The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-11
JUDGE DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA AND TIE PARSONS.
Mauifestoes Of the Clergy Against the United
States Senate.
Extracts from the Reply of senator Douglas
90 the Proceedings OF the Anti-NebrasHn
CIeruymen Of Chicago.
NJ ARLINGTON, April 9, 1851.

alton in sending me the proceedings Of tho public meet
ing composed Of twsnaye egymen mo, o. sps
consist Of protest " in the name OF AmghY uoa
against the passage OF the Nebrsska b ana sgnea ~
yourselves as citizens and ministers q the Gospel
Of Jesus Christi and also Of four resolutions wneh are
stated 70 have been adopted with bni one assehng voice.
The last Of these resolutions is as follows
That the debate recently held in the Senate q
e ery Of New Eaad We greatly depore the
Of courtesy and reverence towards man and God;
Hin and Indians and that we regard the whole tone
said memorial as Outrage upon the privileges Of large
"a sn 1aSn sfs s o e S the dignity q I
inttuons to which We owe prooundest honor and
Here am distinctly and Especially charged with
1.-THE apparent want of courtesy and towards
man and God" in the performance Of my public duties
in the Senate. This grave charge whether preferred
against private individual n public man. and one
which should not have been made ecklesy and without
sufficient authority II unsupported by evidence and
conradicted by the records its enormity is greatly ag-
gragated by the startling fact that it emanates from
speak lin the name of Almighty God" and by his
authority When you shall read that debate carefully,
yon viii DO surprised at the you have
by atributng TO me the language which found it
cessary to quote for the purpose OF comment from the
protest signed by the three thousand and fifty clergymen
OF New England. agree that the language quoted
Was wanting in courtesy and reverence TO man land
God ana it was for that reason called the attention
OF the Senate&nd the country the astounding fact that
any body of men calling themselves clergymen, by
any other name in this age and in this country would
presume claim that they were authorized by the
mighty and in His 10 pronounce, authoritative
Judgment upon political question pending before the
Congress Of the United States. II you had attributed
this language to its authors and directed Your
against Them instead of me, who but quoted to
pose it, should have united with you in saying that it
did manifest an apparent want OF courtesy TO the Sc
nate, and reverence TO God
After defending himself and the Senate at great length
against the charges brought by these Chicago preachers
of the Gospel Judge Douglas quotes their resolution
and comments upon it as follows
Resolved-l That the ministry is the divnely appointed
t.pd4
will all points of moral and religious truth and that
all authority and doctrine.
This resolution appears to have been adopted by you
at an anti Nebraska meeting composed exclusively of
clergymen, twenty-five in number,) and called for the
purpose of considering that question and other 1t
was adopted in connection with the protest. and forms
part of the transaction The protest denounces the
Nebraska bill Sin the OF Almighty God" "a
great moral wrongo-as breach of faith eminently in
furious to the moral principle of the community" and
as exposing us to the righteous judgments of the Al
mighty" The resolution declares that the ministry Is
the divney appointed institution declaration and
enforcement of Gods will upon all points OF and
religious truth 10 not the protest and resolution refer
to the question, to wit the Nebraska bill pend
ing before Congress- Surely you will not deny that such
was your understanding You assembled to consider
that question and none other. You acted upon that
subject and that alone. Your resolutions declara
tory of the extent of your nights and powers clergy
and your protest action in conformity with
those assumed rights and powers.
understand then, your position TO be this That you
ministers Of the Gospe that 'the ministry is the
dvine appointed institution for the declaration
forcemen of Gods will upon all points of moral and re
truth ~ that this ''dvinely appointed institution
Is empowered 'o DECLARE what questions of civil
political judicial legislative character do involve
points of moral and religious TRUTH that the Nebraska
bill does involve such points and is, therefore, of
the questions upon which is the duty of this divne
appointed institution to declare and enforce Gods
will and that clothed with all authority and doc.
