Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-12-10
CORRESP ONDENCE or THE VERMONT
pH1NLX
Lecture by the Hon. Thomas Ccrw in--Ob bee
diencc to md respect for Inv.

PHGNLX.
Lecture by the Hon. Thomas Ccrw in--O bee
diencc TO and respect for Inv.
BROOKLYN, N. Y, Dec. I'd, 1850
Mr.. Editor: We had the pleasure last night
of listening to lecture from Mr. Corwin of Ohio.
His discourse was delivered to an uppreciatve
audience in Westminster Church, South Brook
Ign. 1t was upon the subject of "7he Chris
tim Caisen"-the duties which he owes the
state in these modern days.
1t was intimated by the lecturer that if cti-
2cnshp is taken away by our Supreme Court
from the negro, then the negro cannot commit
the crimes Of treason or rebellion lie may be
shot like mad dog, it is true, for non-compli-
ance with his masters will, and as dangerous to
the rights and interests of the community but
he cannot reasonably be punished for any act
committed against the state.
Mr. Corwin did not approve in any way with
the foray made by John Brown upon Harpcr's
Ferry. lie is for sustaining law, as of divine
origin, on all occasions-and without going to
the previous question.
lie traced the history of law from that day
when from amidst the thunder-sp lintered crags
of Sinai it was handed down to party of run
away s.aves,--from the days of the Cumaen
Sibyl-from the times when Copitoine love
extended the laws of the TWELVE TABLES over
the Roman world-from the most ancient times,
in short, whether in Asia, Europe or Africa
he traced out law as of divine origin, recognize
cd and obcycd as such by all the peoples to
whom it was sent. The law that thou shalt
"honor thy Father and Mother that thy days
may be long in the land which the Lord God
giveih thee" was obcyed throughout the East
because it was evidently law from Heaven, as
maintained in the literal ful6llment of the prom
Use to all who obeyed it.
From law in ancient times, which, though re-
cognizcd as divine, was still hedged in with
pixies and lances, he proceeded to show the ne
ccssity Of obedience to law at the present day
from motives Of reason and argument alone
because, simply, law with us is not hcdged in
by the bayonct-that previous question of kings
We should obey that phase of law witch is OK
pressed in the words of doing INTO others as ire
Nhhtu Nhtf ufW 40 uihb us, III Il lllulllltI Nul-
thy of It's dignity, and its freedom from all the
old sanctions of military force. We should
obey it because while it is divine it appeals
solely to our reason and sense of right.
But he reco.led from that phase of "human
reason" which ignored the divinity of law and,
during the first French Revolution tied the BIZ
BILE to the Asses tail while a woman in all her
simplicity of crime and folly, was borne in ,ri-
umph as the goddess of reason. In few brief
words the lecturer described the madness and
crime of the French Revolution as a result of
the ignoring of the dirinhy Of lar, and the
necessity to its obedience on that ground. In
this part of his discourse the lecturer was as
cogent as DE Ia HopDE himself, following out
the footsteps of inidel France through the ig-
noring of divinity in .aw-through all its an
archical consequences, down to the last inevita-
Bile degree Of an iron despotsm. The people
Of the United States must shun the example Of
France, and obey law because it is law, or the
same fate that has ovtrtaken this democratic
France is in reserve for themselves.
We need not say thai the lecturer was listen
ed TO with great interes,. The thunder of APP
plause often responded % the electrical effect of
his eloquence. 1t was gratifying to good and
true men, like these generally of Brooklyn, to
see great talent combined with great goodness
of heart as it is in the person OF the speaker
taking alarm at the democratic masses of the
present day, upon our urarmed law and author
ity. We have gone on since our own revolu-
ton OF happy termination, giving political pow
er not only to our own citizens but to every
body else but Africans, until at last law seems
Invested of its authority and is forced to bow
to that poicer which sways to and fro, borne as
it were upon the shoulders Of the incorporate
and exulting masses.
1t is evident that the free States of the I'm
ion with whom reside the true wealth and pow
er of the country, have other duties to perform
besides the setting of limits to slavery. They
have TO bring about wholesome respect for
law and order This is slow work, and as
difficult ii is slow for it were almost as fea-
sble to divert the tippler from his glass and re-
store him to fondness for pure water, as to
turn taste once depraved by politics TO a high
er and more wholesome order of entertainment
Amidst the wreck of the Republic of Rome
how many glorious minds were there not, like
those Of a Cicero and Virgil, who strove in
vain to break if not to arrest her fall Yet the
greater the task, the more glorious the effort
and the success Truly Yours, j. wP