he baleful passions and wicked works that unrestrained party-spirit
and ungoverned factions will bring upon us, under such a government as
ours? Must we rush on to disunion, and civil wars, and servile wars,
till all their train of horrors pass over us like devouring fire?

There is an influence that can avert these dangers--a spirit that can
allay the storm--that can say to the troubled winds and waters, "peace,
be still."

It is that spirit which is gentle and easy to be entreated, which
thinketh no evil, which rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the
truth, which is not easily provoked, which hopeth all things, which
beareth all things. Let this spirit be infused into the mass of the
nation, and then truth may be sought, defended, and propagated, and
error detected, and its evils exposed; and yet we may escape the evils
that now rage through this nation, and threaten us with such fiery
plagues.

And is there not a peculiar propriety in such an emergency, in looking
for the especial agency and assistance of females, who are shut out from
the many temptations that assail the other sex,--who are the appointed
ministers of all the gentler charities of life,--who are mingled
throughout the whole mass of the community,--who dwell in those
retirements where only peace and love ought ever to enter,--whose
comfort, influence, and dearest blessings, all depend on preserving
peace and good will among men?

In the present aspect of affairs among us, when everything seems to be
tending to disunion and distraction, it surely has become the duty of
every female instantly to relinquish the attitude of a partisan, in
every matter of clashing interests, and to assume the office of a
mediator, and an advocate of peace. And to do this, it is not necessary
that a woman should in any manner relinquish her opinion as to the
evils or the benefits, the right or the wrong, of any principle or
practice. But, while quietly holding her own opinions, and calmly
avowing them, when conscience and integrity make the duty imperative,
every female can employ her influence, not for the purpose of exciting
or regulating public sentiment, but rather for the purpose of promoting
a spirit of candour, forbearance, charity, and peace.

And there are certain prominent maxims which every woman can adopt as
peculiarly belonging to her, as the advocate of charity and peace, and
which it should be her especial office to illustrate, enforce, and
susta