Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-12-19
GEN. cASs' LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 0, 1850.


nent, and if not averted BY wise councils ant
patriotic conduct that it will separate this con-
federacy into how many fragments God only
knows, as he alone knows the extent OF the
calamities, which are sure TO overtake them
Strange doctrines are abroad, and strange rem
edies are proposed for existing evils.
Sectional feelings have been excited, and
with an asperity heretofore unknown, even In
this land of political agitation A dissolution
of the Union, and higher law than the Con-
sttution, of whose extent and obligations ev-
cry man is to Judge for himself, are gravely
held out TO the American People, as offering
the only means of escape for our country. not
from misfortune, political or material, but from a
state of prosperity, without parallel IN the his
torv Of nations. A dissolution of the Union, or a
! Union which would leave every Individual at
full liberty to reject his constitutional duties
and with them all constitutional restraints. 1t
was to be hoped that the compromise measures,
adopted at the last session of congress, just and
equitable under the circumstances, would have
been received with favor, and would have res
tored harmony and tranquility to the country
! believe such would have been the result, if
not Immediately, certainly ere long, had not
disposition manifested itselfin some of the nom
slave-holding states to keep alive the agitation,
by violent assaults upon the south and its in
situations, and by an avowed determination to
resist the provision of the constitution, for the
restoration of fugitive slaves while justifying
this course by one of the most absurd and mis-
chievons doctrines that ever led captive the hu-
man imagination, the right of every man 10
measure his constitutional and legal duties by
any standard he chooses to adopt, and 10 obey
or disobey them at his own pleasure, calling
/ 81, l,e nj, ,hae ,,l
ject as we may, it comes TO this at last, and it
gives the right 10 resist government TO all, and
there are many such, who believe, that all gov
ernments are illegal, which are not administered
by those protesting particular faith; it gives
the right to oppose their country in war TO all
those who look upon war as unscriptural; the
! right TO withstand taxation, where the appl-
cation of the taxes is in conflict with some
notions of our own; the right in fact to do or
leave undone every act, public or private, which
men are prompted by the widest passions to
commit or neglect, under the preteXt, that ev-
cry man has right to 90 TO the scriptures, and
eXpound them In his own way, and TO submit
| 10 the laws ouly when he chooses 10 say the
laws are in conformity with his views of the
word of God. Why, human society could not
exist day in the face of such pretenslon.-
The honest enthusiast would find iany of these
collisions, and the dishonest hypocrite would
seek many more, and each is equally beyond
the reach of correction, because the dictates of
mans conscience can only be known TO him
self and To his God. The doctrine ably laid
down BY Judge McLanc upon this subject is the
| true one; that no human law has the right to
regulate the duties between man and his crea-
tor; but that when we come TO our relative du-
ties in civil society between ourselves and 9TH
ers, then the law of the country must direct our
course, and its judicial tribunals must decide
upon it. Certainly if a conscientious per-
son entertains the firm conviction that he Is re-
CURED by the law of man TO do what he is pro-
hibiied by the law of God from doing, he has a
right to be a MARTYR; TO suffer peacably, rath-
'er than 10 act unconstltutlonally, and he has
| also right, if 4 majority coincide with HIM In
opinion, and believe the degree of oppression
sufficient to Justify resolution 10 overturn the
government, and to establish another. This is
an inalenable right, and lis exercise must de-
pend upon public opinion. But no man can
live in government and out of government
at the same time No man can claim
immunity and the protection of the laws,
while he himself is resisting such of them
| as he pleaseS. And 1t Is among the
worst signs of the times, that this anii-republi-
clared will'of a majority, expressed through
their constitutional organs, is announced and
defended in the pulpit, by ministers Of religion,
who forget alike the precepts of the gospel and
the example Of the Savior, and in the house of
God, call upon their auditors 10 rise up and for
chilly resist the laws OF their country. / saw a
good deal of this spirit almost forty years since,
denounclng the war in which we were then en-
| It., IL, A.
my, while that enemy was harassing our coasts
and burning our towns ard cities. That same
higher lar was appealed to, and the anaihama,
cursed be he Dho putteth on his drnaor for Jdttie
to protect his country, was pronounced with as
much apparent sanctlty, if it were an invo-
cation for the divine blessing in period of dan
ger. Onr clergymen have a solemn duty 10
fulfil. To preach the gospel of the meek and
lowly jesus. They equally mistake their mis-
sion and their influence, when they enter into
the strife OF politics and especially when they
denounce the laws, and recommend resistance
10 them. This is neither the age nor the conn
try tor a successful attempt 10 renew that ecce-
sastical tyranny in any form, which has left
SO many monuments of It's power and despotlsu
} upon the history of the world. And disguise
II as we may, once let ii be generally conceded
that the sacred desk is the place where the po-
litcal questions of the time NAV be discussed
in the house of God, and upon his holy day
and the obligations of each law, enforced OF
Denied as it meets the views of the preacher
we shall have introduced a new element of pow
er into our political system, whose consequen-
ces may be shadowed out by the past expert
ence OF mankind, but whose faith and tormda-
bic effects, are beyond the reach of human Sd
gacity. Such efforts TO direct the conduct OF
men in their political affairs is sure to create
reaction, and is calculated 10 do more injury tc
the cause of true religion, than the writings o
) Voltaire and Hume, and of all the other iniide
} authors, whose shafts against christianity have
served but 10 exhibit their own weakness and
malice No, the trial of these questions is moi
for the pulpit, but for the people, through the
tribunals they have established, and for thel
own action by the'balot-box, in all these cases
where the direct action is called for by the con
stltutlon.
And now, fellow citizens, the path of duty
and of patriotism is open before us. The
south is not assailng the north No northern
man pretends, that he suffers or fears any
thing from southern aggression. Nor art
northern institutions vllifed in the south ant
| an eternal warfare kept up there against othel
sections of the Union. And can we say a:
nuch for ourselves! The asperity of Ian
Qua re and of feeling, with which every topit
conuectcI with slavery is treated, has produced
lis natural, elect, both in the quarter where !
is exhibited and IN that, against which it is di
rec,ed. by inAaning the one and exciting th'
other, SO that it will require years OF wisdom
: and moderation, before the restoration OF tina
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