Table Of ContentAn ESSAY towards the Present and Future
Peace of Europe
D,
by the Establishment of an European
P, E
or ()
BeatiPacifici.CedantArmaTogae1
TotheREADER.
Reader,
I
HAVE undertaken a Subject that I am very sensible requires one of more
sufficiencythanIamMasteroftotreatit,as,inTruth,itdeserves,andthe
groaning State of Europe calls for; but since Bunglers may stumble upon the
Game,aswellasMasters,thoughitbelongstotheSkilfultohuntandcatchit,I
hopethisEssaywillnotbechargeduponmeforaFault,ifitappeartobeneither
ChimericalnorInjurious,andmayprovokeablerPenstoimproveandperform
theDesignwithbetterJudgmentandSuccess.IwillsaynomoreinExcuseofmy
self,forthisUndertaking,butthatitistheFruitofmysolicitousThoughts,for
thePeaceof Europe,andtheymustwantCharityasmuchastheWorldneeds
Quiet,tobeoffendedwithmeforsoPacifickaProposal.Letthemcensuremy
ManagementsotheyprosecutetheAdvantageoftheDesign;for’tilltheMille-
naryDoctrinebeaccomplished,thereisnothingappearstomesobeneficialan
ExpedienttothePeaceandHappinessofthisQuarteroftheWorld.
.Blessedarethepeacemakers(Matthew:);Letarmsyieldtothetoga(refersto
theRomancustomofgeneralslayingdowntheirswordsandtakingupthetogaupon
enteringRome,asasymbolofsettingasidetheirmilitarycommandandenteringinto
theircivicrole).
{}
An ESSAY towards the Present and Future
P
of EUROPE,
&c.
Sect. I. Of PEACE, and it’s Advantages.
H
EMUSTnotbeaMan,butaStatueofBrassorStone,whoseBowelsdo
notmeltwhenhebeholdsthebloodyTragediesofthisWar,inHungary,
Germany,Flanders,Ireland,andatSea.TheMortalityofsicklyandlanguish-
ingCampsandNavies,andthemightyPreytheDevouringWindsandWaves
havemadeuponShipsandMensince.2AndasthiswithReasonoughtto
affecthumanNature,anddeeplyKindred,sothereissomethingverymoving
thatbecomesprudentMentoconsider,andthatisthevastChargethathas
accompaniedthatBlood,andwhichmakesnomeanPartoftheseTragedies;
EspeciallyiftheydeliberateupontheuncertaintyoftheWar,thattheyknow
not howor when it will end, and that the Expence cannot be less, and the
Hazardisasgreatasbefore.SothatintheContrariesofPeaceweseetheBeau-
tiesandBenefitsof it;whichunderit,suchistheUnhappinessof Mankind,
wearetooapttonauseate,asthefullStomachloathstheHoney-Comb;and
likethatunfortunateGentleman,thathavingafineandagoodWomantohis
Wife, and searching his Pleasure in forbidden and less agreeable Company,
said,whenreproach’dwithhisNeglectof betterEnjoyments,Thathecould
lovehisWifeofallWomen,ifshewerenothisWife,tho’thatincreasedhisObli-
gationtopreferher.ItisagreatMarkoftheCorruptionofourNatures,and
whatoughttohumbleusextremely,andexcitetheExerciseofourReasontoa
noblerandjusterSense,thatwecannotseetheUseandPleasureofourCom-
fortsbutbytheWantofthem.AsifwecouldnottastetheBenefitofHealth,
butbytheHelpofSickness;norunderstandtheSatisfactionofFulnesswith-
outtheInstructionof Want;nor,finally,knowtheComfortof Peacebutby
theSmartandPenanceoftheVicesofWar:AndwithoutDisputethatisnot
theleastReasonthatGodispleasedtoChastiseussofrequentlywithit.What
canwedesirebetterthanPeace,buttheGracetouseit?Peacepreservesour
Possessions;WeareinnoDangerofInvasions:OurTradeisfreeandsafe,and
.EnglandunderWilliamIIIwasatwaralmostconstantlyinopposingJamesII’s
attemptstoretakethethroneandinheadingaGrandAllianceagainstFrance.
