The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-06-28
DEFENSE OF THE CLERGY.
SpEEC III
or
HON. ]. MEACHAM, OF VERMONT,
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
MAY II, 1854.



The House being in the Committee o
the Whole on the state of the Union
Mr. MrAcHAM said:
Mr. Chairman AS the subject be
fore the committee has been changed
since | spoke on the Nebraska bill, tht
rules would shield me from the charge o.
intrusion if 1 should yield to the mo
tlon just made to rise and adjourn; thi:
would give me fresh hour in the morn
ing; but knowing that large number o
friends and foes of the bill, yet unheard
desire to speak in the brief remaining
time, | prefer to 20 on now, rather than
to displace any one who desires to take
part in this discussion. am quite
aware that this intended courtesy to 9th
ers compels me to speak under great dis
advantage; with few and short notes OF
preparation when nature, exhausted by
a session of eleven hours, is clamorous
for rcposc. But | believe some one
ought to speak on the subject | now in
troduce to the committee.
made some new and unexpected develop
ments. 1t has generally been supposed
that il the ordained defenders and guar
dams of religion should disgrace or aban
don their place, that it would be left to
the neglect and scorn of the world
Good men will be gratilied to learn that
it is not SO that just as soon as it was
known that three thousand clergymen
had proved themselves unworthy of their
profession by a memorial members OF
Congress sprang forward with haste and
zeal to save religion from disgrace. 1t
is said that nature abhors vacuum. |
suppose this generally true in the natur-
al world; the dcpopulatcd seats during
this session of tho House. however, would
lead to the belief that this law, as well
as some others, is "inoperative" in Con.
grcSs But it must be great consolation
to know that here nature ahhors vaecrlm
in spiritual things. See the proof given
by
Senator DOUGLAS. 1t is evdcrt
sir that these men know not what they
are talking about. 1t is evident that
they onght to be rcbukcd, and required
to coniinc themselves to their vocation,
instead of negecting their Aocks, and
bringing our holy religion into disreputc
by violating its sacred principles, and
disrcgardiug the obligations of truth and
honor, by presenting here a document
which is so offensive that no gentleman
can indorse it without violating all the
rules of courtesy, of propriety, and OF
honor"
Senator Mason. "I trust | shall
never see the day when the Senate of the
United States will treat the authors OF
such petitions, upon any subject for leg
islaticn pending before the body, coming
from the people of the United States.
with aught but respect. But l under
stand this petition to come from class
who have put aside their character of
citizens" "Thcir mission upon
earth is unknown to the Government
OF all Others, they are the most cncroach-
ing, aud, as a body, arrogant class Of men
What do these ministers say2 Do they
as citizens, enter into statement Of the
facts of which they complain? Do they
rccite what will be the political effect Of
the measure Of which they complain D
No; they inform US that they come here
through their petition, in the presence oi
the Almighty, and invoke His vengeance
UPON the Senate of the United States as
about to commit, in their judgment, Q
great moral wrong"
Senator BUTLER. When the clergy
quit the province which is assigned thom
in which they can dispense the Gospel
that Gospel which is represented as the
lamb, not as tho tiger or the lion-whor
they would convert the lamb into the lion
going about in the form of agitators
seeking whom they may devour, instead
of the meek and lowly representatives
Of Christ, they divcst themselves of al
respect which | can give them. Sir, the
ministers ofthe Gospel are the reprcsen
tatives of the lowly and poor lamb-ot
Christ; but when the men who have
signed that paper-I do not know witt
what ends do not say word against
them as individuals, for l have no doubt
they arc good and respectable, and many
of them Christians assume to organize
themselves as clergymen to come before
the country and protest against tho de
liberations Of the Senate of the UniteC
States, they deserve, at least, the grav,
censure Of the body.n
Senator ADAMS. "I concur with m,
friend from South Carolina in regard t,
the petition which has boon prcsente,
and ordered to lie on the table. 1t il
addressed to the Senate and House oi
Representatives by body of individual
as ministers of the Gospel. trust
have as high regard for their vocation
as any other individual, and as much re
spect for the ministers of peace and goo,
will ON earth as any other individual
but when they depart from their higl
vocation, and come down to mingle in tn
turbid pools of politics, [ would troa
them just | would all other citizens.
would treat their memorial and romor
Stranoes precisely as | would those Q
other 0itizens.n
Scaator PETrIT. But, sir, tho Ser
ator from Mississippi [Mr. ADAMS say
he has great respect and great rcvcl
enee for the clergy, for the ministers {
the Gospel, as such, whilo the keep thoi
robes pure and unspotted but whe
they descend to the turbid pools Of po
itics, and bedabble their garments a
over with mud and slime, and filth whie
he would make you believe is to be foun
there, ho loses all respect for them.
should |, if could bo led TO holiey
that the waters of the pool of polite
were any more turbid or filthy than III
waters which flow through their contr,