Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-08-01

| u,
absolute nee cessity. No society can exist
without government Coercive government
is necessity arising out of the selfshness
and sinfulness of man. Yet even the sinless
are governed. God established Adam the
| Head of the visible creation, and subjected
he creatures to him. In Heayen where
there are none but holy angels, and the spi-
rits Of jus. men made Lerfecft," there is gov
principalities and powers" The
opposite of government is confusion and an
archy. Better submit to the most arbitrary
| government, than to be without any form OF
government at ALL The effects of the want
Of regular and established government, is
there was no king in Isreal. The leading
principle on which human governments are
established, is very simple and is easily dis
cerned First there are the advantages
derived from combination, whereby objects
are accomplished which individual Efforts
could not possibly attain: But to direct and
control multitude of definite objects, there
must be a Head supreme power must be
lodged somewhere. Secondly there must
be protection to individuals in their just lib.
critics and rights.
In an Ishmaelitish state of society there
can be no assured and permanent protection.
The strong would always oppress the weak.
T.. e ob - ~
is the combination of human society and the
establishment of settled system of govern
ment All men have natural rights, each
man independent of every other man. Some
of these rights are alienable, and some are in
alienable. Some of these natural rights he
yields up to society for the sake of govern-
meDt and protection 10 the enjoyment of
others. Every man has a right TO life, props
erty, and the pursuit of happiness. This
right, however, must be SO controlled and
regulated, that where all have equal rights,
one may not trospass upon, or interfere with
the rights of another. Inpart, at least, there
fore, each one has given the defense of these
rights to government. And this is the end of
government, so far as the people are con-
cerned. Whenever, therefore, government
manifestly fails in accomplishing, and more
especially when it perverts the ends for
which it was established, it may, and ought
to be changed.
2. This willappear more clearly if we re-
gard the end of civil government as implied
in the text.
The end of human government is fully in
timated in the Sd & 4th verses. " For ru-
lers are not terror to good works, but to
the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the
power do that which is good, and thou
shalt have praise of same. For he is the
minister Of God to thee for good. But if tn ou
do that which is evil, be afraid for be bear
eth not the sword in vain, for be is the min~
lister of God, a revenger to execnte wralh
upon him that doeth evil" Now if govs
ernment is terror to the good, and not
to :" the eviP'; if it encourages the transgres-
sor, and Expresses the orderly, honest, and
obe1ient subject of law then it may be
changed so far as to redress the evils, and
prevent their repetition. This may be done
sometimes by only changing the administra-
tors of the laws aud sometimes it is only
effected by radical change of the form Of
government itself. But any form of govern
meut may be perverted from its Legitimate
ends By wicked rulers. as to fail for the time
being in some of its objects. The occasional
and incidental failures in regard to any Of
the ends of civil government, is not therefore
justifcabIe reason for a change of the form
of government or the throwing off of allegi~
ance to the powers tha: lie.
Sd. But we have defined, as the end of civ
il government not only the protection and
happiness of the subject of government, but
also the glory of God. As civil government
is Gods ordinance, it is to be administered
with respect to his glory as tbs ultimate end
To establish this proposition, seems to me to
require very little reasoning. God hath made
all thiogs for his own glory, and he doeth a Il
things for his own glory. If the glory Of
God be the chief end of every man, and at ii
he should aim at all times, and in all things
then in the establishment of civil government
this end is not to be overlooked. Hence in
all christian governments laws are expected
to exist, and to be forced against infdelity,
Immortality, and irreligion, And, on the
contrary, protection and encouragement is to
be given to true religion and virtue. If this
be not so, then men in their associated Ca
pacity may cast off the restraints of Gods
law; which would be equivalent to syste-
matte subversion of the divine government.
On this principle are founded all those laws
which punish Sabbath desecration, profanity
and perjury. 1t is true, that motives of ex-
pediency and self-preservation may indicate
the necessity OF such moral civil code; but
the foundation of all such laws, is laid in the
obligation to regard the glory of God in our
corporate, as we'll as individual capacity.
4th. Perhaps it is scarcely necessary to
add, after what has already been said, that
the end Of government is to restrain and pun
isk the evil"
Government is a necessity and all co>er-