The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-09-18
Railroad conspira cIe.--A Funeral Discourse.

Railroad Conspira cies--A Funeral Discourse.
There have been Of late so many exciting
subjects to occupy the public mind, that the
atrocous conspiracies for the destruction Of life
and property in Michigan have been for time
partially forgotten; but the receipt Of dis
course of most extraordinary character, de-
lvered at the funeral Of ABEL f. FITcH, who
was, for several months previous to his death,
on trial the chief of the railroad conspirators,
brought to a close, nor the guilty, whoever they
may be, convicted and punished.
We know nothing of DR.. FIrcH but what
we have learned from the evidence given upon
this trial. He may have been an innocent and
an injured man doubtless some of his personal
friends believed him to be 50 but if he were,
the discourse delivered at his funeral, published
and sent abroad to influence the public mind for
some purpose or other, is calculated, in our
judgment, to have any other than favorable
impression upon unbiased minds, either of the
innocence of the Doctor, or of the discretion
and feelings Of the author of the discourse, the
Rev. Mr.. FOSTER.
The reverend gentleman, in the fitness of
his zeal, seems more DESTROYS of exciting preju-
dice and hostility against the railroad company
and corporations generally, than to clear the
character of the deceased from the crime with
which he was charged. Who would suppose
he were listening to true, sincere, humble, and
charitable Christian, one protesting to follow
and to teach the precepts Of our Redemer,
upon hearing the following languagel
alt is well known that heavy, moneyed corpora
tons, not apt TO be distinguished for their ten
der mercies, nor for their regard for Justice ex-
cept it can contribute to pecuniary gain. Corpo.
rations become corporate for the sake Of the dollar.
Every thing else is apt to be made subservient to
its attainment. Somebody has recently said Cor
porations have no SOULS How true And no con.
science, and no regard for God nor man, except so
far both God and man will subserve the interests
for which they became corporate. They have no
such heart may be the seat of moral accounta.
biliy. The corporation is a very different thing,
in this respect, than its component units may be.
For instance, many OF the men competing the
company owning this railroad may be good men,
spending much of their time in psalm singing IN
eastern churches, while the company, a compa-
ny, recklessy trampling our statute law and
the Divine law under foot every Sabbath day"
We should rather take the above language
to be that of some low electioneering dema-
gogue, minlstering to the prejudices and male
VIOLENT feelings of an ignorant and depraved as
sembly, rather than that Of grave and pious
clergyman on the solemn occasion of funeral
If prejudices can be thus stirred up and aggra-
waited on such an occasion by one holding the
responsible office of pastor Of the congregation,
what may we not expect from the community
in which he officiates and is looked up to as
guide counsellor and friend !" Has all sense
of moral rectitude left the community in which
those conspiracies originated, and even the
clergyman of the place become so morally blind
as not to perceive their atrocity-so morally
insensible as not 10 feel the disgrace they have
cast upon it2 We trust not; but we commits
crate those who have the misfortune to hear
such language from him whom they have chosen
to teach them the precepts of religion and
morality.