace societies in the United States originated in Salem, Washington County, Indiana, in 1819. The minutes published here record its history from the active and hopeful beginning until the summer of 1826 when these minutes terminate.
The first entry reports a preliminary meeting, late in 1818, of the Quaker founders at the Blue River Meeting House1 a few miles from Salem, where they laid the groundwork for the society. The next meeting on January 9, 1819, was a general meeting to which the public-"all those who are friendly to the above institution"-was invited. At this time, the constitution for the society was read and subscribed to by forty-nine men, and officers were appointed. Less than two weeks later the officers met and began efforts to communicate with other societies and to procure more copies of the Friend of Peace2 and other relevant literature. At succeeding meetings bylaws were adopted, a formal explication of motives and goals was formulated, circulation of peace materials was promoted, and annual reports of activities were duly produced by the trustees and ordered printed for distribution. Until May, 1821, the society met quarterly according to its constitution; thereafter meet- ings were held annually in May. The later minutes-usually brief and perfunctory-reflect an apparent dwindling of interest of the majority of the members and a great difficulty in obtaining funds. It is impossible to say
* I. George Blake is a professor of history at Franklin College, Indiana.
1 The Blue River Monthly Meeting was established in July, 1815. The meeting house was "completed in 1816, on land donated by Matthew Coffin." Warder W. Stevens, Centennial History of Washington County, Indiana ( Indianapolis, 1916), 363. See also B. C. Hobbs, Autobiography of William Hobbs (Indiana Quaker Records, Indianapolis, 1962), 8-9.
2 The Friend of Peace is a periodical tract that was edited by the Reverend Noah Worcester and published by the Massachusetts Peace Society; it contains proceedings and documents of the Massachusetts society, correspondence with societies in the United States and abroad, and essays and debates about peace. The individual numbers are not dated, but the Union List of Serials lists Volumes I through IV published in Boston from 1815 to 1827. There seem to be twelve numbers per volume. Presumably this magazine, referred to often in the Salem Peace Society minutes, was reprinted and distributed by the Warren County, Ohio, Peace Society; according to the Union List of Serials Volumes I through II, Numbers i-viii, were published in Cincinnati from 1817 to 1818.
8 See the Appendix to this document, page 318, where the second, fourth, fifth, and eighth annual reports are printed.
៛ Several causes for this change can be postulated. Most general is the widespread depression during the late teens and early twenties. More closely allied is a $4 tax levied by county commissioners in 1822 on men who, for reasons of conscience, "refused to muster with the militia, or take part in any wariike matters." Many of the men who originally subscribed to the society constitution paid the assessment. Stevens. Centennial Ilistory of Washington County, Indiana, 205-206. The general lack of interest during the later years of the society was possibly a result, too, of dissension within the Quaker community over the Hicksite doctrines. Hobbs, Autobiography of William Hobbs, 12-16.
300
Indiana Magazine of History
how long the society continued and what it really accomplished, but the available minutes provide an interesting example of the general trend of peace societies during the early nineteenth century.
The rise of these societiess is attributed to the disillusionment and horror which became prevalent with the destructive and costly warfare of the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, and the War of 1812. Various publications against war appeared in the United States and Great Britain during these years, but the most influential was the Solemn Review of the Custom of War® by the Reverend Noah Worcester, a Quaker from Brighton, Massachusetts. This work was translated often and circulated widely in Europe as well as in Great Britain and the United States. It is a master- fully written condemnation of war and the men who make war possible or even necessary to the life of a nation; much of its reasoning is encompassed by the preamble to the Salem Peace Society constitution and by the state- ment of motives read in December, 1818. This pamphlet and similar writings apparently helped to stimulate widespread peace activity when world events began to give men hope that peace was actually possible.
Around 1815 men envisioned a peaceful world with some hope of eventual success. The Napoleonic Wars had ended; the Holy Alliance- presumably that "solemn league" of European powers-gave great encourage- ment to many men who sought peace; and the United States and Great Britain ratified the Treaty of Ghent which emphasized the necessity for arbitration in conflicts between nations and which provided "an admirable lesson on the subject." And thus "the present time of favor" brought about the formation of peace societies both in the United States and abroad.
