The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1828-10-23
rsm che ChrssstaH Spectator.
INFLUENCE OF RELIGION ON GOVERN.
MENT.


way into the National Legislature. The
trainers of our laws go from our bosom, &
are proper representative of the religious
sensibilities ofthe community. 1t is this
fact which gives such vast importance to
what We have now to suggest on the salu-
tary influence of Christianity upon our
laws.
The first thing on this sub ject which has
influenced the minds of ancient and mod
ern Legislators, has been the fact that hu-
man laws cannot be SO framed as to bind
the conscience. For their support they
must appeal either to the arm of physical
power, or to the suggestions of Interest -
we mean that the legislator has appropri-
atel y only these two sources OF efficiency,
to produce obedience to his mandates
The mighty power of the human COLI
science is an engine which it is not reserv-
ed for the human legislator TO WELD. Con-
science is originated by religion; it always
acts in connexion with religion. Hence
unless the magistrate can enlist its aid as all
important, independent principle-brought
in by juxtaposion, and not amalgamation
Ito sustain his system, it must always be
an important principle in opposition to
him. The aid of the powers Of conscience
the Greek and Roman legislators endeav-
ored successfully to secure by taking the
popular religion under their own controul,
and legislsting on the proper number of
national gods, and their character and
counsels, and the appropriate rites oftheir
worship. The want of such controul pro-
duced the rupture between the Puritans
aud the government of Great Britain-be-
tween The HugenotS and the government
of France. But while the pagan religions
could thus be taken under the care Of the
magistrate, and the public conscience be
thus shaped at pleasure, it is evident that
Christianity is made up. of far more I'M
mouldable materials. The conscience of
a Christian community, can never be d.
rected by an9arm of power. That con-
science must first be corrupted-and then
the whole aid to be derived from the laws
would be destroyed ;-or the public enact
ments must coincide with the precepts of
the true religion, and then it will become
an important auxiliary to the officers ofthe
state. The importance of Christian y to-
our laws is therefore apparent. 1t is the
very life-bleod of the whole system. Take
away the sense of religion in our commu-
nifty, and the legislator must be merely az
man of straw. His acts without the dec-
sion of a christian conscience, will impose
no binding obligation. There would be no
power left to execute the laws. The con-
stitutiOn would become !ifeless body,
without a soul. Destitute as we are and
always must be while our liberties are safe,
of armed men to convince the people, there
is no power in the community for execu-
ting the laws, except that found in the de-
cisions of enlightened mind. A healthful
mode of public feeling, therefore, mode
most easily secured by wide diffusion of
Christianity, is essential to the very form
and essence of good order in the United
States. Despots may co.er the mass of
physical existence beneath their sceptres,
by the application Of physical force; but
no power can suhdue the moral mass of
being in the U. States, but well ground
ed belief that the government is admins
tered in accordance with the will of the God
of the bible.
That laws cannot be executed in this
country without correct moral sense, is
becoming every day more apparent even
to legislators. Hence one after another
of our statutes, already become obsolete by
the great moral changes in the community,
is stricken from the codes of law; and the
form of the statute removed, as the vitali-
ty had long since been extinct. The re-
moval of such forms Of precepts, becomes
like the taking away offences and bushes,
where they had fastened themselves, of the
empty she'll Of the chrysalis, when the vital
principle had long since departed. So have
passed away many of the early statutes of
: New England. 1t has also been for some
time observed that the statutes on the sub
ject of the Christian Sabbath have been
approximating to nullity. The removal
of them therefore from the statute book,
unless there is soon a healthful moral
change, will be but removing a useless in
cumberance, and a regular following in the
wake Of public opinion. The statutes a.
gainst duelling, in most of the states, stand
also with like destitution of vitality; and
unless more efficient publick sentiment
can be formed, may soon be removed as a
palsied limb, from the body of efficient