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.

CRESS.
WAsHN0ros Jan. 4, 1851.
Fast day generally observed according TO the re-.
commentator of the President The closed
and the churches well attended All the sermons
were Of high Union character. There Union
prayer meeting in the han Of the House Of Representa-
tyes in the afternoon
The hall the House Of Representatives was given up
to-day the religious exercises appropriate TO the
tonal Fast Day They were under the management Of
Mr. Stockton the venerable Chaplain 70 the House,
sisted by two other ccrgymen.
Mr. Stockton preached the sermon. He commenced by
denying the statement in the Constitution, that he was
partisan either in church State He but srove 10
improve the little of life and strength left 10 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. at'r'
butipg the change crime and folly In no section Of
the globe he sd witnessed such scenes Of ngras
tude towards Cod dsparagcment Of blessings, dshouor
national and universal brotherhood intent madness OF
fanatcism and pride, those which disgrace and
threaten TO destroy from centre 10 circumference hs
American Union. Lift up thy hoary hairs thou aged
anxious Presdent-hft up your heads ye Governors
stand in the presence Of God and receive His
blessing Let the distracted and dangerous condition OF
and peace Let the Union Of the States be confirmed
Let nd distress subsde Let our ab0ring people
abound In work and wages Let the .aIse PRIDE on
opinion be removed Let friendship and good VIII BE-
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 fathoms deep
an impossible line Of perpetual Let them turn the
Aegh and the Rocky Mountains East and West and
unite them in Missouri Compromise which cannot DO
abolished. Here a vast and varied world which Je-
reserved for thousands Of years 10 be the crown
ing beauty and glory and wonder OF all time And must
such heritage this be sundered and destroyedY
Grasp thy bl ken eta flag stars, superseded and
dhoireu by the pitiful palmetto Start from thy eyre,
oeago the morning. shake from ny pnions me 1ews
sunrise lest the ratesnake crawling up the CHI shall
steal thy siumbers and strike thee unawarea (Sen-
sation and suppressed murmnrs OF applause 500 90
mercful TO us And has II really come TO this2 Vacant
seats in the House. vacant seats IN the Senate vacant
seats in the Cabinet designations IN the army res'gna
tiOns in the navy resignation in the confederacy &C.
cesson Convention secession ordinance, new oath or
allegiance Sabbath sessions, secret sessions Commits
from foreign State warke preparations seizure
Of forts and arsena seizure government vessels OBJ
suctions in the channel slaves throwing up earthwors
along the coasts reemen leaving home and camping out
on the winry strand marching and countermarchng In
instant readiness for bloOdiest conflict How shall
we account for this universal enthusiasm Of utter
madnessY Slavery The liberty OF twenty SIX miliona
mpered by the servtudc of four 1t rs said that the
South loves slavery and that the North abhors IT. that
the South determined to maintain It forever and that
the North resolved to abolish II as soon as p0ssibe
that is irrcpressble conflict that the States must
be oil States all free States; therefore, the North
are mutual enemies II Is fase-a false-utterly false
In the Of God and man, pronounce IL essentially
and eternaly false There is there never was in
all the history Of the world people SO welded into one
living there js within the limits OF TINS
glorious and beautiful Union What do they the South
ern States want2 Slavery the States? Let them have
1t, not because approve 1t, but because IT s there
through The dental allotment Of the Divine Being,
aud they alone are responsible for it. What do they
waGtf Slavery in New MexicOY Let them try IT, II
they a the fault Ia their own, not ours What do they
wauE The enforcement Of the Fugitive Slave awY That
is the duty Of the general government. Let II be per-
formed. What do they wantY The repeal OF the Per-
sona Liberty bls If the States were i'll advised IN their
passage let them be repealed What do they want9 The
privilege Of slave service in their current transport
through the land2 Let them have 1t without molestaton
at their inevitable risk. What do they wann Any
thing less than sacrifice Of principle, conscience and
thing which God may command and humanity yieidY
Let them have it, and our true love with II, and our
prayers with love. Does all that sound like hatey
Pause, then, ye States preparing Tor seces-
sion. Reconsider thy course, thou lonely state
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
James buchanan only for that one thngthat he will
drop Of blood II he help IT, then let II be remem
bcred that the ruler bSreth 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 he
skirts Of the army and navy be clear Let the skirts or
the still United States be clear.
The sermon was listened TO with marked attention,
and appeared to produce profound impression on the
audience among which, however, were TO DO found but
lew MON Ders OF Cnngress.
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