Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-08-30

llaw of my country, / am bound also by the
law of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in
which have the honor to be a standard
bearer. The Law alluded to is one of our
articles of religion, and is as follows:
1.-THE President, the Congress, the Gener-
lal Assemblies, the Governors, and the
i Councils of State, as the delegates of the
people, are the rulers Of the United States
/ of America, according to the division of
power made to them by the Constitution
| of the United States. and by the Constitu-
tons of their respective States. And the
said States are sovereign and Independent
nation, and ought not to be subject to any
foreign jurisdiction"
Asrespects civil affairs, we believe it the
duty of Christians, and especially of
Christian ministers, to be subject to the
supreme authority of the country, and to use
all lawful means to enjoin obedience to the
powers that be, and to conduct themselves
as peaceable and orderly citizens. From
this ecclesiastical law we deduce the fol-
lowing legitimate conclusions First, the
President and Congress of tho United
States are the supreme authority of this
nation, and the Governors and State Leg
islatures are subordinate. Second. that it
is the duty of all Christians, and especially
the Christian ministers, to be subject to the
powers that be.
This is not question of party politics.
but great question of personal and ma
tioual morality. What, then, is our duty
as citizens2 Plainly, to obey the laws and
Constitution of our country, and to sustain
the Government. Because God has COM
mauded it, and in keeping his command
ments thereis great reward. Because the
eyes of the world are upon us. We are
now testing the great doctrine of mans
capacity for self-goyernmen: forall coming
time. o, what theatre on which to dis
play the loftiest ambitionl To the rescue,
Americans, to the rescued Men of every
faith in religion and every creed in poll
tics, throw your minor differences to the
moles and bats aud rally to the flag OF
your country, not to su6jugate the South,
but to suhjugate the foul spirit of treason
and rebellion in our own State and in
every other State in the Union. The
down-trodden millions of the old world
are bound in sackcloth and ashes before
God pleading in prayer for your success,
while her despots are proclaiming with
triumph that the bubble of republication
in America has burst. Rally patriots aud
christians, and dash the hopes of despotism
to the ground forever, and demonstrate TO
the world that man is capable OF self-gov-
| eminent.
All the centuries since the morning stars
sang together, are looking down upon you.
And all the centuries in the unknown fn-
ture until the trump of God shall sound
the death knell of time, arc looking up Mt
you. The eyes of God, and angels, and
devils are upon you: let your motto be,
| Victory or deAthl To the members and
friends of Methodism whom God has
raised up in less than century from a
mere handful to the most numerous and in-
fuential church in the land, let me beseech
you for Gods sake, for the sake of our
common christianity, for the sake of what
God has wrought by us and for us in this
new world, rally to the rescue; and by
your prayers at the mercy seat of the great
High Priest, and by your influence with
men, stand by aud sustain the Constitution
and the Government of your country in
this hour of her peril. If any of you have
been misled from your loyalty to govern
meut that you know never injured you,
come back my erring brother to your allie
glance. To err is human, to forgive dl-
vine.
In conclusion of this article, already too
long, allow me TO say, that the time for
chi!d's play is past. Out of regard to our
own safety, and in mercy to the enemies of
the Government, from this time forth the
j AuWS lAuSb5OS GhAOLGGut Auu LlGuoOh hllO Ac-
bellion must be treated as crimes and pun
ished as such. The civil authority must
not hear the sword in vain. Let the plan
be adopted which suggested in former
communion: that is, require every seces-
sionist IN Wheeling and elsewhere, to sub
scribe an oath to sustain the recognized
/ government of Virginia and the Constitu-
ton of the United States rs the supreme
law of the land, or to leave the State in a
given time, and rebellion will disappear
forever. Without this there never can be
peace. Loyal citizens and traitors cannot
live together under the same government.
Either we mnst become traitors, or they
must become loyal, or one party or the
other must leave the State.
CoMMoN SENSE.
Wheeling, "a, Aug. %, 1861.
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