Litchfield enquirer., 1847-04-22


 A1tTaef from Gn Essay On The MORAL
 POWER OF POSITION" delivered at
 New Milford on the 18th Feb. by a Ci,izen
 OfWatertOwn.
 "oUR NATIONAL POSITION! and what shall We say Silence may be the better wisdom, frSInce MT. Polk has spoken, at length, and by tauthoEity' and seems to be supported in his 7tvIews by the overwhelming majority of the { people of the land He sets for:h in dazzling celOrS the "unexampled and still Gugmenling greatness and glory of our national position ! extending our territory-incTeasing in prospe- rity, virtue , and happiness; exciting the envy and tcOnder! of the world; and by an approv- ing and watchful Providence, preserved from any serious and affective calamtty'! Can our moral position be other than right; and calculated to exert benign influence over the kingdoms of the earth
 There may be some present who are not dis ciples of James K. Polk, and who will allow me the privilege of an opinion. After the Revolution which secured our Independence Ahe people generally adopted the principle of gain-practically to repair the losses occasion- ed by the war. Ifnow the leading trait. the marked feature of our political character is not grasping 0uarice, who " i'll venture to deny, that to get what we can, and hold what we get, is the prevailing practice! not always sticking at the means. To be GREAT, rather than good. may be read upon the National D,~ L. IL .Al. L: Ll l.- .:. :. stead of the Dove with the Olive Branch of Peace.
 And what is the MORAL POWER of this posi-. tion Taught by the nations motto. "get and keep" what can the Patriot and Philanthropist behold what can the Christian feeln Rights, rights rights is echoed on every breeze. But see. from centre to circumference the powerful prevail against the defenceless, the strong a. gainst the week, the crafty and designing ever- reaching the honest and unsuspecting-the prosperous and wealthy looking with cold in- difference and even with contcmptuous airs upon the poor and afficted-public officials (and shall say it) in Church and State regard ing self aggrandizement more than Justice, mercy and truth and as the mountain eagle is sometimes seen perched close by the innocent, bleeding lamb, so we see the splendid palace, with it's overtowerlng wealth and pride, next door to the frail cottage Of suffering innocence and want. The brsting bayonets surround the sanctuary of unresstng virtue and peace, -the moral and physical and political power of almost the entire compact pledged and exer.
 
 ted to bind in galliag chains and extort the bloody sweat from al whom the god of gain can force to bow their necks in slavish subjec- tion 10 the heal of the oPpressor!
 And see now: the Treasury emptied out, the heard earned money of the sons of the pill grms to compel sister Republic to adopt the same principles as ours. Then to crown the whole, when the Evangelical Alliance meets in the British Metropolis. sixty of the choicest Divines our country could send, combine their talent and piety to throw a shield over those who carry out the principle of gain 10 the greatest perfection iii the downright robbery of 100000. or one sixth of the nation, includ- ing 2)0, ,00o of their BRETHREN IN THE LORD! And is this the END of this Position? We'll SSA"iSo'S i' Pi"PhS'IS claim :-" tremb!e for my country when ] remember that God is just, and tha, his justice cannot sleep forever"!!
 We may spend twenty millions of dollars year to carry on government for the exclusive benefit of the goveanors-level Gods mighty Jorests-dg up the bowels of the earth-rear splendid cities, thick set with heaven pointing spires and turret ,-ransack the zones to in- crease our gains; but if our freemen, in their solemn VOTE declare, "These be thy Gods, Israeli" and forget high heavehs command, Do justice, love mercy. and walk humbly with thy God" eur boasting pride will be the precursor of dreadful fall "Ichabod" may yet be written. inscribed in9s'ibly, on our no. blcst palace walls!!