The Washington union., 1857-09-26
THE CONNECTICUT cLERGYMEN AGAIN.


After portentous silence of weeks por-
ton of the Connecticut gentlemen who recently me-
morialzed the President of the United States, upon
the subject of Kansas affairs, have again addressed
him, and made his to their first letter the
special theme of their criticism and uncharitable an
imadversion. Wrong at first they still continue So
Their long deiberaton and consultation have not
abled them to mend their position in the least The
President in his reply, did the work effectually-
left them no solid, stable ground to stand upon
and all the mental efforts of sundry doctors of
law, doctors of divinity, professors and scholars
have not improved the position which they oc-
cupy before the country That position is truly
a bad one. 1t is bad one for any citizen it is
worse for scholars and philosophers but it is worst
of ALL and absolutely inexcusabe, for clergymen and
teachers of religion. Their conduct teaches bad
moral. Their example is pernicious. Their inhu-
ence, far they have any, is opposed to peace,
order and obedience to the laws. Indeed, their bill
of indictment against the President is founded chiefly
on the fact that he using the lawful power of the
government to preserve peace and order in Kansas,
to suppress nsurrecton, and to insure the full and
proper execution of the laws.
1t is this constant interference the part of
of the clerical profession with the policy of the gov
ernment this constant meddling and mixing them
selves up in the reeking and unscrupulous partisan
politics of the day this constant exhibition of that
worldly, ambitious, and restless spirit which is op
posed the peaceful spirit of Heaven that is grad
uay but surely, undermining the great temple of re-
Hgion, weakening and breaking down those great
moral safeguards to society, without which society
indeed could scarcely exist Its fruits visible
on all sides. The grossest examples of impiety and
immortality are now being found in the persons of
men covered with the grave robes Of the clerical
profession. Rapes, seductions, and fornicatons by
such men, but the moral sequences of their po-
itica strfes and worldly tastes and the natural
suits of their evil teaching instead of the teaching
of the Bible. The newspapers are perpetually re-
cordng examples of the grossest immortality and
vice on the part of such reverend delinquents and
of the most astounding and pregnant circum-
stances of the times, connected with case of this
kind is the fact that the congregation to which he
belonged refused to dismiss the clerical culprit al
though adultery was proved upon him.
Now, we are not charging upon the learned Con-
necticut clergymen, who are concerned in bringing
false charges against the President, the crimes of
adultery forncation and seduction but we are only
illustrating, by example, the natural effect of their
conduct and teachings upon society and upon them
selves. But if their individual conduct less
fragrant it is scarcely less excusable and the sooner
they conine themselves to their appropriate duties,
and leave the President to the proper discharge of
his, the better it will be for themselves and others
But the Journal of Commerce has SO ably and APP
propriately discussed the merits of this last per-
formance (which will be found in another part of the
paper) of the reverend gentlemen of Connecticut,
that fully adopt its reasonings and give the arti
Gle to our readers. r."