{}
weriseandlyedownwithoutAnxiety.TheRichbringouttheirHoards,and
employthepoorManufacturers:BuildingsanddiversProjections,forProfit
andPleasure,goon:ItexcitesIndustry,whichbringsWealth,asthatgivesthe
MeansofCharityandHospitality,notthelowestOrnamentsofaKingdom
orCommonwealth.ButWar,liketheFrostof,seizesalltheseComfortsat
once, and stops the civil Channel of Society.The Rich draw in their Stock,
the Poor turn Soldiers, orThieves, or Starve: No Industry, no Building, no
Manufactury,littleHospitalityorCharity;butwhatthePeacegave,theWar
devours.IneedsaynomoreuponthisHead,whentheAdvantagesofPeace,
and Mischiefs of Warare so manyand sensible to every Capacity underall
Governments, as eitherof them prevails. I shall proceed to the next Point.
WhatisthebestMeansof Peace,whichwillconducemuchtoopenmyWay
towhatIhavetopropose.
Sect. II. Of the Means of Peace, which is Justice
rather than War.
A
S JUSTICE is a Preserver, so it is a better Procurerof Peace thanWar.
Tho’ Pax quaeritur bello, be an usual Saying, Peace is the End of War,
andassuchitwastakenupbyO.C.forhisMotto:3YettheUsegenerallymade
ofthatexpressionshewsus,thatproperlyandtrulyspeaking,Menseektheir
WillsbyWarratherthanPeace,andthatastheywillviolateittoobtainthem,
so they will hardly be brought to think of Peace, unless their Appetites be
someWaygratified.IfwelookovertheStoriesofallTimes,weshallfindthe
AggressorsgenerallymovedbyAmbition;thePrideofConquestandGreat-
nessofDominionmorethanRight.ButasthoseLeviathansappearrarelyin
theWorld,soIshallanonendeavourtomakeitevidenttheyhadneverbeen
abletodevourthePeaceoftheWorld,andingrosswholeCountriesasthey
havedone,iftheProposalIhavetomakefortheBenefitofourpresentAge
hadbeentheninPractice.TheAdvantagethatJusticehasuponWarisseenby
theSuccessofEmbassies,thatsooftenpreventWarbyhearingthePleasand
MemorialsofJusticeintheHandsandMouthsoftheWrongedParty.Perhaps
.OliverCromwell.
{}
itmaybeinagoodDegreeowingtoReputationorPoverty,orsomeparticu-
larInterestorConveniencyofPrincesandStates,asmuchasJustice;butitis
certain, that asWarcannot in any Sense be justified, but uponWrongs re-
ceived,andRight,uponComplaint,refused;sotheGeneralityof Warshave
theirRisefromsomesuchPretension.Thisisbetterseenandunderstoodat
Home; for that which prevents a Civil War in a Nation, is that which may
prevent it Abroad, viz. Justice; and we seewhere that is notablyobstructed,
War is Kindled between the Magistrates and People in particular Kingdoms
andStates;which,howeveritmaybeunlawfulontheSideofthePeople,we
seeneverfailstofollow,andoughttogivethesameCautiontoPrincesasif
itweretheRightofthePeopletodoit:Tho’Imustneedssay,theRemedyis
almosteverworsethantheDisease:TheAggressorsseldomgettingwhatthey
seek,orperforming,iftheyprevail,whattheypromised.AndtheBloodand
Poverty that usuallyattend the Enterprize, weigh more on Earth, as well as
inHeaven,thanwhattheylostorsuffered,orwhattheygetbyendeavouring
to mend their Condition, comes to: Which Disappointment seems to be the
Voiceof Heaven,andJudgmentofGodagainstthoseviolentAttempts.But
toreturn,Isay,JusticeistheMeansofPeace,betwixttheGovernmentandthe
People,andoneManandCompanyandanother.ItpreventsStrife,andatlast
endsit:ForbesidesShameorFear,tocontendlonger,heortheybeingunder
Government,areconstrainedtoboundtheirDesiresandResentmentwiththe
SatisfactiontheLawgives.ThusPeaceismaintain’dbyJustice,whichisaFruit
ofGovernment,asGovernment,isfromSociety,andSocietyfromConsent.
