The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-05
THE OBSERVANCE OF THE DAY THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY.
THE SERMON OF THE CHAPLAIN OF CON-
GRESS.

GREss.
WAsHNGros, Jan. 4, 1851.
Fast day was generally observed according TO the
commentator of the President Tho closed
and the churches well attended All the sermons
were Of high Union character. There was q Union
prayer meeting in the han Of the House Of Representa-
tives in the afternoon.
The hall Of the House Of Representatives given MP
to-day 10 the religious exercises appropriate 70 the ma
tional Fast Day They under the management Of
Mr. Stockton the venerable Chaplain 70 the House,
sisted by two other ccrgymcn.
Mr.. Stockton preached the sermon. He commenced by
denying the statement in the Consultation, that he
partisan either in church State He but strove TO
improve the little Of life and strength left TO him BY
speaking for God and human conscience, and regarded
his position higher than that Of Chaplain, or President,
or any other position on Garth He then con-
trasted che condition Of the country now with its
condition Thanksgiving Day, two months ago. asri-
butpg the change TO crime and folly In no section OF
the GLOBE he said witnessed such scenes Of ngas
tude towards Cod dsparagement Of blessings, dshonor
of national and universal brotherhood intent madness Of
fanaticism and pride, as those which disgrace and
threaten TO destroy from 70 circumference this
American Union. Lift up thy hoary hairs thou aged
and Presdent-lit up your heads 70 Governors
O. all the s y oa iss I
blessing Let the distracted and dangerous condition Of
the country be brought into its former state Of harmony
and peace. Let tho Union Of the States be confirmed
Let panic nd distress subsde Let our aboring people
abound In work and wages Let the talse pride OF
restored. Let the horrors Of civil war be averted
Would any divide this Union let them make the Msss
spp hundred miles wide and thousand iathoms deep
an impossible line OF perpetual storms Let them turn the
and the Rocky Mountains East and West and
unite them in Missouri Compromise which cannot be
abolished. Here is a vast and varied world which Je
no, for thousands of years to be the crown
ing b, auty and glory and wonder OF oil time And must
Grasp thy bscken staff flag Of stars superseded and
dmhren by the pitiful palmetto Start from thy eyrie,
oeage Of mornings shake from thy pnions the dews
The night and reumc thy vision at the spendor OF tho
SUNRISE lest the ratesnake crawling up the cliff shall
steal thy sumbers and strike thee unawares. (Sen
mercifu TO u.s. And has it really to thisP Vacant
seats in the House. vacant seats in the Senate vacant
seats in the Cabinet designations IN the army, resigna-
tons in the navy, resignation in the confederacy Sc
cesson Convention secession ordinance, new oath Of
allegiance, Sabbath sessions, secret sessions Commits
from foreign State warike preparations seizure
of forts and arsenas Of government vessels OBJ
structons in the channel slaves throwing up earthwors
along the coasts reemen leaving home and camping out
on the wintry strand marching and countermarchng
instant readiness for bloodiest conflict How shall
account for this universal enthusiasm OF utter
madneesY Slavery The liberty of twenty six millions
mpered by the servitude Of four IL said that the
South loves slavery and that the North abhors IT. that
the South determined to maintain 1t forever and that
the North Is resolved to abolish 1t possible;
that liz irrcpressble c0nct that the States must
BIO all slave States or all free States the North
hates the South and the South hates the North and we
mutual enemies II 10 fase-a false-U terly false
In the Of God and man, pronounce essentially
and eternay false There is not there never was in
all the history OF the world people so welded into ono
living mass there Ia within the limits Of this
glorious and beautiful Union What do they, the South
States want2 Slavery IN the States? Let them have
IT, not because approve II, but because II ID there
throu The dental allotment Of the Divine Being,
wapts slavery in New MexicoP Let them try IL. II
they fail the a ia their own, not ours What do they
wan The enforcement Of the Fugitive Slave lawY That
is the duty Of tho general government. Let II be per-
formed What do they wantS The repeal OF the Per-
sonal Liberty bls II the States i'll advised in their
passage let them be repealed What do they wanG The
privilege of slave service in their current transport
through the landY Let them have without molesation
at their own inevitable risk. What do they wann Any
thing less than sacrifice Of principle conscience and
thing which God may command and humanity yeidY
Let them have 1t, and true love with IL, and our
prayers with love. Does all that sound like hateS
Pause, then ye States preparing , roI s Secs
lima, back to the circle Of honest and earnest
affection. Come back with Gods blessing. Come back
with the national glory Come back in peace Come back
before single drop Of blood shall be she'd Blessed be
buchanan, only for that thngthat he will
drop Of blood. II he cannot help IT, then let DO remem
bcred that the ruler beareth not the sword IN vain for he
is the minister OF Cod the revenger Of exact wrath on
him who doeth evil Let his skirts be clear. Let The
skirts Of the army and navy be clear Let the skirts OF
the still United States be clear.
Tho sermon was listened TO with marked attention,
and appeared to produce profound impression on the
audience among which, however, were to be found but
lew members OF Cnnsress.
The CHASTITY pallid face long snowy locks, and ENACT
ated frame of the chaplain calculated 70 convey
deep and lasting impression
The exercises were closed with the Doxology.