The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-11-25
n.rhe Lesson of the Hour

This is the thomo Of recent Lecture of
Wendell Phillips, at the Plymouth Church
in Brooklyn. The Lecture is highly class
ical and eloquent, and abounls in bold and
radical sentiments. We sivo one extract;
said tha, tho lesson Of the hour was in.
surrccton. ought not to apply that word
to John Brown Of Ossawntomic, Tor thcro
was TO msurrcclion in his case. 1t IS
great mistake to call him an iusurgcnt-
Tho rrincn,'o that hlVn cndrnyorCd so
brief, to opca to YOU of absolute light aud
vrpua states what : "rhcru is no Common.
wealth. no civil society, no government of
Virginia T. There is no such thing. Ne
government can exist. except on tho basis OF
impartial. equal submission ut all its ciij2oos
aud by the performance of the duty Of ren.
tering equal iusucc between man and man,
Everything that calls Itsui u GOSCrumCnG
and refuses that duty. or has not that assent.
Is no Government. II is only q uira,n snip.
Virginia, tho Commonwealth OF Virginia -
She is cnlv chronic iusurruc'ion. ! moan
cxrctlv what say. / am Weighing my
words now She is q pirate ship. aHd John
Brown sails the sea II Lord High Admiral o!
tho Almighty. with letters OF marquo and
rcprisal against every pirate that he meets
on Gods ocean of the uinc:ocnth century.
(Chccrs and opplausc) | mean literally
and exactly what say. In Gods World
there are no mainritiCs no ini@prltirs one
/ is n majority. You have often heard hero
/ doubtless. and | need not tell you The
/ ground of morals The rights OF one mar
| arc rs sacred rs those of the Commonwealth
Of Virginia. John Brown hHs twice rs much
/ right 10 hang Governor Wise as Governor
Wiso has to hang him (ChCcrs.} You see
/ | am taking of that absolute essence o
/ things that lives il tho sight of tho Etorna
and the Infinite: not rs as men judge it IN
the cribhcd morals oI tho nineteenth century
and tho hrri Of States that calls itself al
empire to traffic in cotton aud soil slaY"s.
We admire Mr.. Phillips oratory and hi'
devotion to the anti. slavery cause; yet VI
cannot think that much good will result
from tho PRONUNCIATION of such wild an,
lmpracticablo yiows as ho sometimes nd
yancos. Republican papers copying hi
Lecture upon tho Lesson Of the Hour,
owe il to themselves and their party, to re
puGiato the sentiment OF the above extract
Tho class of rcformCrs to Which ho belong
are SO far advanced in moral development
+, that they seem TO ignore everything bu
/ abgtract truth. If all mon were exact
what they should be, Mr.. Phillips thcor
D would work admirably; but in tho prcscr
2 imperfect state of things, it is quite mprat
iicaJlo aud visionary No government OF
tho face of the earth could stand tho test
his philosophy. Thero aro better govern
mcnts, it is truo, than tho government {
, the Slave State Of Virginia; yot wrong
to be found in them al, aud, therefore, az
Il corGng to Mr.. Phillips, they should all b
" swept away. While wo 1.-Two in practice
world, it will hardly do to despiso insti L
mcntNlitics, unworthy as they may appoa
in themselves; and, much MS VIC bate slavery
wo arc no. prepared to givo up civil gov
rrnmcnt entirely, until something bottc
, shall huvo boon proposed rs a substitute
. Moral truth is excellent and cannot be TO
highly valued; yot, so long rs there
@ work to be done, Instead of spending on
= breath in thanking God that va are M
y citizcOs, when in fact we arc, would 1t M
D. IA, we'll to ntt.mpt TO do it