Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-09-12


Consul, but had he attempted to enslave
the country, the lcgions which would
have disobeyed him could not have been
perjured.
To reason otherwise is TO confound
things, and not understand the spirit OF
institutions. The Spanish military swore
to observe and defend the Spanish con-
stitution; they were perjured when they
tacitly consented to the overthrow OF the
sanctuary of their laws. To call aloud
for the rebuilding of it, to devote ones
labor and blood to it, and invite the rest
of the nation to follow so noble an ex-
ample, is faithfully to discharge the du-
ties which are imposed upon one by the
interests, happiness, and glory OF the
country. Who called them perJured
the spirit of oppression, or the language
of hypocrisy? From all this, my Lord,
it follows that the soldiers of the army
so Justly called national, are not the enc
mics of order, nor of the laws and state !;
they are not men prosecuted for their
| crimes, nor the factors of former rebel
lion, nor men thirsting for distinctions
and honors. =
The language OF seduction they make
use of is that of reason and knowledge !;
the religion they invoke is that of your
excellency, that which they carry in their
hearts, that which they received from
their fathers; lastly, that which they do
not wish under any pretence to innovate.
The proclamations which have reached
your excellency are only the candid ex-
pressions of their sentiments. 1t is very
easy to employ sophisms when reasons
are wanting, and very common in those
who write to commit faults in criticism
and logic at the same time. We shall
make no answer to the texts of scripture
quoted by your excellency; they are en-
tirely foreign to the object on which we
are treating. There are kings of several
and distinct classes, according TO the con-
stitution of states. The King of England
has not as much power as the King OF
Prussia, and both reign equally. What
ever violence may be done to the sense
of the holy book, there is not single
passage to be found authorizing the I'M
limited power of Kings. Despotism is
an outrage OH the human species, and
the God of Justice cannot allow the vio-
lation of those laws which strike at the
preservation of good SO worthy of his
hands. We shall conclude with slight
reflection which appears applicable to
circumstances the language of peace,
of moderation, of meehness, is that which
Jesus Christ taught the pastors of souls.
Political events are foreign to their holy
profession, as the gospel itself shews it
in so many places. Its divine author
never speaks Of the government of the
Caesars. The violation of this maxim
has caused great harm to the state, and
more fatal evils still to the church. The
greater part OF the storms it has suffered,
the schisms and reforms which have d.
vided it, and the philosophical writings
which have given it such mortal blows
in the last century, have no other origin
than the spirit of persecution and intole-
rance, which its ministers have manifest
ed on SO many occasions. This is an
indisputable truth confirmed by all his
tories, and which we would not point
out to your excellency, if you had con-
fined yourself to the spiritual administra-
ton of your flocks, and the exercise of
those pacific virtues which have procured
you such high respect in the eyes OF af-
flicted and suffering humanity.
QUIROGA.