Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-07-12

equally by reason and christianity 1t is not
harder thing to surrender a fugitive slave, than
to hang an innocent man; yet, where the ques-
ton of guilt or innocence has been determined
in accordance with the prescribed forms, it is the
duty of the sheriff to execute the sentence ofthe
law. Equally is it the duty of soldier to fight
in battle, without subjecting to preliminary re-
view the judgment of his Government in declar-
ing war. Otherwise, if every individual were to
sit in judgment on the acts of his Government,
and to obey or disobey, according to his notions
OF what the law ought to be, we should be expo
sed to anarchy at home, and be undefended a.
gainst aggression from abroad"
Sir, | look upon this kind of sophistry as more
pernicious than the open advocacy of absolute
despotism. 1t amounts TO this: You n,ay COM
mil any crime, eren murder Itself, If you only
hare the myority's sanction 10 p, otect you IN it
under The forms Of lao! Sir, wish to enter
my most solemn protest against this idea of
committing our cOnsciences to the care of 9th.
ers. 1t is at variance with religion and common
sense Christianity inculcates our submission
to wrongs inflicted, but invariably forbids our in
fflctlng wrongs upon others, even should the
civil lawrcquire it. The gentleman's philosophy
reminds me of an anecdote that was told of
slave who was seen walking in the rain with his
hat under his arm. Being accosted by some one
who inquired why he did not wear his hat OIL his
head, he replied that his hat was his own, but
that his head was his masters So it is with
this class of political philosophers. Their con-
sciences-their very souls--beong to their par
ty, iftheir party be in power; otherwise TO the
party of their political opponents who happen to
be in the ascendency Underthis rule our own
Washingtons and Jacksons and Jeffersons, the
Mitchells and @ Brens of down-trodden Ireland
the Kossuths and Ujhazys of Hungary would
be stamped as counterfeits-for they only sub
nlitted to that which was right scouting the
standard thus sought to be furnished for their
conscienc9s! Sir, these are not the enlighten-
ed sentiments of Christianity. They belong to
the Heathen-the religion of the BraAmins Let
me here read short extract from their creed: =
''Whoeyer desires to be happy, must constantly
endeavor to conquer himself. and become like the
original essence. To accomplish this he must
accustom himself not to act, think, feel or de-
sire" Their directions, on this head, were sum-
med up in this precept: g Eadsaror 10 anaihi-
late MySe; for as soon as thou ceasest 10 be thy
self, thou beconest one with God, and returnest
into his being With politicians, whose ale
glance is stronger to party than to correct princi
pie, it should read thus: Thou beconest one
acith hg party, and returiseSt into It's being -
Sir, shall we become mere aauonaatons, or shall
we continue men?
/ have dwet longer than intended upon this
sentiment of the gentleman from New York,
Mr. DUER,] because, in this age Of degenera-
cy, it is prevailing error that we have license
to violate the laws of God, in public life, which
we have not in private--as if our political life
could be separated from our private, and the one
be set above the other.
Let me now, Mr.. Chairman, advert to the
Democratic creed of 1914, advocated few days
since by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr..
Ross. 1t is briefly expressed in the sentiment
that Congress has no right to do indirectly what
it has not tie power to do directly. Monstrous
doctrine! 1t reaches back into the dark ages.
1t is regular pro-slavery creed of the worst
kind--lus such sentiment as is necessary to
perpetuate slave institutions 1t operates like
this: While South Carolina hangs for stealing,
and Louisiana for a mere blow, as in the case
of the slave Pauline, Congress must not repudi-
ate nor disparage any such punishment in the
District of Columbia, according to the gentle
mans logic, because it will have a tendency to
reform the criminal jurisprudence of these two
States, and thus do indirectly what it has not
the power to do directly. In other words, we
have no right TO teach by example! So Of the
slave trade, gambling, or any other vice that may
be practiced in any of the States. 1t must not
be suppressed here: because it will have ten
dency, indirectly, to abolish the vice in the
States! This creed pre-supposes that we have
no political rights except what have been con-
ferTed by the Constitution; whereas the Consti-
tuition was formed to protect all the rights given
US by God. Seeing, then, that the General Gov
eminent under this creed cannot teach by exam
pie, and yet, as we are told, has great mission
abroad, suppose it can proceed in no other way,
except under the war power. 1t comes to this,
then, that the great EMISSION assigned to us in
the regeneration of the world, is to be fulfilled
by practicing iniquity at home and aggression
abroad! This certainly would be doing what
we have right to do, directly under The war
power, delegated to the General Government in
the Constitution of the United States" But does
its directness make it right?
TO BE CONTINUED.