Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-01-25
To The Editors Of he Enquirer.
10 1919
NEW fnEkl JAN. To- I~f'
ORIGIN OF RErCBLICaNISM or THE iSSIi
.rIrYc., INF


ORIGIN OF RErCBLICANlsM. or THE IHSTi-
TUTE5 OF MOSES.
Professor Wl.Es of New JERSEY, who bas in
flrmrr years exclled great in;eiesl hrre ny E'
learned and e!cGncn, Lectures has again, 4! The
invitation of sotIc e our most lcSpecc CITIZENS,
eminent uris's and divincs, consented 70 deliver
a course Of twelve Lectures on "Ihe Hebrew
Commonwealth"
The FIST. On Monday evening, was attended
by very crowded AMI Intelligent audicnce. A.
ter alung to his deep feeling %! responsibility,
from the distinguished character Of hose who
had invited him. ard from he 'nrotanon AID
cranGen. If he eutj Ct, BE sad ~ cary h's'rfy
or al he nations OF an'iqn;!y, save oic, WAS IN
VOWED in inexpiicabc doubt and ooscuTiy;;. Ac-
counts If their laws, politics, science, religion,
md whatever was calculated 10 exci'c and r.
ward liberal curiosity, were as UNCERTAIN as
the RESPONSES Of The Syhilliac iea"cs.
How cheering 10 the mind in pursuit OF truth
in The midst OF this chaos, to fad one history
simple and concise ha, carries him back 10 Inc or
Gin o, the world, and TO The FIRST human paih MS
treasure we have in The writings o! Moses Ia
wadioe through The volumes o; ancen; history
if we iurn 10 The Bible, The mind is refreshed and
eiaddened like that OF the traveller who hnds
resting place on some beautiful OASIS IN VIE
ard irackess desert. And we are ready io OK
claim, "tiOW GOOUiy dit leu'S, "
An INQUIRY into the Hebrew laws and instiu
lions would not only show them 10 be immeasur
ably superior 10 the political institutions OF al
o,her ancient, ra,ions, but show, also that ainol,s
the mos, enl;ph,enod modern nations, civil ans
crimioal Jurisprudence remains much tho same
as a, The lime Of Moses. 10 him is owing The
first idea of republican government. Civil iIbrT
~ was unl;noWn ill the ime OF Moses, VINO, liht
orr own Washington, refused al The honors o.
ROYALTY and jo,tuiiy sacrificed al! personal con-
sideralions Tor the public good.
Every reason tat would urge To The s'udy a
Greek or Roman law, would far more strongly
uree 10 The study OF The Hebrew poll'y and laws
The latter constitute the rich fountain from which
all modern nations have drawn lhelr iceas 0! y"
puar government
As mercan Republicans, he said. as friend:
ofn,nn,ar liberty, we should 10 ieminded at every
~ ~ Z, Tho sm;iarv Of Tie IT blew Institutions !.
,hnse which The strong head and heart OF ouT
D,,-;,o,s haze eircr TONS We should see The pro
Kim If eoysInmenl .ouD1ei OF general consent
no, on arbitrary powef-a government o. laws
NV, n men solved BIZ Moses in IN age OF barbar
len, ard cease TO smile a, those pilgrims VINO pro
noSsJ IN Govern their Stale Tor while by the bic
brew code. Under this code, life, liberty ant
nroperly were inlringed only by proves "l I'd"
This feature marks lis khdfcd lo our own an" SCI
| /, widely arar. from all o.hef ancient govern
mepls. The tire, origin and elements q on
own Tree institutions are not TO be sought d
Greece and Rome, tu in The oracles OF Cod
| The solemn drclara!i'n, ISSUED at the America
Congress o, Philadelphia, which, like The "haho
writing on the wal" has troubled lhe lnonsois
many lyraar, was 5ui an echo from me ua'
| thuoders OF Sinai. =, ;,
tnsnira,ion apar,, MosGs possessed all ihos
lin Qualities and erhowyncntS necessary 10 Tor
an eminent statesmen and leader. lie "es aliR
DOM, ja a pronp'ness and energy in az
tion' rarioii<m, elnqusuee, low: Of ruth los
i OF virn', and fieedom from selfish amh'iioa,
| His extraordinary intellect was shown IN n