Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-02-22

Dssehsr On tks Morality Of sharp's
Rifles.


We prblished last week DR.. Beech
-. o,;,;on ,h., Sham. RIA. w.rs
~
sooo mural instrument" Ane Ne"
York Obssrpsr. an old bunker, pro-
slavery religious paper takes brother
n..ehev a ss.k for M. v;ev. and in
49,. ~ :, h;hls. ~o,.,d \. ~ mora .sr
vice than rifles. 10 this Mr.. Beech
Or thus answers
We praised the settlers for their
wlsdom and their courage. We praise
them again. Their stand was noble.
and snlutary to the country. II was
worthy Of New ENGLAND. and of that
New England ancestry which amid
war. and revolut;on. 6uilt shosa foun-
dst;ons on which The Observer staods
70 rsviIe their descsndsnts for 4 worthy
inaal;an Of their fathers traitsl And
~ snId that h the circu instances In
vhIoh tho men Of Lawrence were ola.
oed. the kuowledoe that thew had oil
shsrp's rides. aud were detirmened to
uso them. would produce a more sal.
utsrv impression upon yscabond poli.
tlc,ans. and work more efficiently for
peace. than All the moral suasion in
The world. Since the world began.
moral suasion has always been the
better for = l;ttle sometbing 10 stand
on. Honesty Is 4 very good thing. but
Invs. courts and officers helm men verv
mucb h the exercise Of tbat moral
grace. Humanity is very excellent
Bot among men giyen 10 assault and
battery. the certain peualtv Of the law
L fousd h rive potencv n abstract
humsn;,v .v;tcb oysr the door
euebles The parent 10 address himself
% The reason Of his chi d with greater
success than II no switches grew or
we're used And we are not eure
vhether The day of switches Is not
made too short. If careless or con
scienceless Editors, who are more ea-
Ger n make A sharp hit than 10 In.
ouire after the truth. knew that thew
would Be taken BY some venerable
and competent man into A retired room
and soundly whipped. we have a
strong suspicion that IL would pro.
duce more salutary moral impressions
upon them than reading the Rible
ssem. now N 40
Tho Bible 4 n book Of moral truths.
In thst sphere where moral truths are
proper 4 stands before ali other in
straments. But moral influences are
not designed nor adapted 10 every
work which needs to be done. In en-.
pinsering. In husbandrv. in navigation
there are powers which are mightier
In these spheres than a Bible. Where
timber il 10 be felled and hewn. an az
d better than a Bible. Nor Is Il de.
tracing from the merit Of the Book
20 saws 40. IT a child Is learning ia
figures. an Arithmetic Il better than
= Bible. Az sen. for purpose, OF nav
igntion. n book Of logarithms IA better
than 4 B;bls. Or would the reyersu.
tial editor Of The Observer toll the
sajlor. bcwildercd by storms. and now
abont 10 taks An observation n The frat
bright day. by looking At the sun and
using \ sextsnt or quadrant that The
B'bIe and tho ann Of righ,eousnes.
would he far better for facing his lat
isude and Longitude /? This would
not be n whit more absurd than the
pious sentence Of the Spirit being better
for the defense Of Lawrence against
armed MiSsourians than Is any rine !
II the walls OF The Observer Office
were tumbIinQ down. would the editor
be shocked 70 hear his mechanic say
that brick and mortar were better than
Bibles Cor repairing them t? In times
OF a riot in a city, will not the knowl-
edge that q company Of soldiers Is
marching down upon them. with May
or Wood at their head. have a more
salutary moral effect upon them than
70 know that tho editor OF The N. Y.
Obse,ver was coming 10 read them
some chapters out Of the bible p
II thieves and burglars are to be- NOR
ally reformed. the bible Is the fountain
Of right influence. But while thief
IL picking your pocket. or burglar IL
prying open your door. would you
treat him TO a bible or police officer?
When then. these ignorant fellows
saw courage added 10 lhrift; calm.
unboastful but inmovable determine.
ton 10 defend their rights. and TO die
rsther than yield one hairs bredth Of
principle. il inspired both respect and
fear; and there can be no question. IN
The minds Of any who know what such
sort Of men are made Of. that this
armed courage Of the Kansas emil
grants. did more 10 produce rccor-
milton Of their rights. than q hundred
sermons or A thousand bibles. And
We cav again. and with more empha-
els than ever before. that when men
have been left ignorant and uncduca-
ted, when Northern moral imbecility
L. In ~ - .-<s<L ~..<t IL =. f...s ~..-~.t