David Low Dodge founded the earliest known society in New York in August, 1815. Others soon followed: Warren County, Ohio, and Massachusetts in December, 1815, and one in Great Britain by William Allen in June, 1816, in London. Regarding their further development, Curti states: "From 1815 to 1828 American peace sentiment was marked by its local character, since the peace societies, spontaneously formed in widely separated communities, maintained independent existences. But soon they began to exchange letters with one another, and gradually something like a unified action in the interest of peace developed. Until the formation of the American Peace Society in 1828, however, the story is largely the story of local, inde- pendent organizations."7 The fourth annual report of the Massachusetts Peace Society states that "from the information received, there are now
5 For more explicit information on the peace movement-especially in America- the following books are quite helpful: Merle E. Curti, The American Peace Crusade, 1815-1860 (Durham, 1929) ; W. Freeman Galpin, Pioneering for Peace (Syracuse, 1933). The general content of this introduction is derived from these sources, and only specific references are cited.
" This book was originally published in Boston in 1814; there are many editions and reprints available.
" Curti, The American Peace Crusade, 1815-1860, p. 21.
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301
Salem (Indiana) Peace Society Minutes
in this country, besides the Massachusetts Peace Society, and its twelve Auxiliaries, 15 Peace Societies in the United States: one in Maine, one in Rhode Island, five in New York, one in North Carolina, five in Ohio, and two in Indiana."8 Within the next few years other societies had been estab- lished in such diverse places as Connecticut, Vermont, Nova Scotia, Canada, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Scotland, Ireland, and France.
. .
Most of the peace societies had religious connections, and the purposes and rationale of the movement were thoroughly seated in the doctrines of Christianity. Curti states that Quakers were not generally as active in the movement in the United States as in Great Britain-perhaps because of geographical diversity and other problems of organization.º The Salem society, however, was stimulated mainly by Quakers, and the minutes reflect that relationship in the terminology and explicit biblical allusions that are used throughout. Generally the men who were active in the movement, however, were not only religious leaders but also merchants, educators, and businessmen. Salem was apparently typical in that the prominent and established men of the community provided the impetus for the movement. William Lindley had been largely responsible for the founding of Salem, Zachariah and Joseph Nixon were the first two landowners, Ebenezer Patrick and Beebe Booth founded a newspaper among other enterprises, Benjamin Albertson was a medical doctor. Dr. Benjamin F. Trueblood, presumably a nephew of Nathan Trueblood, later became a prominent leader of the American Peace Society.19
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The Salem Peace Society minutes document what is probably a repre- sentative experience for local peace societies of the period. The frequent pleas for funds and members in the Friend of Peace indicate that this was a general problem after the early heights of peace activity. Curti mentions that the Friend of Peace in 1825 "tried to explain the decline in interest" as a result of distance from "the evils of the struggle" of the War of 1812.11 The reasons for the decline are no doubt many and varied, but the movement was sustained in the national organization, the American Peace Society. Although the impact of such local peace society efforts is almost impossible to determine, they at least "created an opinion favorable to peace and opposed to war."12 The Salem Peace Society was a relatively small and now little remembered venture, but it demonstrates the spirit and motivation of men who desire peace and concord in the world.
8 Friend of Peace, II, vii, 11.
9 Curti, The American Peace Crusade, 1815-1860, pp. 16-17.
10 Stevens, Centennial History of Washington County, Indiana, 204-205, 383-85, 607. There is interesting biographical information and samples of B. F. Trueblood's thinking in Benjamin F. Trueblood, The Development of the Peace Idea, and Other Essays (Boston, 1932).
