Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-11-29
THE SAFETY OF THE REPUBLIC
I'm THE
SUPREMACY OF THE LAW.
A DIS COU r. S T.
PREACHED by
REV. GEORGE f. WISWELL,
IN THE
CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,
OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE
On Thanksgiving Day. Thursday No
Yember 2Sth, 1861.

you expected end,"-Jer %; 7, II.
think it no vain and idle perversion of this
scripture 10 use it as setting forth tho essential
duties Of good citizen to his country, and the
sure reward of such fidelity.
My text takes us back to the time when 1siael
was in exile. Jeremiah being in Jerusalem pre-
pared letter and sent II by the hand OF Elasah
and Gemariah, containing certain rules and
principles, by which they were to regulate their
lives while residents of Persia. My text sums
up the substance of the prophets instructions,
anu also bright aud encouraging promise that
through all present atllictions and calamties
they should at last be brought Triumphant. -
lie counsels them to seek the welfare and pros
perity of the country, where they were to dwell
as the surest way to promote their own happi-
ness. Though to spend their lives in those Tar
off domin0ns, was not of their own choosing
yet as in the providence of God such was their
appointment, he bids them grid themselves for
faithful citizenship. This would not only be
right in itself, but along this road they should
travel at length to large success. Though for
the time the aspect OF things should be sombre
and forbidding they were assured that the divine
intentions towards them were not evil but enod
aud the bow of hope would one day flash out
clear and gorgeous, with bright colors, to pro
claim to them their triumph This great and
wide sea Of calamity, sored and angry. would be
cleft by the heavenly rod, and they should
march through ON dry ground, with streaming
banners and jubilant songs.
My friends, do we not in all this see much
analogous to our own history aud present case 2
Not attempting to press the analogy to its last
particulars may not this brief snatch of ancient
history be used as suggestive and appropriate
for our contemplation on this festive day SO |
Judge, and trust to improve it to our common
advantage.
We ourselves are not exile, but our fathers
were. Driven by honrse and chilling winds
across q wintry sea 10 inhospiiabe shores. NOT at
least without IL faint and glimmering hope that
civil and eccleeastical despOtism, woull same
dny be so modified, MS TO permit a retu n to
homes and hearts once so dear to them. vet
seeing no immediate prospect of such change.
they at once set about the christian work of Law.
ing broad aud deep the foundations OF a great
Republic. The principles OF patriotism thev
had so early learned at the fountain of wisdom.
they promptly and conscientiously made praet
cal on this soil, and we their Descendants dwell
in the grateful shade of that sacred tree Of
liberty and law, which they then planted
They sought the peace and prosperity of the
whole land and nation, and in this thew them
selves were prospered and blest. They received
from heaven the assurance of ultimate triuinrb.
aud that promise made to our fathers shall
surely be fulfilled to their children and their
children's children. But we are not tile stle,s
and passive recipients of such gteat fayor-.
simply communicated to be enjoyed We are
not to hold this grand possession,
lioardiug in mouldy p,rchueuts while our tender
Hprlta hee
The grasp VI that great impulse which drove be,
across the sea
The same work which they 80 brayely wrou,h,
is to be done over again, and the process to be
repeated, until despotism, and slavery, mud mis-
rule, shall find no more Il home on this brnad
and glorious belt between the Atlantic nnd Pa.
cifc seas. ltis us truly our high duty and priv.
| ilege to maintain the cause Of republican iber-
| " and religious freedom on this American CON
tluent, ms 1t was theirs TO establish it. And il
we prove recreant to this sacred trust. we shall
deserve to be reduced to vassaluge more priev-
Gus than they ever endured. Selfgoyernment
aud human liberty once guided by the fathers
found here amid the sounding aisles" of the
primitive forests, n congenial home. II we
help them to retain it unimpaired, uni stoutlv
refuse to let the title-deed pass into the hands of
despots and tyrants, then millions Of happy
ones, yet unborn, as they come forth to assume
their places on the active stage Of existence
shall tune atrcsh the sweet-toned Tyres Of iberty.
and as they march in one unending and grand
procession, they shall chant praises to our HESS
ed memory, and heap high their beatitudes
upon our heads. But if We act otherwise. and
allow this sceptre ot justice aud righteous lulc
to be wrenched from us by unhalluwud hands
If We, by default, permit liberty and law To he
violently driven from their sacred haupts. and
this fair domain to be trampled under foot nv
oppressors aud slaves then shall we dessyr, as
we shall surely haze the execration of countless
myrads, who as they come forth with howed
heads and fearful faces, shall vent their male.
lictions in mournful dirges upon our deyo,cd
heads.
Believe my words, this matter Of free reput-
lican government is legacy to us from those
brave aud honest old heroes, who being dend Va,
speak to us iu stern aud signfcunt nccenis
saying, keep that which we have committed to
thee-hold it sacredly in trust for mankind
We have then not only reputation to maintain.
but all our dearest personal Interests are linked
indissolublY with the destiny of this our conn.
try. ln the peace thereof shall we have peaee
Now it becomes a question Of grave aud solemn
import how and by what means we shall best
preserve and maiuta,n the liberty and integritv
Of this our country! We are 10 the lniist of
very great connections and changes. The win.
moving time is verify upon US The seals of
that mysterious volume OF divine providence arc
broken, and the march of events is with ranid
steps On this annual dag OF thanksgiving
there is not loyal American who does not feel
the pressure Of responsibility unknown 10 him
hitherto. There is not one who would not plad
ly hear the words of that mysterious messenger
beAlhu Auu hlfuteI hhNluk uulO him
faltering faith, "This is the way walk We in itlr
But my friends lot us be content to read only 90
fast as the scroll in the divine fingers shall he
unrolled. For direction and announcement let
me venture TO name some of The things we must
do;
/. We MUST MAINTAIN AND DEFEND THE
UNioS OF THESE STATES AT ALI HAZARDS
AND AT WHATEVER COST. Having identified
our interests MS individuals and ns citizens
vii h,
whole, we must with uuiatering steadinesa
continue in that course IL is not simntv |
our national greatness aud prowess that depend
upon unity, but it is our national life. Onr
geography has thus pronounced and from this
there is no appeal. No one who with unpreiu
diced eye looks over the mnp OF this country.
can fail to see that nature never iutebded 10
allow two republics to live in such unnatural
juXtaposition. For the existence of two kindred
governments there is no room, as there is no
necessity; and the existence of two or more dis
similar or opposite governments, is simply a
natural impossibility. Our motto has always been
"One people, One country, One government"
and as this motto has thus far proved apt and
adequate we may not safely suffer n change.
What the geography, natural history and physi-
cal resources of our country teach as to the
UNITY Of government, is also a philosophical
necessity. The ethnologist will tell you as much.
NO two governments of the same people or races
WIN no natural geographical lines of division
can ever holrish aud endure long side by side.
No such phenomenon presents itself on all the
pages Of history. But if there were ever peo. |
pie, who could thus p0aceably divide government
ana power, It IS surely not the Anglo Saxon
race. Aud of all the strange things in the his
tory of this curious world, the strangest and
most inexplicable would be, two co.eoual and
kindred governments, carried forward by such a
people next each other, with no bald, natural
dividing line between them. Bitter and eternal
warfare would be sure to mark the history of
any such vain attempt. We are also to remem- |
Der that these principles which would be found