Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-09-03
From The Nssv- York Commercial .4dvertis'r-

place this matter uponits correct tootlngg iio9
| Tor the purpose of convincing or even silshclAs
| the foul -mouthcd wretches, whose naive in-
stinct it is TO assai with their nth every 1hig
THAT is honorable and sac ed, and thereiofe q
standing stigma upon theirown oasehess. I =
undertake to penetrate the fogs OF their igho-
rance. and reach their brain with arguments,
were as hopeless task as 1t would be lmpe-
clle to expect their depravity to admit the
truth, even if made as papabe as theif own
vileness.-But it is important Tor the purpose
of removing erroneous impressions from me
mind of many good people, who, from love
of peace, think itinexpedient TO do or say any
thing in this way, under any circumstances,
which s,ii.ii excite the angry passions OF I'M
prmciped men.
| Law down then this broad principle, With
out the les, fear of even plausible cnntradlc-
ton - That il is as much the dufg OF N!-
mister of The Goshci 10 enjoul uton his auditnce
IRE uaright frercise other holiacal Privileges
ard the conscientioaS juLflmenf Of their fot'f'-
cal duties, on occasions gvhen dishoneSfym rae
e.cercise Of those rights, AID a4fatthfataeSs ~
the Performance ofthose duties caAfor 49, as
is TO enforce uhon them The obligations Of JamHy.
sporshih, or justice to neighbours, or any Other
religious or moral duty 7vAateper. Al the same
time concede, that, while a munster must
perform his duty boldly and with perfect PLAIN
ness, and may not omit it without being guilty
of faithlessness to bis trust, and mourning the
displeasure and chastsement of his God, yet
there is perhaps 10 one duty winch requires,
in the performance OF 1t, more discretion and
purity. Am then asked, What are I" DC MS
bounds and his rule, in his anlmadverslons
upon misconduct? | answer, TRUTH as TO
facts. and the WORD OF GOD as 10 ffncTles.
With these to regulate him, he is bound 10 en-
ioin upIis Illness, and to denounce lnlqulV, as
well in public officers as in private llte' And
if any man, or set of men, shrink from the ap
plication of this test, and feel the strokes cal
deep, in the name Of decency, and Tor the sake
of appearances, let them suppress Their RE-
lest their own clanors speak language
trumpet tongued' for their condemnation
Or if they feel the probe, let them writhe un
der it; and if they charge any mlnlster, at any
Time, with overstepping those limits, lei
them produce s prove their facts, CT be silent.
| will state pain case. Every BODY knows,
that the elections OF. G. Britain are, III great
er or less degree, corrupt; that 1t Is a com
mon thing to buy votes, Ask our wise ones
who talk so sagely, whether this Is commend"
able or iustihable conduct; they Will be lavish
enough of their opprobllous ePtheis uPon
the government and the people Of that nalioh
Ask them if the ministers OF the goSpci III
Britain, ought to denounce such wicked con
duct, and especially to do 1t on the approach
or the elections, and ali their patriotism shali
be reused, and all their indignation against
vice, corruption and bribery, burst forth III
encomium upon the noble talthfulneSs winch
should stigmatize, as It deserves, such enor-
mity of corruption and then the pulpit should
be the guardian of the public morals, and TIE
public safely.
The real truth of the matter IS, that TO-
ktical sermons,'' as they are often falsely call
ed, never give offence when the sent
ments accord with those of the hearers
Then the general principle, Of blending The
iaculcation of religious principle with poilti-
Cal duty, as we'll in magistrates DIS IN private
citizens is all perfectly right. But when Sc
neral truths are set III strong light aha
brought to bear upon CORRUPT principles and
practices, what wonder is 1t that $ the CALLED
Jade should vince"
Few. if any, will lie found stupid enough to
betray their own ignorance, or hardy enough
to expose their own deprayity SO far as to de-
nv one plain truth /; that minister OF the Cos
pei is bound to inculcate fOefy freeeflt q me
goshel Well then, one OF two things inevi-
tably follows: either that he is bound TO 10
culcate the upright fulfilment OF foAflcal d.
tieS-or that political dutics are not comprised
in any Of the hrecehts Of The gosleL Now,
there are some sapient gentry, we know, who
DENY the former, and of course, thereby afirn'
the latter. Whence it follows, again, that
God has taken care to regulate some part OF
the affairs of the world he has created and 60
verns, and has left others TO feke care Of them
sei0es. But, absurd and impious as this me
yitable consequence is, these men actually
avow it in substance, though they are often too
70 -.arcsi fol. II common thlnG