Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1850-07-24
geni'ure and laws of honor, was congenial-

The N orlh from natural causes, pours it,
population into the South. If our Unor
lasts (and God grant i. may in,ercommun
cation, accelerated as now by steam ant
lightning, in addition TO the ''immunities'
Of our Constitution, there must, in time, re-
suit from the action and reaction of the
elements on each other, a civilization a:
goodly, as is our domain vast and unrivalled
There is sublimitv in the warning Of the
N Nnrthern and Southern elements as they
now conflict.
Of The three terms, Manners, Law Of Ho
nor, and Chivalry, select the term, Law o
Honor, as best adapted TO designate what
have now TO say about the primary law in
the civilized code Of the South. Puritan
Religion will, for present purposes, well de-
sIgnate the primary law of The North.
Sir, the North are disposed TO prescribe
limits and restrictions to the peculiar insti-
tuition Of the South. TO which we are not dis
posed to agree. And the question is how
shall their aggressions be met? shall sug-
ges, remedy. and propose TO deduce this
one only remedy, and the motives for sp-
plying il, from the philosophy of society.
Puritan religion stands foremost-is the
first and great commandment in The code of
Northern civilization. Honor is with them
"a trim reck oning'
Puritanism itself is, to some extent al least,
fanaticism. 1t is, as its name imports. su,
.perlalive purity, at leas, in its own es,ima-
lion. ii was in its infancy, so pure thai
i, asked the mother who held il in her bo-
som TO purify herself And because the
Church of England would not consen, TO be-
come as pure as Puritsnism required her to
be, because she would not consent to un-
church herself, away fled Pur,anism to
Holland. Thence went she TO the rock of
Plymouth, TO ENJOY religious and civil lib
erty and has met with no hindrance bu,
such as she has panquished, TO this hour
Political phases do indeed attend the dis
ease, as il is presented for The consideration
of the South. But these are only Incidents
The disease is fanstical purilanical religion,
and nothing else. "A mere instance in which
"morial man. essays to ''be more just than
God,-a man 10 be more pure than his ma
Kerr
Puritan religion established itself at an
early day, as the primary law in New England
civilization. il stands frs, and is precedent
to every thing else, to this day. From pre-
scripsive usage, it rides trumphanlly over
every other matter. II is the privileged
question, and like the question of adj journ
ment in the House of Congress, is always
in order. 1t takes precedence of every 9th
er question, and hence it is .ha, we must
now consider it.
II is IN the particular Of prescriptive pre-
cedency, in puritanical fanalcal religion,
and in no other fact whatever, that il pre-
senls itself in its present formidable array.
|. is no more TO The solid massive strength
of the North, "than to Hercules" 1t is
religious, and therefore from IInmemorial
usage is precedent The solid mass of the
common sense of the North lies under it.
This common sense was overpowered al
first, and has remained quiet in It's place to
this hour, and there will it remain, in obe-
dience to the law Of ha bit, and in obedience
to its own gravity, until some means other
than have hitherto been employed, are re-
sorted TO, to rouse it into action, and COM
pei il to assert its supremacy.
Sir, adopt the philosophy of fanaticism
which is indicated by yourself. 1t always
arises out of tba. class of minds, where the
passions are greater than the reason. !
shall denote all other mind by the term COM
mon sense.
!, is not difficult to perceive how, under
the known circumstances, the religion of
the Puritans came 10 establish itself as the
primary law Of the civilization of the New
England States. How it continues to hold
ascendency under the vast increase of COM
mon sense mind, might seem to require
some explanation. The Puritans came to
Plymouth for no such purpose as 10 eat and
drink and live like other men. These things
they did, But they were only incidental
to their primary purpose, which was to free
themselves from The political aud religious
,rammels which enhrolled the inhabitants
Of the old world and to try if religion,
freed from all control, would not take ef-
feet on the minds of men to degree COM
mensurate 10 their ideal standard. In pur-
suance to their plan, they took religious
power out of the hands of the clergy, and
divided il up among the laity, TO the ladies
and gentlemen, ''share and share alike"
The distinction between fana,ical and
common sense mind obtained then as now.
But lanalical mind prescribed the law
Common sense perceived exaggeralion and
excess in its doings, and it could not 60
all lengths with what was in vogue. 1t
bad no redress-so shut its mouth.
Pursuits apar. from being ex.ravagan,ly
invited its attention. And i. was
permitted in submissive and covert way,
to engage in the acquisition of wealth and
other worldly pursuits, but only as it paid
cour, to the primary law, and ackuow
lodged religion as the 'one thing needful.'