trine" this diyinely institution proceeds
to issue its mandates to the Congress of the United States
sin the name Of the Almighty Coz This being YOUR
position, must be permitted TO say to you in all Chris
tan Kindness, that differ with you widely radically and
fundamentally respect to the nature and extent of your
rUht drfta nd rcAf{h aG
the claims of this divinely appointed nstut shall
be enforced and the various public funconares shall
yield their judgments to your supervision and their
sciences to your keeping there will be limit TO your
temporal power except your own wise discretion and vr
tuous iorbearance If your diyinely appointed nstitu
ton has the to prescEbe the mode and terms for
the organization of Nebraska see reason why your
authority be extended the entire continent
not only to the country which we possess but to all
which may hereafter be acquired
Your claims for the supremacy Of this diyinely ap.
pointed institution subversTe OF the fundamental
principles upon which whole republican system rests
What the ssity of Congress II YOU can supervise
and direct its conduct? Why should the people subject
themselves to the trouble and expense Of eecng egs.
atures for the purpose of enactng human laws if their
validity depends upon the sanction of your divine
thoryf why sustain vast and complex judicial system
20 sxpound the laws tGsaH rights your divney ap.
ointed institution is invested with all prescribe
the rule of decision in the Of the Dety2 fyour
pretensons be just and valid why not dispense with all
the machinery of human government and subject our
poral ana spiritual interests and hopes TO the justice and
mercy of this diyinely appointed institution
Our fathers held that the people were the only
true of all political power; but what avas this
position if the constituted authorities established by the
people to be controlled and directed not by their
judgement not by the will Of their constituents but by
the dvnely constituted power OF the clergy Docs 1T
follow that this great principle recognized and affirmed
in the constitution of the United States and of every
State of this Union thus virtually annulled ami the
representatives of the people converted into machines in
the hands of an all controlling PRIESTHOOD
After several columns Of legal and constitutional
rfat;n, I,,lo non rlas hue ni,,1as
Thus you that the principle of the Nebraska bill is
purely question of selfgovernment involving the right
and capaey of the people to make their laws and
their local and domestic concerns This is
the only controverted principle involved in the bill.
unwilling to believe that upon mature reflection and
with all the advantages which your Christian character
and experience may enable you to summon to your as
sstance you will sanction the declaration that propo
ton 10 carry this principle into effect is "a great moral
wrong exposing US TO the righteous Judgments oil the
II Is the principle upon which the thirteen colonies
separated the imperial government. 1t 10 the prin
cipe defence Of which the battles Of the Revolution
were fought 1t is the principle to which all our free
institutions their existence, and upon which our
entire republican system rests This great principle is
recognized and affirmed in the constitution and bill OF
rights every State in this Union the cornerstone in
the temple Of liberties II was under The operation
this principle that slavery retired FROM the New Eng
land States 1t was in obedience to its potential inu
ence that slavery disappeared from New York New er
sew and Pennsylvania 1t was by virtue OF this principle
that California into the Union with her free con
suton II Ia in obedience TO this principle that slavery
is excluded from all the free States of this Union and
trust that whenever in Gods providence, it shall
in the States where ii exists under the
operation of this principle, and none other
In conclusion, reverend gentlemen, permit to
IN Won In Ali Kindness and sincerity that IL is with
IRENE reluctance that Submit this vindcaon of my
character and position against the assaults which con
ceive. you have so unjustly made upon them My re,
spect for your holy calling would induce submit
in silence even unmerited rebuke in preference to
engaging in controversy with ministers OF the Gospel
i'm any case where duty did not compel me to speak,
Ihe acts for which you have arragned were part of
my official duty in the performance OF high public
trust, fer which am responsible 70 my STATE 10 the
constitution and to my God. The principle which 1t has
my aim carry into effect and for the support OF
which have incurred your dspeasure, IS the one to
which all the institutions OF State and OF each other
State Of this confederacy their existence and for
the protection and preservation of which the consttu
ton of the United States formed With my
sccntious convictions of the nature Of the conded
TO my hands cannot doubt that fidelity that princi-
pie and fidelity that constitution will carry with il the
blesspgs of Heaven.
~ the IN bo yer adj