Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-07-19
Political Ethics.

On Tuesday, 18th inst, Rufus Choate delivered an
grafton at Cambridge, the occasion being the anniver
sary of the Story Association, society composed of
the graduates Of the Law School connected with Har-
ward University. Mr. Choate was invited to deliver an
GRAFTON this occasion, and he complied with the in
vation. Good demanded that this Grafton should
not be partzan-political grafton, but Mr.. Choate
indifferent 10 what of the world term proprety and
careless of the particular feelings which might prevail
in promscuous, social reunion, preached from the 20
tisal textbook of Machavel, most eloquent sermon
upon "National Legislation and reproduced in Pro-
testant form, the dogmatisms of the Jesuits.
With most convenient blindness, this Grip Van
Winke' of orators forgot all about the Puritans and
the eformation-Faneu Hall and the Declaration of
Independence and presented his auditors with dsqui.
son political ethics of which James the First might
have been the author il we except the rhetoric.
Mr. Choate is ''Nationa Union man, par excel
lence; his conscience is admirably disciplined con-
science is obedent and ductie and all his views
teno towards a uutionchi', s-s~~Aisa4a. NJ Choate
was therefore particularly censorous towards the party
asserting the independence of conscience and the SUI
premacy of the law of God. Such party is fanatical
IN his view, and presumptuous and extravaganza being
dlsobedent of authority incapable Of comprehendng the
philosophy of the Union, and blind to the fact 'stha
patriotism, or submission to the sayehodng oigarchy
is the highest attanabe degree of philanthropy MIR.
Choates logic wold have been accepted with unctior
at Whitehall in 1908; t was with the same dogma
tisms, and similar syogstns, that the royal pedanti
'yrant insuted the Puritans re sneered at their
sciences Mr.. Choae those of their republi
descendants Of to-day; he comm ded conformity
religious faith, and refused grant any dspensaton
Of privilege those who possessed extravagant sensi
biity Of conscience' and his reasons for this were
not that he had found the true path to heaven, ant
wished to carry his people thitherward, but because
"Purltanism and Pfesbyery tended to liberty, and
Incompatible with kingly authority Mr. Choate hold
views entirely concdent with those Of this royal 20
emc; he denies to the individual the independence o
his conscience, because such independence is dangerou
to national crimes is subversve of caucus-dctaon, anc
is altogether incompatible with that catholic, philan
thropical patriotic institution, called slavery.
1t is very edying, however, to observe how far Mr.
Choae's anxiety for uniformity of opinion sometime
hurrIes him out ofhs present poson and shows the
dency Of his better instincts He says instance tha
the Union must be shown to be lovely heavenly and just
"a sentiment which cordially reciprocate and which
we wish every American to realize, from William
Graft, the Spartacus of Georgia, to Daniel Webster
the Alcibades of New Hampshire. He however, soor
retires again into the morality Of the middle ages anc
terates once more the philosophy of Jesusm. eThs
tiCathoic ethics Of the day be met by the re-
vival and reiteraon of sounder political ethcs'' he
says which in plain English MEANS man shall not be
governed in his individual by reason and the Law
Of God as interpreted by enlightened conscience, bu
shall sacrifice all hsndivdual principles and sentiments
10 the genius Of dictatoral conformity. Mr.. Choat,
designates conscience in politics, as new soca
heresy; and further says, that
Reason, history, politics, and the study ofife, vii
furnish arguments against these social heresies-
From them it will easily be shown, that the ethics O
agitation do nothing in preparing for the active du
ties of life. Ii must be shown that such ethics confic
with our innate ideas of society, regulated by law
Now conscience, il is generally believed, began to ex
ercse itself politics before Bradford or Brewster
Carver, Robinson, left England. Conscience claim
ed from an irelgous king, the political right Of ex
emption from prescriptions account of its views
duty, which, being refused, il sought reer politca
atmosphere than that Of autocracy, and purer air
liberty than that ofprelalicul England. We wonder
Mr.. Choate would exhibit Hampton, Sidney vane, on
pilgrim .fathers-Hancock, the Adanses, Franklin, Jel
terson, Patrick Henry, and George Washington, a
specimens Of that mbeciliy which is produced by III
ethcs and practices ofagilaon, in contrast TO thos
men of"actiye duties" who despise agitation, s. A
Elliot, Of Boston, and Daniel Webster1 And we won
der il he would cite the history Of the Colonies an
United States, from 1865 to 1888, evidence that tn
ethics Of agitation conflict with innate ideas Of SO
ciety, regulated by lawl
Mr.. Choate's oradon assuredly does not natura
the atmosphere Of fee country il breaihes ofth'