11 Curti, The American Peace Crusade, 1815-1860, p. 24. See also Galpin, Pioneering for Peace, 28, 64-66.
12 Galpin, Pioneering for Peace, 71.
301
Salem (Indiana) Peace Society Minutes
in this country, besides the Massachusetts Peace Society, and its twelve Auxiliaries, 15 Peace Societies in the United States: one in Maine, one in Rhode Island, five in New York, one in North Carolina, five in Ohio, and two in Indiana."8 Within the next few years other societies had been estab- lished in such diverse places as Connecticut, Vermont, Nova Scotia, Canada, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Scotland, Ireland, and France.
Most of the peace societies had religious connections, and the purposes and rationale of the movement were thoroughly seated in the doctrines of Christianity. Curti states that Quakers were not generally as active in the movement in the United States as in Great Britain-perhaps because of geographical diversity and other problems of organization.º The Salem society, however, was stimulated mainly by Quakers, and the minutes reflect that relationship in the terminology and explicit biblical allusions that are used throughout. Generally the men who were active in the movement, however, were not only religious leaders but also merchants, educators, and businessmen. Salem was apparently typical in that the prominent and established men of the community provided the impetus for the movement. William Lindley had been largely responsible for the founding of Salem, Zachariah and Joseph Nixon were the first two landowners, Ebenezer Patrick and Beebe Booth founded a newspaper among other enterprises, Benjamin Albertson was a medical doctor. Dr. Benjamin F. Trueblood, presumably a nephew of Nathan Trueblood, later became a prominent leader of the American Peace Society.1º
.
The Salem Peace Society minutes document what is probably a repre- sentative experience for local peace societies of the period. The frequent pleas for funds and members in the Friend of Peace indicate that this was a general problem after the early heights of peace activity. Curti mentions that the Friend of Peace in 1825 "tried to explain the decline in interest" as a result of distance from "the evils of the struggle" of the War of 1812.11 The reasons for the decline are no doubt many and varied, but the movement was sustained in the national organization, the American Peace Society. Although the impact of such local peace society efforts is almost impossible to determine, they at least "created an opinion favorable to peace and opposed to war."12 The Salem Peace Society was a relatively small and now little remembered venture, but it demonstrates the spirit and motivation of men who desire peace and concord in the world.
8 Friend of Peace, II, vii, 11.
9 Curti, The American Peace Crusade, 1815-1860, pp. 16-17.
10 Stevens, Centennial History of Washington County, Indiana, 204-205, 383-85, 607. There is interesting biographical information and samples of B. F. Trueblood's thinking in Benjamin F. Trueblood, The Development of the Peace Idea, and Other Essays (Boston, 1932).
11 Curti, The American Peace Crusade, 1815-1860, p. 24. See also Galpin, Pioneering for Peace, 28, 64-66.
12 Galpin, Pioneering for Peace, 71.
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Indiana Magazine of History
Salem (Indiana) Peace Society Minutes1
At a meeting of a number of the Citizens of Washington County State of Indiana, at Friends Meeting House at Blue River the 19th of the 12th Mo (December) 1818. After being met proceed to appoint Willis McCoy, Chairman, & Benjamin Albertson Secretary,-The Following Introductory Piece being produced was ordered to be Read-which is as follows (to Wit).
Some considerations on the Expendiency of the Institution of a Peace Society; Humbly offered to the serious attention of the Lovers of Peace, in the State of Indiana.
When our minds are turned seriously to veiw [sic] the direfull effects of war, whereby not only many thousands of souls have been precipitated into an awfull eternity, but innumerable sufferings and great calamity have been brought upon many who were Innocent; what man not devoid of the tender feelings of Humanity, or that hath any regard for religion or morality, who will not feel his mind Impressed with sorrow, in considering the de- plorable condition of mankind so frequently engaged in destroying one another; and will he not be induced to Query, Shall the sword devour forever?2-Shall the situation of the human family in this respect never be meliorated ?- Can there be no method adopted for the composing of dif- ferences & settling disputes between nations as well as Individuals, without recurring to weapons of death ?- Is it impossible for the evil Passions in
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