Peace and happiness / by the Right Hon. Lord Avebury.

  • John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Peace and happiness / by the Right Hon. Lord Avebury. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    differences, to inflame the passions and stir np strife between nations, and the result of their baneful activity is that bloodshed constitutes so much of human history. Our common interests are, however, far more important than the differences. We do not yet realise how closely we are interwoven together. Nations are all members of one body politic. If one flourishes, all benefit more or less. If one is unfortunate, all suffer to some extent. In ancient times every man was a law unto himself. He avenged his own wrongs. Now we do not permit this. Private revenge is treated—and justly treated—as a crime. He must appeal for protection and redress to the laws of his country. Is not the time coming, has it not come, when the same should be extended to countries, when they also should be expected to abstain from private vengeance, and to appeal to the law of nations ? Nations are no better judges in their own cause than individuals: they should not resort to the barbarous expedient of force, and any country carrying fire and the sword into another with- out first submitting its case to arbitration,