Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-03-21
DAILY VIRGiNlAN.
TUESDAY MORNING. MARCH 81. 1854.
The Senate and the Clergy.

is the most presumptuous and offensive display
of priesily pretension, and constitutes the mos
impud-nt attempt to establish the higher-law 60
rernment of theocracy, that has ever been mads
in this republic. The attempt to overaws
the Senate. by the assumed authority t0
speak lin the of Almighty God" Is
as insulting TO that body. it i profane
aud bla-hemoas TO the Being whose Judgments
;hey arragautly and falsely claim the right to pro-
n7aase. II such pretension were submitted Il
Il we're not repealed aud repudinied with I'M
measured seorn and contempt whither would il
iead-.wherc would il endl II any earthly tribu-
nal have authority to command or forbid " IN the
name If Almighty God" il would be rebellion
against Him not TO obey To admit such a pre-
tension is TO surrender all independence of action.
al discretion II jadgment--to abandon the prin-
ciple Of sell gnyemment--to disregard all seen-
Jar eonsiderations--deny all human authority.
and yield up the government. with the de.tinies Of
rnil'uns If human hciugs to n >clf appointed
hieroeraeY Responsible Ia 80 power un earth.
We are glad that the senate rcbuked the bold
and wicked attenpi-as it deserved For the
benefit Of such ct eur r'adrs have mol seen the
Freeions decument, we subioin the memorial. ath
The comments Of some of the Senators
ITO the Honorable the senate aud House of
Representative at the United States ia Congress
assembled The undersigned clergyman of diff
ferent religious denominations ia New England,
hereby, IA the nanle Of the Almighty God and IN
his presence do -.aleHnly protest against the
pas sage Of ahat i known a. The Nebraska hill or
auy repeal or modification d the legsi existing
Prs'ihbitions against slavery IN thai part 1T our
national d"nala Rhleh 81 i. projV .rd Ia organize
into the territories Of Nru,a-ha and kmisns.-
We protest against II = "a tT,ai moral wrong, n
IA hr, aeh of iaith emprntiy Injurious 10 the mo
raj pnhetpie- 81 the community and spbser.ive
81 all confidence IN national engagement,
measure iull oi danger % The peace and evsn ex-
asienef Il our believed Uuiou. and exposing H. to
the righteous udgnc at Of the Almighty. And
your protesiants, as m dnty bound will ever
pay"
Dated At Boz. the 1T day Of March. A.D.
Is5I.
Fir. DooofAs. My only object !. to call the
attention u the Seaap to- %, memorial. II Is
presented after the action of Nh, nate.as u pro
test against our action. agaiutt tho action IN
which certainty iwo.ihiru- %, this tod, concur
red, 1t PROTEST ag,inst our action IA beng a
breach OF fifth, involving O mafal wrong. as
destructive Of all confidence. and snhieeting
Us 10 the righteous Judgement OF the Aim ghty.
IL i presented too 10y denomination Of nen cal
ling themselves "l'reacEcrS If the Gospel II
has been demonstrated ia debate that there l. not
particle If truth in The allegation of "A breach of
faith, or breach of confidence. II has been de-
lnonsrrated clearly that there j. no excuse for
any mum in the community who believes il any
logger Yet here we find "a large body of preach
ers perhaps three itousaud. following the lead
of a circular which was calculated to mislead and
deceive tbe public, have come forward with an u
trooioas fasehopd, and an afro sious calumny
gainrt this body, aud prosttutcd the pulpit. prs
ttnted the sacred desk To- the miserable and cor.
ripping influence of party politics. II matters
mol whether they have miscd the whole of The
PenPl7 Il New England aud drawn them INTO this
pa at dirty water-it matters not whether the
ms representation has taken "A broad scope or
be- a eonhnedto atew-l hold IT j. our duty TO
eAl - the conduct OF men who, either from ig-
nofnnce or wllfu false knowledge. will avail them
selves III their sacred calling to arraipn the con
duet OF Senators here in the discharge of their
duiies- hold that this Senate Is as capable Of
Judging whether our action involves moral turn
iinde.wheiher il inv olives the subyerSon of morals
whether Il subjects u 10 the Judgment of the Al
mi .ht,. these political preachers, Who do
nj 1nde stand the question. Ii j. evident that
these men know not wh they are talking about
~ l. evident that they ought to Ice rebuked. and
required Ia eontne themselves To their vocation.
instead oi neglecing their holy religion and yio-
hitting IT. sacred principles, aud truthand h nor
and getting up document here which j. often
siYe,and which no gentleman can endorse without
violating all the rules OF courtesy, proprlefy aud
Of honor. Thfre seems To be an ntt,'upf Ia nile
upon our table offensive documents, SANDER al
ter SANDER. libel after libel IN urd,r ihnt the ali
clifton PRS may copy II a, coming from the re-
O. rds Of the senate aud 20 back and give il cred
il IN the country They are smugglcd in here.
the offensive matter being concealed from our
knowiadge, until we happen to look into them
and see wha they are, aud then these gentlemen
expect TO carry ON n political campaign by quot
ing from our own words that we are traitors 10
God, to our country, and TO humanity | think
II Is time that this miserable system of eleetio-
neenng by violating the rules and the eonrt,-
sizes OF the Senate to get an endorsement of H.
beis, of which men oaght 10 be ashamed, should
be exposed and rebukcd. | am unwilling they
shall come in and pile up SANDER of this kindand
insnits OF that kind upon table, and let it then
be used Tor base party purposes. The senate
knows bat thu memorial is not intended 10 af-
feet the action of the Sentative have no such
OH before as. cur action in it is passed. WHY
Is II brought here There can be no other OBJ
Ject III presenting it here now. than simply to af
ford capital for organizing a great sectional par
~, and trying to draw off the preachers of the
gospel INTO 1T. think that men ought to be a.
BILE to rely upon argument, and upon truth. and
upon reason, instead of resorting 10 these tbings
for the purpose of stimulating excitement for po-
liticai ends. r.
Mr. Mason said the right Of all citizens of the
L nited States to petition Congress pan any sub
Ject before them, was one which e hop, never
to see denied. All such memorials shonId 10 re.
ceyed aud treated with the respect due tn them.
lie hoped never 10 gee the day when the Senate
would treat such petitions otherwise The me-
moral, however. was of character different
raj al fr..,. Il.
who laid aside the character of American c;ti.
Zens. and addres sed their ne fitinns n AI;,,i,.