Emerson argues that lasting peace cannot be secured entirely through external circumstances, approval or dependence on other people. His emphasis on the self reflects the central argument of Self-Reliance: individuals must develop an inner source of judgement and stability rather than looking outward for reassurance. Peace, in this sense, comes from confidence in one’s own considered convictions.

The second sentence gives this idea a moral dimension. Emerson connects peace with the “triumph of principles”, suggesting that inner calm depends on acting consistently with values one believes to be right. The point is not that external problems cease to matter, but that personal integrity provides a form of stability amid them. The quotation therefore links self-reliance with ethical conduct: peace is presented as the result of alignment between judgement, principle and action, rather than as something granted by circumstances alone.