The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1859-12-16
BEDFORD, PA, FRIDAY MORNING. DECEMBER 49, 1853


5 President. 1t became law. Every public OF
= ficer is bound to obey it. Every adopted citl
zen, is, by his solemn oath, made when he re
l ceived the rights and privileges of an American
S citizen, bound TO obey it, If the Constitution
is wrong, the people who made the Constitution
have the right and the power, acting through
! the legitimate means, TO alter 1t. II the Fugl-
5 tive Slave Law IS wrong, with the people rests
the law making power and thank Con, they
have the right, acting through their representa-
( tlves, to repeal that or any other law. But no
Individual man has right TO ignore that law
while il Is the law, you and and all the citi-
zsns of this country are bound by it. 1t, there
fore, we, as President, or judge, or lawyer, or
magistrate, or naturaized citizen, aid or abet,
Countenance or encourage, the violation OF that
law, or wink at its evasion, we are perluTed. l.
| defy mortal man to contradict this. 1t 1t be not
50, law is worthless, and an oath is bagate!Ie.
| Unless an oath is to have some solemnIty and
| obligation, unless the Constitution and the laws
ara to have some binding force, we may as
well throw up the game aud let all go.
| After these general PREDATORY remarks, now
take up that question of questions, ''Can this
Union be perpeuated 2" answer yes. BY
| what means then! BY taking the Boe for our
rule This as | have intmated, is the sheet
anchor OF our hope. Ifthis be faithfully watch
ed and guarded, the ship OF State need feaT no
peril. The WINDS may blow, the political sea
may rage, the wrathful waves may mount, the
political heavens may gather blacknes, the..llgh'-
Mugs may flash, and the thUnder-oos may be
dashed down, but tell YOU, my brethren, II
tbiS Bials be followed, strictly. pTayerially,
earnestly, no storm that earth or hell may raise:
no tempest that crowned heads or despotic sceP-
tres can invoke, viii ever throw oar ship upon
the lee shore or put out the light Of his Amerl-
can Uaion.
in considering the means by which this re-
public Is to be preserved, would remark, IN
the first place. that government is of Divine ap-
pointment. If we turn 10 the 18th chapter OF
the EnistIe 10 the Romans we shall fiRd this
I,que5tion definitely aud absolutely settled. We
there read ''Let every soul De subject unto
the higher powers" Uhe civil authorltles) 'H5r
! there IS 10 power bnt OF God the powers that
| be are ordained of Cod" God has appointed
civil government. l saytnot that God has given
| Us absolutely any peciic form Of government.
! / do say, fearlessly say, that the men who
| claim the Divine right OF kings, clam a right
WHICH God gave in HIS wrath. God did give a
| king 10 Israel, but God gave him in his wrath.
1 bat, aoweyes, is merely by the way
| In a government OF the people, the laws are
! Of their own selection. We are subject TO a
| Con>tilutlln ordained by ourselves. The for
nation Of that Constitution was an object OF
! long solicitude, TO wise heads and noble hearts.
! You remember that those large minded patriots
| in the Constitutional Convention expended upon
their task FIVE weeks Of anxious thought and
consultation, vel satisfactory issue seemed still
| Gar distant no daylight appeared TO break upon
| them. Then Franklin, Though he has been
! suspected of rather skeptical views on the sub
isct OF relgIon made his grand proPoslton.-
! He rose and said that the Convention had been
Ia3oring in the dark, trying TO get along alone :
he desired that they should get some light from
God, and proposed that prayer should be offered.
| The proposition was adopted; and if recotlect
right, in three days after that, the Constitution
ol the United States was completed and sign-
! ed.
The next point ! would notice is the duty
that all men owe 10 the Government.-Eve
citizen of our country, whether an otficial man
! or unofficial, whether native born or adopted,
owes allegiance to the Constitution and laws of
tie United States, as be does also to the Con-
sti,utlon and laws Of his respective State, and
to the municipal authorities. In this great
compact, as citizens, we are bound. Obedience
| TO the legal authorities is not mere matter Of
option. We may not say, 81 Will DO as
please: | will obey, or not ooey, as sui'S my
wishes or my convenience" You are bouhd1
! nv brethren The official man Is bound by bis
! oath: the adopted citizen is bound by MS OATH
| the native born citizen is bound by his Immuta-
| bic birthright.
| What are the teachings ofthe Bible as TO the
! dnty which all men owe TO the Government!
| The great teacher, the grand Reformer, the
mghty Missionary from the skies, who made
| Judea's hills resound with the eioquence o! his
sentiments and the divinity of his doctrine, was
on one occasion applied to by some persons who
! were anxious TO ensnare him. SIS 1t lawful
said they. ssio give tribute to CBsar?" Jesus was
| amenable to CRsar's laws. Had the son OF
God answered "no'' instantly the charge OF trea-
son would have been brought against him.
But he, knowing their hypocrisy, SAID unto
them, ssWby tempt ye me? Bring me penny,
that may see it, and they brought ii. And
he said unto them, stWhoSe is this image and
superscription2'' And they said unto him
ssCasar's." What then did Jesus say?" Did he |
say, "Never mind Caesar; Cesar is tyrant; his
laws are not worthy Of obedience; pay, or not
paw, then fight ?''-Dd Jesus say that! Not
word of it-''Jesus answering, SAID unto them,
"Render to Cesar the things that are Casaf's,
and TO God the things which age Gods.
In the teachings Of Jesus Christ, there Is,
YOU perceive, no interference with the civil IN !
stltutons of the land-no attempt 10 excite the /
people 10 riot or observation-disclosures says in ef-
fecl, "Go meet the claims Of the Government;
you may not like Il, but you are under il, and |
YOU are bound to it, t
The Constitution and laws Of this country |
are made by ourselves. Wemay not be en- |