Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-10-01

ioss Du! the God of israel was with the
nhd oy ms blessing they made it the ga
uen vi clYlllzatlon, religion and liberty
m that they endured for Christ's sake and Il
the welfare of the millions who were vet to be
aIi tnelr heroic deeds anl brave words an
maflyrloms without outward expressions-a
'hese thlngs have long since passed into histor,
II CHARACTER OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE REPUBLIC
, Never, verify believe, since the apostolic day,
nave any such stalwart, christian heroes lived i
our world, They had their faults, as all me
nave, but God loved them and he led them in III
whuerness, and they caught their inspiration
from his word and tried honestly, so to live as Il
Please him. Through all the century and hal
ol our colonial and revolutionary history, the
men VINO chleiiy controlled the affairs both Of the
Ihurch and State were, mainly, simple-hearted
God-fearing men, who were not ashamed; bui
eontrarlWise, counted il an honor to acknowledge
uod alike 10 the house of prayer and the hall.
oi leglsation Many of them, giants in intellect
were poor in the treasures of this world but rich
III talth aud iucoiruptble iu their honor and in.
'esrlty And how did merciful God rock
US IN the cradle OF our national infancy Pro-
bably no men in the world ever understood bett or
tnaii the founders Of this Republic, the sacred
and inalienable rights of man. Their trials and
lhelr studies emphatically attempered by their
! profound knowledge of Coils word. had TO n
very high degree, prepared them to deal with all
these grave and vital questions pertaining to
human governments. They were well read in
such works as Hampton, Sydney, Milton Har-
rluglon anu Locke. They knew of what stHlf
constitutions, laws and governments are made.
Ihe common people were as well yersed in the
principles of law, civil and religious liberty, as
ihe majority of our modern statesmen As
ltIi h. declared in the British Parliament 6tbey
auBur mlsgoVernment ut n distance and snuff the
approach OF tyranny in every tainted breeze"
GoD's POWER. VISIBLE.
But, to form these various elements into one
compact whole, TO temper these opposites of
= liberty and restraint" thus forming free and
wholesome government, required divine direc-
ton, and we believe our fathers had it, If ever
uod specially presided over any deliberatiye
body OF statesmen, we believe it was the con.
venieni with Washington at its head, that framed
the Constitution of these United States. They
then formed n government which for nearly
lour-score years has been telling its story to the
world.
Of the merits of this government l need not
speak at length. 1t is enough to say that under
its protection we have enjoyed more thnn any
people of whom history gives us any knowledge.
Our course has been one of almost unlnterrupted
prosperity. Religious opinions have been, not
simply tolerated, but protected, and the Church |
OF Christ has fiourished MS the garden of the |
Lord. The men who planned this government
were men of lnrge and liberal views and culture.
Ihey knew they were doing Il work not simply
for day or an age, but for all time and genera
lions and their reverence for the Divine Being
md respect for his government led them to con-
form their action to his will. And so they LETT
US 2 goodly heritage, purchased with much suf-
eriug, self DENIAL treasure aud blood, but worth
al it cost.
NATIONAL F0nGETFULEEss OF GOD.
But we have been rccreant and tebellious
leople, Early in our independent national career
sc began to forget Him who had led us through
he Red Sea Of revolution and the wilderness
't confederation, and cast oil the restraints
o. christianity. 1t were impossible to specify all
The sins which lie at our doors as u people. As
we have been the most favored and prosperous
nation of modern times, on this very account
we have been the most sinful, nnd where much
las been required, we have rendered little.
In speaking of tue leading sins of our nation.
4 which we need to repent, aud for which we
hou'd humble ourselves this day, may mention
moug others
Il } We began early to depart from those !
lgh religious principles which were the glory c
our fathers. ln the golden period Of the Re !
ublic, II was thought an honor that this was n [
tFisfIda ndti0Hi that it was founded in PRAYER {
nd had the word of God as its chief corner-
lone The reverend legislator felt that he did l
lmselt honor above all earthly digni5ies when u
e honOred God in the seats of Justice, aud the 3
lace Of legislation. While it would be a reyr- I
lIloiN indeed, far transcending the ordinary =
'nge OF second causes, that should entirely =
weep away christianity from our nation, never '
ieess, we have been yielding our claim to the d
anne of II christian nation and relaxing ourhold G
pom tue everlasting covenant" The word of "
OF has not held its high place in the hearts of a
lr rulers and legislators, and we have been !.
lined to see growing disregard for the chris. u
an religion among the controlling minds of the
'tion. Indeed, it has been growing more and u
ore unpopular for politician or a statesman Il
be n christian. We as u people have been b
,tting ashamed of our religious origin, aud ig. Il
ming the legitimate obligations growing out Of b
lch u history. And must not such course be b
iensive to God2 "
NATIONAL PRIDE. y =
(2.) We have been characterized by national +,
ide. Perhaps no nation has ever been so proud n
I'd hoastful and self-reliant and vain-glorious !,
this nation. 1t has shown itself in great ii
ricty OF ways and on almost every ocoasion- Il
Q have been proud of our origin and OF our d
putation. We have boosted of our extent Of a
rritory; of our military proves on sea and land; NJ
our large liberty and benevolence; of our rapid q,
ogress and uneXampled prosperity of our
,ath and our wisdom; and not least, we have
oxen with vain and thoughtless confidence of
r marvellous and "mauifest destiny" Our as
dly forefathers did not So They acknow. &c
iged the Divine hand in leading them by the US
W. and felt that their strength and beauty, fe
cir power and perpetuity, hung upon the I'll
vine will, But we, their degenerate sons, NJ
We been hoastful, vain and proud. e,
IMMORTALITY OF THE NATION. OF
(3.) National immortality has been increasing h,
an alarming extent in our land. The evidence | m
this is so bald and universal as to compel the lel
anil Of sl.a 4 |
'st shockingly abused in the high as well as lb
} low places Of our nation. This is the more biz
mlnal ior the reason, that we have been SO an
ifOrmly hcdged around with christian inhu- be
,es. do not say that we are the most I'M "a,
raj nation on earth, but l believe immortality wi
our national legislation and political action
) Increased more rapidly for the last quarter
II century, than in any nation of past or
,sent times. l refer TO the corruption of the on
ht of outrage; the use of money in popular us
ctions for the purchase of votes the buying sn
selling of offices; the system of lobbying un
notorious, that buys up whole legislatures, Ca
controls entire States bribery in the places IN
justice the control of the ballOt-box.by mere an
ysicnl or brute force, so that penceable citi- ov
rs are often kept from voting through fear of VIII
'sonal violence the putting of corrupt and aui
ompeteut men into responsible offices for mere all
itical, pecuniary or party ends. All these hei
ngs have been done openly, and to an extent nee
'iecty appalling to those who were solictous UNI
the safety of the Republic. More than this, un
fierce and malignant party spirit that for rel
irs has been increasing in the land, has been =
grievous wrong and imlnOrality, gradually
cling the love of party ms superior to the love
country, and eating out the very heart Of
riotism itself Look at the enormous frauds citi
cticed under the principle that tto the party say
power belong the spols" Millions have an tho
lily been flched from our National and State and