Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-05-24

10 every mode OF il. People are forced to
support The government in the first in.
stance, and when il is thus sustained by
force, il exercises all its functions by force.
Love is never put into it. Cunning. as
much as you like. Intrigue, fnesse. ov-
cr-Ieaching from one end 10 The other;-
from The capture off poor thief by the con-
stable to the election ofpresiden,; through
oil the qTadalions OF trade, urt, ADD pro.
fession, as much wit, sharpness, and phys.
ical force as you will, but no klndress, no
neighbOrIy consideration, no love at all is
needed.
can hardly be required here TO enter
into any statement to show how contrary
all the processes of political government
are TO those divine principles which az a
christian community il is obvious we are
acquainted with. Reflections ofthis kind
are too readily suggested in every ones
bosom 10 render any verbal appeal requis-
tie. would however venture to put a
question as TO a point Of time. | would
ask. achen we are TO set about realizing
those sentiments which for so many CEN.
turtles we have been verbally uaering q
Since the church has thrown off its IN
worthy connection with the state, men
have been no less assduousIy praying, in
words, that Gods will may be done on
earth as il is in heaven = and tie most
orthodox do continually declare in various
ways that more holy state of existence
upon earth is to be realized. Yet with a
mental belief of this kind, and an espousaI
of doctrines TO this effect, no one actually
sets about the work which he declares is
so close to his heart. Nay, so curious are
the facts, so possible is it for the mind TO
attempt the reconciliation Of irreconcile.
nble things. that our representative legis-
lators begin their daily work with form
ofchristian prayer. Then see what kind
Of work Immediately succeedsdhis prayer;
look OF the states OF mind OF the various
parties, scan the i'll tempers which grow
up in debate, hear the unireudly words
and unknd insinuations which are con-
stanily interviewer in the proceedings, and
let US say whether this is way in which
there is any rational probability that hu-
man beings can be aided in their upward
progress.
There cannot be Two opinions on this
point. Il behoves US therefore as christ
ians, as phllaulhropisls, aye, even as self
ish beings Of any sound discrimination,
20 turn our backs upon this forcetul and
representative system. 1t is destructive OF
manhood, OF individual largeness and in
legrhy, Of love and neighborly feeling
Men cannot expand TO their fall SIZE efin.
telectua! or moral being so long as il con-
tinucs One person no & then shines out
a brilliant monstrosily, while the grealef
number must necessarily shrink into frac4
ions OF men, at whose expence the man Of
renown is manufactured. A renown too
as ephemeraI as it is worthless. How
many individuals have dissipated all their
energies, have worn away their very be-
ing +, BY coming in contact with this merci'
less milestone of politics! With how
many promiseiul young men is this now
the casef For season perhaps II is the
misGoruns of every one TO fall into this de-
fusion OF imagining that human good is TO
be served by poilical means. How deIu.
siye il is trust many are now beginning
10 see. A system based on force aud skill
cannot accomplish any really moral pur-
pose. Moral ends can only De attained
by moral means. Brute force is not
moral. Cunning is not morality. Wit
indeed may be used under the guidance oil
the moral sense but never can morals de-
scend to brute physical force: and with
out this force the fabric Of modern govern
ment falls at once to the ground.
There was a period, scarcely yet gone
by. when pedantic schoolmaslers asserted
that to keep children in order without
flogging was impossible. Yet we see
.Mrn are bu, children OF larger growth"
and are as easily 10 be kept in order BY
kindness as by force. Nay easier. for
force never secures order: it merely sup