Sect. III. GOVERNMENT, it’s Rise and End
under all Models.
G
OVERNMENTisanExpedientagainstConfusion;aRestraintuponall
Disorder;JustWeightsandanevenBallance:Thatonemaynotinjure
another,norhimself,byIntemperance.
ThiswasatfirstwithoutControversie,Patrimonial,andupontheDeathof
theFatherorHeadoftheFamily,theeldestSon,orMaleof Kinsucceeded.
ButTimebreakinginuponthisWayofGoverning,astheWorldmultiply’d,
itfellunderotherClaimsandForms;andisashardtotracetoit’sOriginal,
asaretheCopieswehaveofthefirstWritingsofSacredorCivilMatters.Itis
{}
certainthemostNaturalandHumanisthatofConsent,forthatbindsfreely
(asImaysay)whenMenholdtheirLibertybytrueObediencetoRulesoftheir
ownmaking.NoManisJudgeinhisownCause,whichendstheConfusion
andBloodofsomanyJudgesandExecutioners.ForoutofSocietyeveryMan
is his own King, does what he lists, at his own Peril: But when he comes to
incorporatehimself,hesubmitsthatRoyaltytotheConveniencyoftheWhole,
from whom he receives the Returns of Protection. So that he is not now his
ownJudgenorAvenger,neitherishisAntagonist,buttheLaw,inindifferent
Handsbetweenboth.AndifhebeServanttoothersthatbeforewasfree,heis
alsoservedofothersthatformerlyowedhimnoObligation.Thuswhileweare
notourown,everyBodyisours,andwegetmorethanwelose,theSafetyof
theSocietybeingtheSafetyoftheParticularsthatconstituteit.Sothatwhile
weseemtosubmitto,andholdallwehavefromSociety,itisbySocietythat
wekeepwhatwehave.
GovernmentthenisthePreventionorCureofDisorder,andtheMeansof
Justice, as that is of Peace: For this Cause they have Sessions,Terms, Assizes
andParliaments,toover-ruleMen’sPassionsandResentments,thattheymay
notbeJudgesintheirownCause,norPunishersoftheirownWrongs,which
asitisveryincidenttoMenintheirCorruptState,so,forthatReason,they
would observe no Measure; noron the other Hand would any be easily re-
ducedtotheirDuty.NotthatMenknownotwhatisright,theirExcesses,and
whereintheyaretoblame:bynoMeans;nothingisplainertothem:Butso
depravedisHumanNature,thatwithoutCompulsion,someWayorother,too
manywouldnotreadilybebroughttodowhattheyknowisrightandfit,or
avoidwhattheyaresatisfy’dtheyshouldnotdo:Whichbringsmeneartothe
PointIhaveundertaken;andforthebetterUnderstandingofwhich,Ihave
thusbrieflytreatedofPeace,JusticeandGovernment,asanecessaryIntroduc-
tion,becausetheWaysandMethodsbywhichPeaceispreservedinparticu-
larGovernments,willhelpthoseReaders,mostconcernedinmyProposal,to
conceivewith what Ease as well as Advantage the Peace of Europe might be
procuredandkept;whichistheEnddesignedbyme,withallSubmissionto
thoseInterestedinthislittleTreatise.
{}
Sect. IV. Of a General Peace, or the Peace of Europe,
and the Means of it.
