The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-04-09

control OF religious obligation and grounded in
Gods word that the State can be permanent In
freedom and prosperity.
TIE POLITICS RELIGIOUS cHARAorER OF OUR
COxMONvEALTH.
Now glance back over the history Of our country,
from the first political compact in the cabin Of the
follow the course God has taken in his providence to
establish such free and just government He be.
gan with the people Before he put them out Of the
ship in which he held them over the snow crested
waves, through storms and dangers, he led them
"SOlmenly and mutually in the presence Of God
and OF one another, to covenant and combine them
ielves together into a civil body polite" land by
virtue hereof to enact constitute and frame such lust
and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and
offices, from time TO time a. shall be thought most
meet and convenient for the good unto which
we promise all due submission and obedience The
carefulDess in regard to justice and equity with
which this nstrumen mt vas framed and the jealousy
Of reserve 10 their conscience toward God, under
which they would bind themselves only to such sub
worthy OF all note and imitation. IL was thus that
God began in this country his own appointment OF
the powers that be- He set this great and over
shadOwng tree, he brought this vine out OF Egypt,
FORM 1t is thing of growth, AZ everything of life
is. We go back to its roots, and we find them
deep and living network all over the country, the
hills of New England, twined about the rocks, in
the heart of the soil, and all along the springs and
the water courses They are 10 the cradle aud the
nursery, and the village school and the church. and
the household and above all in the family Bise, at
the family altar, woven in prayer: The great tap
root was of conscience in the word of God.
sLAvERY HIDEoUs GRAFT.
SO our government has grown, and the legiti-
matt pow ers OF our government are what the roots
bear. and not the gratis of tyranny. The root was
freedom and pety, not slavery and injustice. Sla-
very is hideous, horrible graft; and if all the
limbs that have grown out of IT were cut off to-day
the parent tree would be stronger and healthier.
TIE BIBLE, CONSCIENCE AND SELF GOVERNMENT.
a xyn Uar rusfuv hn
cd, by conscience toward God, and habits Of self.
government grooved in and netted with and bolted
to bis word, as the shrOuds and ropes that steady
the masts of ship are bolt ed to the deck the tim
hers. Without such conscience, such habits aud
such reverence of Gods word, aud independence by
IL, PEG pie cannot be free-are no. fitted for free
dom In the great city OF Bordeaux, In France. the
people on one occasion wanted 10 make some altera-
ton 10 their rhode Of Lighting the streets, but they
could not be trusted with power to do It, and they had
to send up to the central imperial government at
Paris for authority to their own lamp posts
They had not learned how to take care of them
seyes and the governu ent did not mean they should
but would keep them in standing stools; and what
is worst of ALL they did not feel that there any
despo,sm any degradation in this. The deeper was
their slavery, for the government are treating them
just as the Shareholders treat their slaves preventing
them from learning to take care Of themselves
and leaving them only capacity ana privilege TO
be taxed on account OF their casters Such
people cannot be free. They have no stamina.
They are like swimmers on bladders-the instant
they are pricked they sink to the bottom. What
contrast where the people are enlightened by Gods
word, and made dependent by an enlightened con-
science only on God. With us the people are
responsible, ard in the case of trouble we throw
Ourselves back upon God and his word, aud the
elements Of our constitution.
WHAT WOULD BE THE EEFEcT OF An OVERTHROW OF
THE GOVERNMENT
suppose our general government 80 perverted
that revolution becomes necessary-what then
IL takes virtue 10 make revolution, but God C IN
hrln Do ya til M
because we have revolution? By no means; but
we merely bring back our government to it, original
elements, and " even our State governments failed
Us thousand governments would spring up, as Of
old, in our town meetings. As long conscienc e,
guided by the word Of God remains, our life and
liberty ore indestructible We are like that singular
production of mineral life, the polype; Gu, asunder
its body and every separate fragment grows into q
perfect whole; cut of the head and the boly sup
plies another; turn IL inside out, and not even then
Is its Law OF life suspended but speedily its vital
gans resume their proper sphere and processes. We
are like Millions angels, when the mountains were
throsn upon them, and IL was thought for q time
that their enemies had destroyed them; but they
were unconquerable, understandable, and speedl y as
sumed their celestial shape and power uninjured.
But without conscience towards God all is weakness
ruin and chaos.
RELIGION AID POLITICS NOT SAFELY TO TX sErA.
RATED.
The separation OF our statesmanship aud policy
from conscience, and ercusion Of religion from po
Mics is dth'ism and death. Nevertheless, this ex-
clusion is proclaimed, and we saw in the publ,
streets the inscription in flaming letters Of the party
and the Bible for heaven!' Aud this insulting de-
1acnoe and rct ction Of Gods authority do nos want
support even in the religious press and the pulpit.
Beyo nd question rapid change has been going on
In our system, under such teaching, favorable 10
universal despotism. Heretofore, the people have
been the sovereign, and have managed all things;
but nov the government, from being merely our
agent, are coming to be our master. They are ra-
few years more, and n will be accomplished, and
oespotism firmly in the saddle. Like the old man
Of the sea, In the story OF Sinbad the Sailor, wh)
begged on account OF extreme weakness, 20 be car
riod little while upon his shoulders, but once be
got his legs around Sinbsds neck he made him
his slave; so the government Of a free people ON
pretence Of too gret weakness, aud the necessity
OF the consolidation Of poser, get t. themselves a
tyrannic supremacy, and are enthroned upJn the
shoulders Of slaves.
ANOTHER swooP on rHx JUDGES.
The indications Of this change break out In
the recent decision OF the Judges, and esPe,
sophistry ON which IL Processes 70 be ground
cd. The Judge speaks of the black men
Of this country as not entitled by the constitution
to the blessings Of liberty 30 carefully conferred
upon the whites. Liberty conferred, forsOo'a-
conferred by the constitution, IL IL were a boon,
which we could not have possessed but by the per.
mission OF the constitution, and as II the constitu
nom some huge tyrant Of an age Of despotism and
darkness when the whole earth was under his feet,
and all mankind had 10 take the freedom 20 eat,
drink and Sleep 70 think speak and act only at the
gracious permission Of their owner. Who dare
speak in this wayl How glibly the language Of
despotlsm drops from the lips Of the Judge, when
sentencing the whole race to slavery. HoE easy
and natural The doctrines Of despotism sits with
him. Who could have spoken thus, with any just
conception Of our freedom and nghtsi To whom
does the constitution belong and what Is the const
tuition but simply the instrument Of our liberties, TO
carry our freedom into effect and 10 serve II as the
guardian Of rights and privileged Does the con.
stitution belong 10 the government and the judges
or do constitution, government and judges belong
to the peoplel In fine, our government IL under
going a most vital most disastrous, most terrible
change and the more terrible, for being steatby,
70 unperceived; a change from republican freedom
and simplicity 10 consolidated governmental weight
and tyranny from the sovereignty Of the people as
the owner Of the government, 70 the lordship Of
government as the owner Of the people.
The change is as sure as death, and
ranzation are visible, but the Facies Hippocratca