Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-11-04
SJTNBJJRY AMERICAN AND SHAMOKIN JOURNAL


The very essence of society is subordi-
nation. II il the ruling principle of all
creation, from the planets in Heaven to
the lowest Of animate beings. The parent
Of order, Il i the primordial substance and
operative cause Of all government, . well
the Democracy ~ the Monarchy. IT. ex-
istence i necessarily implied in the forma-
ton Of law, and every interruption Of its
course produces discord and disunion. There
is an opinion abroad that subordination is
inconsistent with Liberty. It is popular
idea and is too rapidly disseminating for
its tendency is to anarchy. The mobs and
disorderly assemblies that so frequently DIS
grace every country, and are offar too fre-
quent occurrence in cur own, show plainly
the spirit of insurbordination. The disin-
clination OF the people to administer whole
some laws for the punishment Of popular
vice; is mark Of the same spirit. Gam
bling and duelling are almost as frequent as
if no penalty were attached to them. Even
the assassin is rarely convicted, and when
the sentence of the law is pronounced upon
him, morbid sympathy is excited to shield
him from punishment. And the more hei-
nous the crime the greater the sympathy.
A distempered public opinion usurps the
seat of judgement and renders statutes pow
erless by their virtual repeal-their refusal
to execute them. The remark ofan honest
and true Democrat, in our Legislative Halls,
that law against public opinion is no law,
is every day exemplifed. Men are carried
away by the very true, but too seldom un-
derstood maxim, call are free and equal"
They forget that no man is free from the
fetters of Justice and duty. 1t is not be-
meath the dignity ofa freeman to obey. 1t
is his duty to submit "while evils are
tolerable." 1t is his high duty to stand by
the law while it is law, however unjust,
for there isa proper mode of redress. Where
rulers are not looked up to with respect, no
government is stable. Where insubordina.
ton exists, no institutions are safe. That
man who censures the judge for pronoun-
cling the law of the land, and would make
the wilful felon martyr, is himself unfit
for liberty; for he lacks the all-necessary
quality of subordination. His is the spirit
that
"Crowded He'll when Seraphs flung awny subjcction."
1t is the spirit that would make our own
government mobocracy, and people il
with slaves of passion, and prejudice, in.
stead of freemen. 1tisat variance with the
divine precepts of religion, where submis.
sion is everywhere inculcated, and had it.
origin in the breast Of the Arch fend who
first breathed insubordination in Heaven.
90 THE DUTY OF VoTING.-Presiden
Wayland, in speaking of the duties Of the
freemen of this country, says:
~ think that every Christian citizen is un
der obligation to vote in every case where ;
public officer is to be chosen. The happi
ness and virtue of the community, no les
than the security of property, depends great.
on the character Of the magistracy. II an
injured in person or property by a wicked
public officer, | have right to complain o
my fellow citizens who gave him authorit,
over me, or who, when it was in their power
did not prevent his election. A Christian il
this country, above all others, has duty II
perform in this matter, and he disobeys tn
commandment in the text if he does not per
form it,"