Doctrines for a Just War.

Government responsibility to defend and secure the safety of the people.

 

The text of this and other superb works are available on-line from:

The Willison Politics and Philosophy Resource Center

http://willisoncenter.com/

Reprint and digital file January 2, 2006.

 

 Excerpt 2. Gilbert Tennent, Log College ( Princeton).

 

Excerpts from "The Lawfulness of a Defensive War"

By Gilbert Tennent, A.M. ( Yale )

At Philadelphia, Pa.

December 24, 1746

 

A Just War Is not:

"That kind of War is not approved of God, which is commenced merely to

gratify the Ambition, and Avarice of Princes, as in Benhadad’s war against

Ahab, to the Romans of old, who like the French now, made War upon all the

Countries round about them, merely to enlarge their own Dominions by the

ruin of others: Or like those which Satan excites, and Anti-Christ carries

on, against the Church of God, form their inviolable adherence to divine

truths. Such Wars are undoubtedly unlawful, and likewise as such, as are

begun without a View to Justice and Peace and carried on without Compassion

and Humanity."

Is:

"When undertaken for necessary Defence against unjust Invasion of such as

design to do us harm, either by assaulting our Persons, or robbing us of and

ruining our Estates."

"When commenced for the Recovery of something of great Importance unjustly

taken from us, which we cannot do well without, not after Application,

obtain by milder Measures; especially when, the Consequences of the Loss,

are like to be more prejudicial and distressing, than the Consequences of

the War entered into to recover it: Thus David pursued the Amalekites, who

carried away his and his peoples Wives away captives, together with their

Sons and Daughters. ( 1 Sam 30)."

WAR, is no doubt lawful, and consequently approved by God, when undertaken

by the Magistrate, for the Punishment of some great injury or wrong which

much affects the Credit and Interest of a Nation or People after all softer

Means for redress fail of success: Thus the Royal Psalmist commenced War

against the Amonites for their contemptuous usage of his Ambassadors. ( 2

Samuel 10)

 

Excerpt 2. Abiel Abbot. Harvard.

Politicians need some guiding thoughts for their legislative activities,

perhaps these sum up the core basic principles that safeguard the public safety and property.

After all, the Founding Generation did furnish us a "users manual." Willison Ed.

 

SELF PRESERVATION.

A SERMON, PREACHED BEFORE THE ANCIENT AND HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY,

In BOSTON, JUNE ,7, 1802

 

THE ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

 

By ABIEL ABBOT

Abiel ABBOT, ( b. 1765; 1859.) He was graduated at Harvard in 1787, taught in Phillips Andover academy until 1789, In 1794 he was tutor of Greek in Harvard. STD. 1838, Harvard.

 

The text of this and other superb works are available on-line from:

The Willison Politics and Philosophy Resource Center

http://willisoncenter.com/ Link 23. The Willison Center 's 1776 Spirituality Page / Link 19. 1802 Abiel Abbot.

 

Reprint and digital file August 31, 2005.

Excerpt from Pg. 17 "How to commit STATE SUICIDE:"

 

"What then would that government deserve to have said of it,

which should level the bulwarks of the country on every side ;

prepare an easy ingress and egress for every plunderer,

who might be tempted by the defenceless state of the country to ravage it ;

demolish its forts on the land, and sink, or fell,

or give to the worms its wooden walls ( e.g. Navy ) by sea;

disband its necessary troops; empty its treasury;

and choke the grand channel of resource, its commerce;

which should even seem to invite the citizens to bite and devour one another with impunity by barring the sacred doors of public justice, or by delivering the keys of them to dependent judges.

 

This some might call State suicide."

 

* For more information on THE ANCIENT AND HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY, they still exist, and name many prominent Americans on their membership rolls.

 

Here is their web site URL: http://www.ahacsite.org/