Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1855-12-08
A Patriotic voice from the Northern
Pulpit.

The extract which we publish below is from
Thanksgiving Sermon by the Rev. Charles
Wadsworth of the Arch Street Presbyterian
Church, Philadelphia, one of the most eloquent
divines which the American pulpit can boast
( Of \ spirit of fervid and glowing patriotism
breathes through its every line, and presents a
striking contrast to the fanatica prostitution
of the sacred desk by such characters as The
odore Parker:
Nor, on the other hand, is there more serious
apprehension of disaster from the everlasting ques.
ton of Southern slavery-not particle. The cry
of danger to our Federal Union from this cause is
at most the false alarm OF oversight watchmen
rubbing their eyes, and in the somnambulism of a
half dream installing the signing Of the winds
through their banner for the tread Of stealthy and
armed men and the sound Of the enemy's trumpets
We do not say that this great contcderacy
never, BIZ dng cause, be wrecked into fragments
and, instead of one glorious commonwealth, rise on
its ruins with all the anarchical and revolutionary
accessories two smaller cOnfederacies, like the miser
able military republics of South America. Causes
may, indeed arise in the providence OF an avenging
God, which shall cast our nationality iutO the dust
and bury in the grave Of our free institutions the
liberties OF the people and the hopes Of the world.
This may all happen, as we shall presently insist
upon 10 the operation OF that undeuiable principle
laid down in text that God will tear up, dispace
ard destroy any thing that does not work out the
purposes set before 1t.
We might say, indeed, that this nation can neUer
be dSoiUd because such is the Result OF the great
organic law which binds together its different mem
bers; the great principle OF its common lite which
makes il one and indissoluble for Ii is not
gathering of States; it is great nation. IL cannot
diSSoige Nevertheless, violence may destroy its
common life by discovering its members; SO that
this naton-(while it cannot be dissolved like an
ice bill in the sun)-Inay be torn into fragments by
g mighty earthquake. / do not say that this shall
never happen, but this do say with the clearest,
the ca.mest, and the most assured couhdence-that
the question OF Negro Slavery is not to be the earth
quake to shake US in pleces-never. We do not
deny that there are some, who, for the sake OF
few-comp arativey few-back men scattered thin
y and sparsey over the continent, would destroy
the Coniederacy; and for an abstract and imaginary
night of poor fragment OF race, TO whom II its
exercise we're possible, il would be disastrous and
dcsructiye-would madly destroy the last hope OF
worlds salvation aud bury all the races in common
tomb.
Nevertheless, with such men, the great Anglo
American heart has not one pulsati0n ot sympathy.
This question OF slavery is, confessedly, perple1ng
one,-a disturbing cause in the body polite; aud
about il men honestly differ widely; but then | tell
you there is one great aud grand question about
which overwhelming and everlasting majority OF
this people never have differed aud never will diiler;
and that is the stcaGast and inhe1ible perpose
TO preserve against all enemies, aud at at price OF
their best blood, this glorious. Uuion fee ever in
dissolube.
Slavery is an evil that no man more deeply ieels
aud which no man will more ingeuuOusly acknow-
ledge il you DO not insult him. then the intelligent
STAKEHOLDER, and how TO get rid of the evil without
disadvantage 70 the tWo races, is perplexing
problem to all Christian philosophers.
lftrue 70 ourselves the God who has relieved US
from evils will work out this problem, and in
the end make manifest 10 the world the wonderful
hidden purposes Of sisdom, and love and mercy Ia
that strange dispensalion, whereby the children OF
Ai,ica were subjected 20 this bondage. In the
meanwhile, about the expedients for removing this
evil. that the black man and the white man shall
br mutually advantaged by il, there may be-and
until God shall reveal his own hidden RisdOm IN
the matter, there must be--gr,a az and hearty dii
ierrnce OF opinion; aud yet none but fanatic OF
hend ever though seriously Tor moments Of sclv
ing this problem by dissoving the Union for ia the
first place, such dissolution would not practically
solve il At all, but would only bind the slave more
hopelessy 10 chains TO despotie and insulted mas
Ter, and make him al everlasting boDdman under
great southern military despotsm IL would not
free him. and ifiI didiI would be like the foolish plan
Of setting Gre to SPLENDID house 70 gel rid OF bro
ken sash, or cutting Of mans head 10 his arm
OF paFaly mol no
Der great national bark be driven, under the pre-