I
N MY firstSection,IshewedtheDesirablenessof Peace;inmynext,the
TruestMeansofit;towit,Justice,NotWar.Andinmylast,thatthisJustice
wastheFruitofGovernment,asGovernmentitselfwastheResultofSociety;
whichfirstcamefromaReasonableDesigninMenofPeace.NowiftheSov-
eraignPrincesofEurope,whorepresentthatSociety,orIndependentStateof
MenthatwasprevioustotheObligationsofSociety,would,forthesameRea-
son that engaged Men first into Society, viz. Love of Peace and Order, agree
to meet by their Stated Deputies in a General Dyet, Estates, or Parliament,
and there Establish Rules of Justice for Soveraign Princes to observe one to
another;andthustomeetYearly,oronceinTwoorThreeYearsatfarthest,
orastheyshallseeCause,andtobeStiled,TheSoveraignorImperialDyet,
Parliament,orStateof Europe;beforewhichSoveraignAssembly,shouldbe
broughtallDifferencesdependingbetweenoneSoveraignandanother,that
cannotbemadeupbyprivateEmbassies,beforetheSessionsbegins;andthat
ifanyoftheSoveraigntiesthatConstitutetheseImperialStates,shallrefuseto
submittheirClaimorPretensionstothem,ortoabideandperformtheJudg-
mentthereof,andseektheirRemedybyArms,ordelaytheirCompliancebe-
yondtheTimeprefixtintheirResolutions,alltheotherSoveraignties,United
asOneStrength,shallcompeltheSubmissionandPerformanceoftheSen-
tence,withDamagestotheSufferingParty,andChargestotheSoveraignties
thatobligedtheirSubmission:TobesureEuropewouldquietlyobtaintheso
muchdesiredandneededPeace,toHerharrassedInhabitants;noSoveraignty
inEurope,havingthePower,andthereforecannotshowtheWilltodispute
theConclusion;and,consequently,Peacewouldbeprocured,andcontinued
inEurope.
Sect. V. Of the Causes of Difference, and Motives
to Violate Peace.
T
HEREappearstomebutThreeThingsuponwhichPeaceisbroken,viz.
ToKeep,toRecover,ortoAdd.First,ToKeepwhatisOne’sRight,from
theInvasionofanEnemy;inwhichIampurelyDefensive.Secondly,ToRe-
{}
cover,whenIthinkmyselfStrongenough,thatwhichbyViolence,I,ormy
Ancestorshavelost,bytheArmsofaStrongerPower;inwhichIamOffensive:
Or,Lastly,ToincreasemyDominionbytheAcquisitionofmyNeighbour’s
Countries,asIfindthemWeak,andmyselfStrong.TogratifywhichPassion,
therewill never want some Accident orother fora Pretence: And knowing
myownStrength,IwillbemyownJudgeandCarver.ThisLastwillfindno
RoomintheImperialStates:TheyareanunpassableLimittothatAmbition.
ButtheotherTwomaycomeassoonastheyplease,andfindtheJusticeofthat
Soveraign Court. And considering how few there are of those Sons of Prey,
and howearly they show themselves, it may be not once in an Age orTwo,
thisExpeditionbeingEstablished,theBallancecannotwellbebroken.
Sect. VI. Of Titles, upon which those Differences
may arise.
B
UT I easily foresee a Question that may be answered in ourWay, and
thatisthis;WhatisRight?OrelsewecanneverknowwhatisWrong:It
is very fit that this should be Established. But that is fitter for the Soveraign
Statestoresolvethanme.AndyetthatImayleadaWaytotheMatter,Isay
thatTitleiseitherbyalongandundoubtedSuccession,astheCrownsofSpain,
FranceandEngland;orbyElection,astheCrownofPoland,andtheEmpire;
or by Marriage, as the Familyof the Stewarts came by England; the Elector
ofBrandenburgh,totheDutchyofCleve;andwe,inAncientTime,todivers
Placesabroad;orbyPurchase,ashathbeenfrequentlydoneinItalyandGer-
many;orbyConquest,astheTurkinChristendom,theSpaniardsinFlanders,
formerlymostlyintheFrenchHands;andtheFrenchinBurgundy,Normandy,
Lorrain,French-County,&c.Thislast,Titleis,MorallySpeaking,onlyQues-
tionable.IthasindeedobtainedaPlaceamongtheRollsofTitles,butitwas
engross’d and recorded by the Point of the Sword, and in Bloody Charac-
ters.Whatcannotbecontrouledorresisted,mustbesubmittedto;butallthe
