Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-07-28

ilB III queSt Vi llUtIty dnu OIueI. NOW ue-
mocracy is the government of all, for all, and
by all. This is what is called democracy.
| am not speaking Of partizan democracy,
which one party claims, and the other party
repudiates, but as celestial democracy a, dis
tlnguished from satanic. speak not of sa-
tanic democracy as that which is claimed by
any party. Both parties have much of it.
To be a democracy, a government must be
based upon the laws of eternal justice
There are human statutes and human instl-
t%utions, but before all these and above all
these are human duties and human rights
Rights and duties are the immediate work Of
God, provided for, not in the constitution of
the nation, but in the constitution Of the uni
verse. There are inalienable rights, inalien-
able duties-duties that cannot be got rid Of,
rights that | cannot be deprived OF. No
thing can repeal, nothing can invalidate, no.
thing suspend these rights, because they are
provided for in the constitution of the uni
verse, in virtue of which | am not merely an
American, but a man. The statutes and in
situations of a nation are valuable, Just 81 far
as they correspond to natural duties and ma
tural rights. Just so far as they interfere
with natural duties and natural rights, are
these statutes and institutions false and de-
serving of no allegiance. Just so far are
they TO be put down, peaceably if we can,
forcibly if we must. | know men claim d.
vine right for the powers that be. Paul
claimed this, though the power was Nero
This claim is often made for the authority of
kings and the authority of republics. But in
both cases in opposition TO the interests of
mankind. The laws of God declare that
Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a
r~eproach 10 any people. Now righteousness
is conformity to rights and duties, to the laws
of God. If a statute be written in the con-
s~titution of the universe, in the laws of ma
ture, then it is a mans duty TO keep it, a ma
TONS duty TO keep ii, because it is an eter-
nal right, an eternal duty. But if it is not
written in the constitution of the universe,
and men record it in the statute book, then
| must tread that statute book under foot, be-
cause no human Legislation can ever make
wrong right, or right wrong, or what is in
different right or wrong.
All injustice is unconstitutional, if tried by
the Constitution of the Universe. Now
there may be a monarchy or an aristocracy
without political righteousness, but a true
democracy, a government of all, for all, ant
by all, that is only possible on condition o
perfect Justice, shown to everybody by ever
body. And the reason is, justice is what tn
philosophers call a mean proportional betwee
one man and all men-the point common be
tween man and all the inhabitants of tn
world. Christianity is perfect goodness an
perfect piety, and the natural religion.
may exist in a thousand forms, and is caps
BILE of development 10 a degree that nobod
dreams of at this day. Democracy is tn
natural politics of mankind. Ii may exist
a thousand forms, and is capable of deve
lopement to a degree that nobody dreams G
at this day. Christianity is the democrat
of religion and democracy is the Christianit
of government. Still mankind were lon
getting to Christianity, passing through fet
shism, polytheism, heathenism and Judaism
and as now men very imperfectly compr'
bend its idea, so it is with democracy. A
nations are not capable of it at this momen
The foremost are helped forward by tasl
masters, ~despotims, monarchies, aristocracie
and the like. And as all forms of religio
point toward Christianity, as the perfect n
ligion, religion in itself, so all forms Of q,
vernment that have ever been, point toward
this natural and celestial democracy as ii
perfection of government, and governmel
itself.
There is an actual Christianity. That
the Christianity taught in the churches
Boston, lived out in the houses and stree
of Boston. There is a historical Christian
ty. That is the Christianity which WI
lived out fifty, one hundred or two hundre
years ago. Above both there is an ide
, Christianity, which is not lived out nov
/, which was not lived out fifty, one hundre
t or two hundred years ago, but which Is
|, be lived out. Just so there is an actual d
, mocracy presented by the degree of freedo
f that is born to-day. There is a histories
t democracy represented by the amount of fire.
: dom in past times. Above both, superior
: both, there is an ideal democracy, TOWARD
which we are to tend. Now the problem
n the American church at this day is 10 iran
late that ideal Christianity into an actual ia
to organize il into churches of perfect goo,
ness and perfect piety. The problem of Il
American State is to translate this ideal d
mocracy into actual democracy and to orga
a ize it into a state where there shall be perie
3 justice and perfect right.
Now the most important step ever TAXI
e in the 10 Iress of mankind is represented
v the introduction of Christianity. For Chrl
t tianity was the declaration Of the true i'd
of God, the true idea of man, and the TIT
y relation that exists between God and ma
That was the first step. The next gre
step is represented by the Protestant Refo
nation. That was a step towards the real
cation of the idea of Christianity in a FRI
, church without bishop, or a hierarchy, b.
n a church of the people. The next great ste
. was the American Revolution-the Declal
ton of Independence step towards reall
ing Christianity in a free Stale, without
I king, without an aristocracy, a state of Il
people. In the Declaration of Independent
there are three absolute ideas set forth.
. First, each man has certain natural in
Y lienable rights. Second, in respect to the'
t rights all men are exactly equal. And ihir
the design of government is to protect a
these inalienable rights for every man, woma
and child. This is the American platfof