Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-08-21

and ragged cfis, cleits OF which
many stately tree is noushed and out Of which many
flower of sweetest agrancy doth spring and keep to your
selves We despsers of past the yielding eacheous quick
sands in which nothing take root Austere principles
better than
sIn the great revolution which Immediately followed the
retirement of Governor Smith, and of which his rejection
the first wave, Connecticut abdicated her Christian standing
The ancient spirit which had shaped her institutions and link
ed her, in her corporate capacity to the throne Of the AL
mighty for almost two hundred years, then expelled and
the State ceased hencefoward WELD power as religious
trust New and alien principles obtained the ascendency and
the divine life imbreathed into the Commonwealth by its god
ly founders was no longer the controlling law The multi
pcaon of Christian undoubtedly rendered strict adj
herence to the original constitution both unwse and mposs
be but could not Justify such total departure from the old
foundations Schisms in the church necesstate
the apostacy of the State If the truth and institutions of God
exist in fragments they should be honoed Fragments and
aside rubbish But the few remaining usages Of
religious character yet retained by Government felt
DO homogeneous with the spirit OF the age barely oe
rated as iieless forms and will soon be swept away.
cit the honor of Governor Smith close worhiy the
long line Of Chief Magistrates in whom the principles of the
former represented and shed around tile days
Of the old Commonwealth the lustre it had in the times of
Haynes, and Winthrop, and Saltonstal His State papers
breathe the spirit of religious and faith he speaks
in them Christian ruler the head and organ of Chris
tan people, unfolding the dealings of Almighty Cod and
summOnhg them acts of lowy worship at his feet With
his administration the golden age of Connecticut to
end
The most striking facts of his character are sum-
med up by his biographer in passage which,
though long, offers so fine an image of the man of
better era that we cannot withhold it from our
readers
But the porraitue of Governor Smiths character will be
incomplete without giving greater pomneIce to the element
OF the Christian gentleman He was an eminent ornament
OF class of which very few survive commonly spoken of
gentlemen Of the old school, This is commonly understood
to designate lofty tone Of manners which belonged to state
society gone by, and the loss OF which little to be
regretted the obsolete fashions gnndses coats The
andeasy spirit of age eoices Units deiverance from
the uncomfortable restraints OF those plnctous times and
rdicules the antique forms of social and public life But man
ners shaped by principles. They are the expression OF
the sentiments the moral and spiritual character of
and when these debased they will stamp their meanness
the also Outward and vulgary
fruit and index of moral debasenent and the stately
and beautiful forms of life the fit embodiment of high and
honorable feelings though they may be the decorated spu
chre which hides the corruption OF deatt.
The loier of past ages grew out of their lofier
principles. The life OF felt be encompassed by
heavenly presence and umined by heavenly light Socie-
ty Divine structure and ocebtarers therein the
representatives and ministers Of God Hence reverenta
spirit, and its outward expression, respectful manner, grew
out of the faith of in the invisible symbolzed in the
visible, in the eternal symbozed in the temporal In the
father they Set forth the everlasting therhood of God
in the ruler the majesty of the great King Admiration of
the person distinct thing altogether from for
the ocebearer; the individual properties of the stone
not COMPOUNDED with the powers given by its place in the
arch.
The effect the of society of thus recognising
God 2le-htS 0rdtndnceS-was strong and wholesome.
Power a sacred trust be accounted for him for
whom it was held and this, while ii gave elevation to the
character and oness to the aims, laid strong bonds upon
pde and tempered authority with genteness and mercy
And the other hand, submission and
dgned because they rendered God-to God repre-
scented manor there nothing slavsh honorng him.
There is profound truth hid under Burkes paradox, where
he speaks OF the proud submission and dgned obedience
Of the days of chivay. No other principle take from
authority its arrogance and free respecuness from sevy
The increasing debasemen of springs from the
decay of reverence, and this again. from losing sight of the
Divine element in the structure of society, and degrading it
into mere earthly mechanism No revere his
workmanship and il should excite surprise that the
child behaves himself proudly against the ancient and the
base against the honorable since the magstracy long
regarded the ministers of Jehovah, but the delegates
and tools of the popuace No wonder that through all the
spheres of life this change should be that all Intercourse
should contract defement that the ancient majesty should
be disappearing from the bench and from the chain If
for link after link is severng of that celestial chan which
encompassea the earth, and lifted within the outskirts
OF the glory Of the eternal throne.
"The OF Governor Smith formed under the
control of other principles and in another atmosphere He
trained from childhood to and TO obey life inthe
forms in which it developed around him, full of
credness and thus the groundwork laid of that gentle
manly character that union Of courtesy and suavty with
pncely bearing, for which he emnenty Distinguish
ed None who enjoyed the privilege of his acquant
forget the charm of his department. the self posses
sion and dignity which the presence of monarch could not
have shaken joined kindness and aabiiy thai put the
humbest at his ease.
"Nor must omit to speak Of his position in society after his
retirement from office, which realizing Of the ideal Of
country gentleman, and illustration of the strong and
heathfu influence which rank and wealth. and the accom-
pishmens Of learning and manners, joined ties
may upon people Elevated above all around him by
the official honors he had nobly possessed Of an
ample estate which enabled him live in the style digni-
fed simplicity suited to bis station, and which the fit de-
coraton and instrument of his majestic character stand
ing among his ownsmen not homo, but the
scion Of honored stock that for than half century,
had struck Its roots deep in their SOIL and thus invested with
strong hereditary claims upon their affections, he entered on
the last great period Of his life of the Of pG-o ecog-
missed guide and leader Of men, And seldom such gifts
and instruments of usefulness turned npbIer account He
was fountain OF purifying and ennobing influences. All
loved and evered him and well II for when they can
lind worthy objects TO love and Vice stood ahahed
and nsoence rebuked in his presence the Of
and OF morals elevated by his example and his gener-
and pubcsprted disposition made aim prominent in
every useful and mercu work He might almost appropriate
the beautiful picture drawn by the Eastern patriarch him
self while " the Almighty yet with him" "When
went out to the gate through the city, when prepared my
rest in the street, the young and hid themselves
and the aged and stood up When the ear heard me-
then blessed me and when the eye me, gave wit
Because delivered the poor that cried and the
iaherless and him that had none TO help him. put on
righteousness and clothed my judgment was as robe
/ and dadem.'
"In this aso he was one Of the last survivors Of once
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