WorldknowstheDateofthelengthofsuchEmpires,andthattheyexpirewith
the Powerof the Possessor to defend them. And yet there is a little allowed
to Conquest to, when it has the Sanction of Articles of Peace to confirm it:
Tho’thathathnotalwaysextinguishedtheFire,butitlies,likeEmbersunder
Ashes,readytokindlesosoonasthereisafitMatterpreparedforit.Never-
theless, when Conquest has been confirmed byaTreaty, and Conclusion of
{}
Peace,ImustconfessitisanAdoptedTitle;andifnotsoGenuineandNatu-
ral,yetbeingengrafted,itisfedbythatwhichistheSecurityofBetterTitles,
Consent.ThereisbutoneThingmoretobementionedinthisSection,and
thatisfromwhatTimeTitlesshalltaketheirBeginning,orhowfarbackwe
maylooktoconfirmordisputethem.Itwouldbeveryboldandinexcusable
inme,todeterminesotenderaPoint,butbeitmoreorlessTime,astothe
lastGeneralPeaceatNimeguen,4ortothecommencingofthisWar,ortothe
TimeoftheBeginningoftheTreatyofPeace,ImustsubmitittotheGreatPre-
tendersandMastersinthatAffair.ButsomethingeveryBodymustbewilling
togiveorquit,thathemaykeeptherest,andbythisEstablishment,befor
everfreedoftheNecessityoflosingmore.
Sect. VII. Of the Composition of these
Imperial States.
T
HECompositionandProportionofthisSoveraignPart,orImperialState,
does,atthefirstLook,seemtocarrywithitnosmallDifficultywhatVotes
toallowfortheInequalityofthePrincesandStates.ButwithSubmissionto
betterJudgments,Icannotthinkitinvincible:Forifitbepossibletohavean
EstimateoftheYearlyValueoftheseveralSoveraignCountries,whoseDele-
gatesaretomakeupthisAugustAssembly,theDeterminationoftheNumber
ofPersonsorVotesintheStatesforeverySoveraignty,willnotbeimpracti-
cable.NowthatEngland,France,Spain,theEmpire,&c.maybeprettyexactly
estimated, is so plain a Case, byconsidering the Revenue of Lands, the Ex-
portsandEntriesattheCustom-Houses,theBooksofRates,andSurveysthat
areinallGovernments,toproportionTaxesfortheSupportofthem,thatthe
leastInclinationtothePeaceof Europe,willnotstandorhaltatthisObjec-
tion.Iwill,withPardononallSides,giveanInstancefarfromExact;nordo
Ipretendtoit,orofferitforanEstimate;forIdoitatRandom:Onlythis,
aswideasitisfromtheJustProportion,willgivesomeAimtomyJudicious
Reader,whatIwouldbeat:Remembring,IdesignnotbyanyComputation,
an Estimate from the Revenue of the Prince, but theValue of theTerritory,
theWholebeingconcernedaswellasthePrince.AndaJusterMeasureitisto
.TheTreatyofNimeguenterminatedthecontinentalwarin.
{}
goby,sinceonePrincemayhavemoreRevenuethananother,whohasmuch
aRicherCountry:Tho’intheInstanceIamnowabouttomake,theCaution
isnotsoNecessary,because,asIsaidbefore,IpretendtonoMannerofEx-
actness,butgowhollybyGuess,beingbutforExample’sSake.Isupposethe
EmpireofGermanytosendTwelve;France,Ten;Spain,Ten;Italy,whichcomes
to France, Eight; England, Six; Portugal, Three; Sweedland, Four; Denmark,
Three; Poland, Four; Venice, Three; the Seven Provinces, Four; TheThirteen
Cantons, and little Neighbouring Soveraignties, Two; Dukedoms of Holstein
andCourland,One:AndiftheTurksandMuscovitesaretakenin,asseemsbut
fitandjust,theywillmakeTenaPiecemore.TheWholemakesNinety.Agreat
PresencewhentheyrepresenttheFourth;andnowtheBestandWealthiestPart
oftheKnownWorld;whereReligionandLearning,CivilityandArtshavetheir
SeatandEmpire.Butitisnotabsolutelynecessarythereshouldbealwaysso
manyPersons,torepresentthelargerSoveraignties;fortheVotesmaybegiven
byoneManofanySoveraignty,aswellasbyTenorTwelve:Tho’thefullerthe
AssemblyofStatesis,themoreSolemn,Effectual,andFreetheDebateswill
be,andtheResolutionsmustneedscomewithgreaterAuthority.ThePlace
oftheirFirstSessionshouldbeCentral,asmuchasispossible,afterwardsas
theyagree.
