Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-06-09
Doctors of divinity Divided Upon the
War Question.
REV. DIR. rAlMrR's SERMON AT NEW ORLEANS.

Rev. DR.. Palmer, of New Orleans in address
| ing the Washington Artillery of that city, Just
previous to their departure for Virginia, said:
ut is fitting that religion herself should, with
gentle voice, whisper her benediction upon your
flag and your cause. Soldiers, history reads tC
US Of wsrs which have been baptized as holy:
but she enters upon her records none that is ho
| ler than this in which you have embarked -
| IL is war of defence against wicked and cruel
aggression; q war of civilization against ruth
less barbarism, which would dshonor the dark
ages; war ofreligion againsta blind and BLOODY
fanaticism. IL is war for your homes and
fresdes, for your wives and children, for the
land which the Lord has given us for heri
tage. Itis war for the maintenance of the
broadest principle for which q free people can
contend, the right OF self-government. Eighty
FIVE years ago, our fathers fought for the char
tered rights Of Euglishmen, that taxation and
representation are correlatiye. We, their sons,
contend to-day for the great American princi
pie, that all just government derives its powers
from the will Of the governed. s-'s..
Comprehending the import Of this great con.
troversy from the first, Virginia sought to stand
between the combatants, and pleaded for such
an adjustment as both the civilization and the
religion OF the age demanded When this be-
came hopeless, obeying the instincts of that
nature which has ever made her the Mother of
Statesmen and of States, she has opened her
broad bosom to the blows Of tyrant's hand.
Upon such theatre, with such en- issue pend
ing before such tribunal, we have no doubt of
the part which will be assigned you 70 play; and
when we hear the thunders Of your cannon echo.
ing from the mountain passes of Virginia, we
will understand that you mean, in the language
Of Cromwell at the Castle Of Drogheda, to cut
this war to the heart .s-l.
II only remains, soldiers, to invoke the bless
ing of God Almighty upon your honored fsg.
II waves in brave hands over the gallant de-
tenders Of holy cause, It will be found In
the thickest of the fight, and the principles
which 1t represents you will defend to the last
Of your breath and of your blood May vlcto
ry perch upon its staff In the hour Of battle,
and peace-an honorable peace-be wrapped
within its folds when you shall return"
LETTER FROM BISHOP POTTER, OF PENNSYLVANIA.
Bishop Potter, of Pennsylvania, has written
tke following letter, In reply to correspondent
In Alabama: o.7
% 's PHILADELPHIA, May I3, 1861.
My Dear Sir: You "beg me to explain how
II is possible that l could, under the circum-
stances, give 60 much sanction and encourage.
ment to those engaged in this unholy, unpro
voked, wanton attempt to destroy US, and all
that is dear TO u.s." sH af
Your misconception Is so radical that almost
despair Of correcting 1t. What you regard as
an "attempt to destroy you and oil that is dear
to you, is considered by us as simply an at
tempt TO defend ourselves and the capital Of our
country from threatened invasion, our Consti-
tuition from destruction, and our Southern bfeth.
rem from that which is the surest protection
nd thai. IA, -
From the secession Of South Caroline TO the
storming Of Fort Sumter, the General Govern,
ment remained all but passive. II then became
indispensable that we should know whether II
was government, whether it could retain Ia
hold on Washington. and whether the whole
system that Washington and his compeers iuaup,
| urated in 1888 was not delusion and impos-
ture. This, my dear sir, Is the whole story.
Your theory not only disregards your own obi
cations underthe Constitutions, but II leaves tc
us no Government, except In name-openinp
the door for perpetual dscord, and for secession
without end. -tai % g.iss rt- ~
] do not believe that at the North one man
In fifty desires an invasion of your soil, or the
destruction Of your social system. They sim
ply desire that you should not break up the
Union by your method of leaving l..,sat refer ali
subjects OF complaint to convention of all the
States, which will be competent either to re.
dress all grievances or to provide way In
which you cane retire from the Union without
dissolving the whele fabric Of our General Gov
ernment. sfl Es9htsd l.r.airg sil.e
Under the present exasperated state Of the
sections, II is impossible 10 say to what length
this conflict may 60. But i assure you that, in
the few lines above, you have the whole animus
Of the loyal States andof the Union men every.
where. Only the smallest number Of fanatics
think or talk of slavery. The whole question
ID one Of self defence, Of government or no 20.
vernmentgsl siaiai Y ours, sincerely, ldr
'e Hfo' n re"i'75s ALoEzo PorTKR.