The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1844-07-25

| ana all is gone. GU can ma no SliDSti-
tute; honor is cobweb, and patriotism
an empty name, in the hour of trial. Ad-
init that there are instances, in which
men destitute ofprinciple have acted with
integrity in public stations; can you tell
me how many thousands have betrayed
their trusts for want of it, There are
exempt cases-the persons did 'nh hap
pen to be tempted. But do you desire
no better pledge of rectltude than the
mere absence of temptation.
Will you confde in thieves and swim
dlers to legislate, because two in a thou
sand, though utterly unprincipled, may
have found it for their interest not to
cheat you' 1t is in trying emergencies,
when the price of perfdy is high, and
temptation imperious, that unprincpIed
men are weighed in the balance and
found wanting. And will you appoint
towards and traitors to command your
armies, because they might answer in
lime ofpeace' Why does this lingering
confidence in the duellst still survive the
extinction Of moral principle? One crime
of equal magnitude in any other case
would decide his fate forever.
Peculiar Education no Erruse.
But alas! the duellst, frail man, is
overcome by temptation, III has pecu-
liar senslblities, peculiar habits of edu-
cation, and modes of thinking, which, in
this one raSc, led him astray without infer
ring at all general deficiency of prin-
ciple, religious or moral In plain Ian
guage, because the dueIist is educated
a duellist, the crime of wil'ul murder in
him is very small, and is consistent with
religious and moral principle. If men,
them are only educated to thieving as
sassination and rnbbery-if, BY habit and
false reasoning, they are so iamiliarlzed
to crime as to rob and steal, and destroy
life, without much consciousness guilt,
.hen, indeed, they are very honest men,
and are fit to superintend the affairs OF
the nation!
Pomicious example Of Dmling Lcgisla-
tors.
To pass over the crimes of the deepest
dye, may even say, this rewarding them
with the profits and honors of the state,
confounds in the public mind the distinc-
tons between virtue and vice, and weak
ems that adherence of crime, which is
the guardian of pubic morality. Ele-
vatc swndlers to Office, and who shall
guarantee the integrity of the common
people' Elevate adulterers, and WIZ
shall punish inconIincnce' Elevate muir
derers, and who will be the avengers OF
blood.
Nor is it impractibe thus to exhibit the
subject Ministers Of dltferen. denomina
tons, all united would be able to effect il
perfectly. Let each, in his appointed
sphere, make due exerlion to enighen his
flock, and the fire Of indign alton woul
soon begin to blaze through the nation
And If besides such exerlIon, further effort.
should he needf,h, the newspaper, the mag
azne, and tract may be enlisted auyilaries
Nor can any one reasonably object Il
such conduct on the part of ministers; MOI
will any one probably attempt it, who doe.
not, for himself or some favorite, fear the
consequence. Our obligations are mos
soIem. to lift up our voice, and to pu
forth our exertlons against sin, Our Coo
calls us from heaven-lhe damned call t.
us from helI-the blood of murdered vic
Tins from The ground lifts up its voic,
and mngIes with he cry oflhe widow ant
the alheress-lhe example OF our Saviour
%! the prophets. Of the apostles, forbid III
to be silent or inactive.
Objections anSWered.
But, it will be said especially in cases u
contested election, if you refuse to vote To-
this man because he is a dneIISl, his op
ponent, a worse man will come in.
A worse man cannot come in. The du
elllst is a MURDERER and is man
difference from you in political opinion
more criminal than murder! And vii
you vote for a murderer despol, proud
naughty, and revengeinI, to keep ont an
other man, perh,ps equally qualified and %
fair fame, merely because he thinks no
in pnlilcs exactly as you do! To what vii
such bigotry lead!
= There will soon be no crime too gross I,
he overlooked by party men; and no Grim
NAL too loa,hsome and desperate to hoa
into office on the tide of party. Wbel
. the violence of competitor rises so high il
! our country as To tread down the laws Il
God ,disregardng entirely the laws ofG"d
disregarding entirely The moral characte
of candidates for office, such a people arr
too wicked to be free, and God will ours
them, by leaving them to eat of the fruit Il
their way.
But suppose the opponent Of the duelis'
beside his political heresy, To be ii bad maj
also guilty Of the same crime. If do no
vote for the man on my side IN politics
will not this be heI ping his antagonist, AN
will not this be as bad as il voted directly
: No. Your are accountable for your owl
u conduc, only. If other people put into oI
: flee bad men whom you could not kee
= out by voting for one equally bad for thei
= conduct your are not accountable.
1t is certainly different thing whethe
n a vile man come iniopower by your agency
: or in spite oft. But suppose the duelIis'
f in ali rpsDects eyCeDtinp the crime is