The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-08-23
The Rev. Owen Loyeioy.


be good republican, or good democrat,
and sincere Christian at the same time
Nor can we see any objection to ministers
Of the gospel acquainting themselves with
the politics of the day, or to their voting,
and even talking politics as much as they
please in the proper place. In land where
everybody has an equal voice in the govern
ment, it is clearly the duty of all to give
sufficient attention to politics to enable them
to vote ntelligently. And we can conceive
a case, although such cases must be very
rare,) where a preacher-a regularly edu-
Gated minister of the gospel-who is made
I'D of that kind of stuff that makes the wise
and prudent statesman, may be stirred by
an inward consciousness that he can serve
his fellow man better in the halls Of lcgis!a-
ton than in the pulpit, and in such case, he
would have no ri, hit to refuse political pre-
ferment.
But it is one thing to forsake the pulpit
and turn political demagogue, and quite
another for a minister to accept political
preferment from conscientious conviction
Of duty. The latter, whether in congress,
on the stump, or in the pulpit, is the same
prudent, consistent Christian; while the
former, having abandoned his sacred calling
from disgust, soon shows how little he was
fitted Cor it by giving abundant exhibitions
of the natural dcpravity Of his character
The former remains still the servant Of his
master, though in a different sphere; the
latter is Judas.
We apply no such harsh terms to the Rev.
Owen Lovejoy but We have right to state
facts, and from them infer his true charac-
ter. Mr.. Lovejoy, for the last 90 years, has
been noted in this country for the rabidncss
of his abolitionism Having had brother
killed at Alton for his devotion to abolition
doctrines, people were wont to regard Owen
leniently, and too look Upon his rawlings as
the effects Of slight insanity which under
tie circumstances was not unnatural. There
is no end Of the anecdotes and sayings of
Lovejoy that could be given TO show how
unreasonably wild and ultra were his aboli-
ton notions. In his church he would admit
no member who admitted the right to hold
slaves under any circumstances. The con-
sti,ution, which tolerated slavery in the
southern states, he declared to be no better
than piece Of rotten parchment. Thief
and STAKEHOLDER with him
were SYNONYMOUS terms. At meeting in
Princeton he offered resolution that, If the
box, it was their duty to resort to the cart
ridge box He believed in the hi her law"
no constitution or fugitive slave law could
have any obligation with him when a slaves
freedom wa. in question. and he therefore
consistently advertised himself as an agent
of the underground railroad" TO aid in
stealing slaves from their masters In the
legislature of Illinois, not two years ago, he
offered resolutions TO instruct our senators
against the admission Of another slave state
north or south, and made rabid an aboli-
ton speech as was ever heard. When Fill
more sent dispatch to Boston during the
Burns riot, saying the fugitive law must be
enforced, Lovejoy prayed that the lightning
would turn back over the wires and strike
the wretch dead" We could multiply such
savings indefinitely, but these will suffice to
months ago.
Where is Levejoy now. He said in the
court house in Ottawa a month ago, that if
the Kentucky wings of the southern end Of
this district would hear him he could satisfy
them that he was no more abolitionist than
they were He had always held to the
cons,itutonal1ishto of the south TO hold slaves
without northern influence. &c. He went to
Urbana and talked to these Kentucky wings
told them his aboli,ionism consisted only
in opposition to slavery extension over free
territories, point on which no parties at
the north disagree-that he believed in the
and Of new states to adopt or reject slavery
as they pleased. The Kentucky wings"
grasped his hand, and said to use his own
languageD why, d it, Lovejoy, we are
Lovejoy has always been a fierce Maine
law temperance man. On this point his ul
traism, in and out Of church, approached
his abolitionism. 1t was with him part of
his religion. Yet what DO we see? We
copy an article from the Joliet Signal to-
day showing that he was seen in German
saloon in Joliet at ~ o'clock at night drink
ing lager beer. We have more than the
Signal as witness to this fact. We have
with eye-witnesses Of it, and can
prove it by half dozen of the most respect
able citizens of Joliet.
Lovejoy is preacher and wears the sa-
blcs outwardly, at least, he ought to main
tain the decencies Of that character. Yet
how does he do it? Those who saw and
heard Lovejcy at Joliet ten days ago say
that his speech was the most basphemous,
low, vulgar, obscene TRADE they ever heard.
Profane words and expressions were fire.
luent, and he told his hearers, (what he said
on another accasion) that "a man might
drink and swear little and still be as good
. Christian as democrat could be-"
Here then We have the Rev. Owen Love-
oy in his new character.
lie abjures his abolitionism to get votes.
He abjures his temperance principles to
get votes.
He abjures his religion to get votes!
He made anti-know Nothing speeches,
and then Joined the X. n. Lodge in Prince
ION to get votes.
Can such a man be trus. ed in any posi- |
ion of high political responsibility Will
ne be true to Freedom, Fremont, or any
hing as member of Congress? The man
xho " Ill descend to such denfiS of nnlitical |