The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1854-09-27

aroused. thank God, that In this country
the people and the preachers stand precise
y on the same equality, politically; and
without any reference to uniting Church and
State, the whole North are awakening to the
conflict between freedom and slavery.
Amid all the political struggles of the
people.tO free themselves from the thraldom
of hirelng politicians, our own gallant State
is bearing conspicuous part. Mass meet.
ings, anti Whisky and anti N ebraska speech
es are the order Of the day, and think there
is no doubt but that the people will declare
on the second Tuesday in October next, that
they owe no allegiance to- the Nebraskates,
nor to King Alcohol.
There is one fact in connection with the
abuse Of clergymen by the whiskey.ites and
and saveocrats that [ wish to notice in par
ticular, as it may not be generally known to
your readers. 1t is this: That this proscrip-
tive spirit against the clergy had its origin in
the South. Three OF the Southern States,
to-wit Texas, Mary land, and Kentucky, %
have clauses engraited in their constitutions
prohibiting clergymen of any denomination
from going to the Senate or Legislature 1t
matters not how well man is qualified to
represent his constituents in those States, il
he happen to be clergyman, he is placed
on level with the sable African who labors
IN hopeless bondage, so far as holding those
offices may be concerned.
state these facts to show that the slave
power demands this sort Of sacrifce-and
the Northern traitors are ready to become
the mental slaves of those Southern slave.
drivers, and echo their cry against all clergy
men in the North who will not bow the knee
to "Bachus," and lend their influence to ex-
tend the area of the peculiar institution
And yet these men are long and loud in their
praises of constitutional liberty, sovereignty
of the people, &C.!
Now | do not propose anything that will
favor the clergy as a class more than any
other class of citizens. Like all other pro-
fessions there are good and bad men in that
fraternity. But do think that it is shame
and foul blot on the free institutions of our
whole country, that any State should tram
pie so far on the constitution of the U. s.
and the rights of its citizens, as TO prescribe
them from holding office on &C count of their
profession or religious opinions.
The same power that implies the right to
prohibit preacher, would imply the right to
prevent man from holding office because he
is farmer, lawyer or doctor. And as much
may be said of all the professions. But
thanks TO God Indiana has no such clause in
her constitution. Her preachers, tina, have
been the theme of abuse by the whisky and
pro-slavery party all over the State, are 0
brave band of Freemen who know their
rights aud dare assert them. And hence the
attempt has been made to gag them down
and ostracise them; they have without re-
spect TO any denOminational interests deter
mined TO launch out on the "frontier of their
privileges" and defend their own as well as
the down-trodden rights of the people,
The truth is, the leaders in this crusade of
abuse of the clergy-many of them at least,
have inidel procvilies. And | have no
doubt but that they would abuse the bic just
as soon as they do the clergy if they were
not afraid of their popularity. And as they
dare not as yet openly abus- the good book,
they content themselves by abusing It's min
listers.
Now ifever the stars and stripes are made
to trail in the dust before the enemies OF our
beloved country, it will be when the nfu.
ences OF the clergy and the Bible are put
down. 1t is for the people therefore to say,
whether they will suffer their old veteran
preachers-that have done so much to make
i"o'u"" "o'oHy Phy SiCaily anu iHteIectuaI-
y what she is-to be thus mali ned; to say
whether they are prepared to acquiesce in
such proceedings.
| repeat that although am opposed to
uniting Church and State, yet it must be
confessed that the main pillars of this mighty
republic rest on the ''Uirtue and inteHiqence"
OF the people, and that virtue and int,lli-
gence has its foundation in the BIBLE.
And in conclusion would say in the lam
guage OF an. eloquent writer: "Destroy the
Bible, and you destroy the tuoes Of the
mighty organ that gives harmony 10 the uni
verse. Destroy the bible, an! you blow out
the sun of the moral world. Destroy the
Bible, and you tear in tatters the star spanp.
led banner, that waves 'o'er the land Of the
free and the home of the brave and hurl the
eagle from his lofty eyerie, and leave him
like Noah's dove to wander over an ocean
OF carnage, of bioOdshed, and DEATH
INDICATOR.