The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-04-27
VOL. XL-NO. IL

DIG minuen mon IN our national council
men who sustain an irreproachnbls charac.
ter. But II seems 10 be a positive fact, that
a very large portion Of them arc not men
fit 10 represent and legislaie for a republi.
can and Christian people. There are
among them drunkards, and debauchees and
duelisis soms,imes make par, Of their mum
Der. There are men among them, who
legislate with pistols in their ockeis, and
bowie knives by their sides or in their
hands, and ], is not long since majority Of
them were guilty Of violating a solemn
treaty and righteous compromise. Now
what must te The influence Of their wicked
example over the people oi the country At
large, Tor their example is not concealed.
Weare all aware Of The influence which
position gives man, Of how much wider
and more powerful the influence ola man
is, who holds prominent. public station.
than il otherwise would be. We have read
OF the prevailing corruption that existed
among the mass Of The English people dur.
ing the reign ofihe Second Charles. Did
not the evil example Of the king and his
court have much 10 do in bringing this
about I believe il had. But what should
be done in reference TO this evil! five did
not belong 10 a republic, j, would be more
difficult, 10 answer this question. The peo.
ple have the power in their own hands TO
check, ifno, TO efIectually cure, the evil
Some years since a gentleman from the
United States was travelling in Europe, and
while there he wished 10 see certain dis.
'inguished monarch. Having approached
the palace he made known his wish 10 tho
person who came 10 The door. The person
asked The traveller who he should inform
the monarch wished 10 see him the iray-
eller replied, a sovereign. Having been
introduced into the presence ofihe king,,he
inquiry was made where he was from the
visitor replied, from the United States. The
king expressed his as,onishment, and said
he thought there were no sovereigns in the
United States. The visitors reply was,
" We are all sovereigns." This was true.
The people being sovereisns have the pow.
er to elect whom they please. They hold
in their hands very simple, bu, powerful,
inslrumeu,-lhe ballot. By ,ha, they can
appoin, whom they please 10 make laws,
and 10 rule over them. The people should
no, vote for men destitute Of principle and
corrup, in morals. No man should be
elected TO any important office, who does
no, acknowledge The Bible as the great rule
Of faith and practice in politics as well rs
in religion, ,and who is not himself a man Of
respectable morals. Every voter should
adopt for his motto Good men and good
principles. But, says the inquirer, how am
! 10 determine in regard 10 men and princi.
plesl II is no, very difficult 10 decide in
regard 10 principles, bu, in regard to the
character OF men, il is not always so etsy
10 determine. Let voters have the princi.
Piles and avow them, and le: those who are
candidates for Office, be required TO avow
their principles, and be expected 20 repres.
ent properly and 10 carry out the will OF
their constituents. Bu, il may bs said that
men sometimes deceive those who elec,
them, and sustain measures contrary 10
their principles and wishes after they arc
elected, so tha, il is too late TO remedy tho
matter. This can be done in such cases.
Men WHO violate their trust once, and prove
recreant 10 the cause OF liberty and human
ity, or are grossly immoral, should be made
10 understand that they triH NOT be elected a
second time. Knowing this, they would DO
likely 10 act with greater caution, and with
more regard for The principles and wishes OF
those who appor, them.
A second evil ,ha, !endangers our pros
peri,y and safety as a nation, is Tho separa-
ton Of religion from politics. Civil gov
ernmen, is ordained Of God. j, is a divine
institution, and as God is never a, war with
himself, he never designed that il should
be separated from or contrary 10 religion
or course we are no, speaking here OF the
conn lection Of church and state. II has be.
come sor, Of maxim among large class
of politicians ,ha, " religion has nothing TO
do with politics." This is downright a'he-
ism, an ai,emp, 10 deny divine Proyi.
dence in the political affairs OF men, as we'll
as in others jus, as ifmen can sin as much
as they please in politics, with impuni'y.-
We have heard some politicians give il as
their opinion, ,ha, il would be bs''or for
Christian men no, TO have any thing to DO
with politics. We presume this opinion is
cherished, much more widely cherished,
than expressed. Designing, unpr'nciplcd
poli,icians would much rather be fee from
the restraining influence Of men Of princi.
pie they would like to have all The control
and Management, Of affairs in their own
hands. We may DO sure where the above
,,heis,ic maxim is advanced, that there Is
some evil design on foot Although J, may
no, be very ofen expressed in 80 many
words ye, the divorce Of religious principle
from politics, appears practically 10 an
alarming extent Mul,i,udcs nc, in poll.
tics, as though there was nothing wrong in
sustaining grea, moral evils, and prac,icing
gross deception, proceeding from the prin-
cipls, that "all is fair in politics." Let re.