Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-08-18
Individual Responsibility.
A DhoowIc sciraodn the Plymouth Church,
Brookhn.
unIspr wAEpsItoHIR.
nrS ACTING IN PARTIES.

honor and conscience as 10 the things attempt.
cd Tor the public good. Ia nothing is there
50 liltle. Even good men hardly suppose 4,
duty to be governed by the same moral Laws
in political conduct, iha, obtain IN their pri-
vaio Affairs. Indeed il is generally conceded
that politics must be consigned TO cunning, TO
management, To selfshness, and that that il
argue, cOOsummaie ignorance Of mankind, to
expect ScroPulous putty. The gull, Of
wrong doing is none the less cerisin. Every
man that violates the rule, of personal iate.
gritty, for the sake Of patty. will b. held 10
account before God, a, II he had violated them
in his sonal affairs.
We have no right to advocate principles
or TO wink at their advocacy, in political PAR.
ries, which il would be sinful to urge in our
private and personal relations
| II is as really sinful 10 sustain bad meas.
urcs as a member of party, as il would be
II the voter acted alone.
/ Iii, an especial and oui-ryinr sin and
shame To inhici men upon the public, whom
No onc NJ the voters. would ius, in their own
private affairs. Men would not trust neigh.
bor with dollar Oh their own account, but
viii put him in trust of public revenues with.
mt = scruple. They will advance to honor
and influence men whom they would shut the
door of their own dwelling upon. Thus all
moral considerations are lost sight ~, life be-
come, a rner, traffic, no room !. leit for con-
science. everything goes hy trick or sin.
7 iSier interest. The party ihriye', snd
the public interest is SLOWED To go to
waste. Honesty, venc:tV fidelity, m.
bending personal integrity, scrPulous honor,
these arc the impractcable virtues. Thrsub-
tile. plant, willow backed creature ihrives I,
while the earnest truthful and conscientious
End no room ~ function.
i'nder our Government It !. every mans
duty to vote, and TO vote Alright. It is every
mans duty 10 give 90 much attention to pub
ic Affairs IS to serurc good laws, good meas
urcs and good rulers. The man who in dis
gust wilhdraws frun the ballot box, eneour.
ages the vile to take his placc. II ough, to
he understood to he Christian mans prTy,
to consider the public welfare. aud io con.
duct himself in his whole career, - vo,i,g
citizen, according to the stretc', rules NJ por-
sonal. religious integrity. Christina minis.
ter. should teach their focss-no, Wh., par.
hu; What rEtNCULrs are Ia govern them IN
selecting men and supporting measures. And
I on either side II any measure. or whether Tor
OF against any man or party Of men, ca'h in.
jridull should BE- taught, from the Pulpittoo
that be will give 4 personal and strict account
IN the day Of Judgement, not only for what
. he d.d. but for the most secret motives that,
Influenced his conduct. la million voters
perform a selfish or wicked deed, the guilt
will no, be- divided into million parts, and
each man take me m.l'ionth par, bot any
man who knows II to he morally wrung. will
have the undivided guilt ~ sslhshns,' (ind
especially ol that mos, abomin.be OF all sell
G,huess-srlhshncss towards the common
wcal,) SC, down 70 hiu,,r personally
Nor DO We believe one word Of that miser
able fictitious prudence which teaches that
clergyman should not vote. They should Do
whatever is becoming in good eiiir-n. They
should teach their people the spirit IN which
their duties are TO he performed and then
they should practice what they piearh. Now
I and then, clergyman may, perhaps, proper.
/ ly excuse himself from voting. SO may \
layman. But, in a county whose laws and
government are fashioned by 'he people, and
the moral complexion of whose Affairs, there
fore. will depend upon those who 60 TO the
ballot box. Il should he the sovereign duty OF
those in station. of influence, frs, to raise The
intelligence and virtue of the masses OF the
community to the highe., degree then, TO
max, the wise and the 'r,uous fearless aud
faithful IN giving their vote upon all questions
of public utility and. that this may be done
con.cien,iuusly, every clergyman should re-
gard i, as a part Of good citizenship to .Ser'
else calmly, displssiona,ely, but courageou'ly
the sacred prerocaiive Of vorrNG To the
cowardly plea, ,ha, il will comPromi'o THEFT
position. or will divide their people, reply
iha, /, will DO neither the one nor the other, 50
,oon as i, is understood tha, clergymen have
courage to do whatever it is RICH, fora good
citizen To DO. But fil did, what then is
+ lhi. the ,elr,h platform on which clergy
man is to s,anJ-tha, safe duties are to be per-
formed and unsafe one, avoided As lonG
"a il is believed that intimidation will fright
them from this Duty, there will be found men
full of inslduous counsel men whose pur
poses will bo better effected by the absence
Of good men from the polls than in the iac'
/; Of their example and the client influence o
their vote. II any man on earth should b
simple. frank, courageous, and patriotic an'
full of fearless acts Of good citizenship, 1t !,
the American minister OF The Gospel. And
do no, at all care to conceal both surprise an'
Indignation when | seq those whose condu c
: should back up good teaching, afraid to tel
Christian citizens how they should perform
civil obligation, either by The tongue in tn
. pulpit, or by their prompt fidelity to goo
mea and good laws at the ballo. box.
If good men abandon the polls, they 'ur
o,c, IN, government TO bad men. II is yaif