Sect. VIII. Of the Regulation of the Imperial States
in Session.
T
O AVOID QuarrelforPrecedency,theRoommaybeRound,andhave
diversDoorstocomeinandgooutat,topreventExceptions.Ifthewhole
NumberbecastintoTens,eachchusingOne,theymaypresidebyTurns,to
whomallSpeechesshouldbeaddressed,andwhoshouldcollecttheSenseof
theDebates,andstatetheQuestionforaVote,which,inmyOpinion,should
be by the Ballot, after the Prudent and Commendable Method of the Vene-
tians:5WhichinagreatDegree,preventstheillEffectsofCorruption;because
ifanyoftheDelegatesofthatHighandMightyEstatescouldbesoVile,False,
andDishonourable,astobeinfluencedbyMoney,theyhavetheAdvantage
.TheVenetianballotingsystem,designedtomakecorruptionimpossible,consisted
ofaseriesofvotesinvolvingdrawnlotsandcoloredballs.SeeGeorgeB.McClellan,The
OligarchyofVenice(Boston,),pp.–.
{}
oftakingtheirMoneythatwillgiveitthem,andof Votingundiscoveredto
the Interest of their Principals, and their own Inclinations; as they that do
understandtheBallotingBoxdoverywellknow.AShrewdStratagem,andan
ExperimentalRemedyagainstCorruption,atleastCorrupting:Forwhowill
givetheirMoneywheretheymaysoeasilybeCozened,andwhereitisTwoto
Onetheywillbeso;fortheythatwilltakeMoneyinsuchCases,willnotstick
to Lye heartily to them that give it, rather than wrong their Country, when
theyknowtheirLyecannotbedetected.
Itseemstome,thatnothinginthisImperialParliamentshouldpass,but
byThreeQuartersoftheWhole,atleastSevenabovetheBallance.Iamsure
ithelpstopreventTreachery,becauseifMoneycouldeverbeaTemptationin
suchaCourt,itwouldcostagreatDealofMoneytoweighdownthewrong
Scale.AllComplaintsshouldbedeliveredinWriting,intheNatureofMemo-
rials;andJournalskeptbyaproperPerson,inaTrunkorChest,whichshould
haveasmanydifferingLocks,asthereareTensintheStates.Andiftherewere
aClerkforeachTen,andaPeworTableforthoseClerksintheAssembly;and
at the End of every Session, One out of eachTen, were appointed to Exam-
ineandComparetheJournalofthoseClerks,andthenlockthemupasIhave
before expressed, it would be clear and Satisfactory. And each Soveraignty
iftheyplease,asisbutveryfit,mayhaveanExemplification,orCopyofthe
saidMemorials,andtheJournalsof Proceedingsuponthem.TheLibertyand
Rules of Speech, to be sure, they cannot fail in, who will be the Wisest and
NoblestofeachSoveraignty,forit’sownHonourandSafety.IfanyDifference
canarisebetweenthosethatcomefromthesameSoveraignty,thatthenOne
oftheMajorNumberdogivetheBallsofthatSoveraignty.Ishouldthinkit
extreamly necessary, that every Soveraignty should be present under great
Penalties,andthatnoneleavetheSessionwithoutLeave,tillAllbefinished;
andthatNeutralitiesinDebatesshouldbynoMeansbeendured:Foranysuch
LatitudewillquicklyopenaWaytounfairProceedings,andbefollowedby
aTrain,bothofseen,andunseenInconveniencies.IwillsaylittleoftheLan-
guageinwhichtheSessionoftheSoveraignEstatesshouldbeheld,buttobe
sureitmustbeinLatinorFrench;ThefirstwouldbeverywellforCivilians,
butthelastmosteasieforMenofQuality.
