The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-05

first Of all visitation Of Providence for manifold sins
Of which people have been guilty. They come,
however, in the form Of Judgment threatened rather
than already inflicted. We suffering rather from
the apprehension than from the infection Of evil and
there s therefore, abundant opportunity for tho
else Of hope and for every effort which looks towards
honorable and righteous settlement Of the great
issues at stake II Is eminenty fitting at such tme
when dark clouds are lowering the horizon and
terrific fury just ready TO BURST when the
spectral hand ia stretched FORTH about to write upon
walls "Asse, nsene teke apharsin'-that should
humble ourselves before God and find out what
do that the work Of the destroyer may be stayed
the fabric Of national prosperity and peace s over
whelmed with ruin am full of hope 10 the final re-
suit because cannot believe that this nation will dis
own the high destiny set before IL by Cod but believe
that we have come 70 crisis which Is 10 determine
future career and that the test about TO be applied 10
US which our Saviour gives In the words which have
read and that II we will not assume more decidedly
the character Of Christian acknowledging peace and
truth and righteousness Kingdom Cod with the "a
onal freedom and high civilization which are its effects
will be taken from and given unto "naton bringing
forth the fruits thereof" We have enough OF those sins
which common TO humanity, God knows, to repent
OF this day, and trust that win 60 from this
place. where have used such solemn language Of penn
tence and confession, without feeling the burden Of sin
and the precousness Of forgiveness But at this time
when fato great and united people may BIO trem
bling in tho balance wish you 10 consider with decp
sonse each of YOU of your individual responsibility
some of the moral hndrances to destiny a Chris
tian nation. There is very prevalent in this
country q false and unchristian view Of tho very
origin, nature and object Of civil government itself
The administration OF government In any country must
depend the idea which Is entertained Of its NATURE
and the objects is designed to subserve All the views
which held this subject resolve themselves finally
into the other Of two theories Of the origin Of civil
One of these theories maintains the human,
and the other tho Divine origin Of government and
according as one or the other Of these theories held
The theory Of the human origin Of society and gov
ernment maintained as mas been oy creek Atheists
famiariy known, perhaps, as the theory Of the
" social compact" II is briefly this that men
originally ASSOCIATED from each other and society did
exist; that the nconvenences OF such stste be-
coming APPARENT they came together invented language
and formed themselves into bodies polite Government,
therefore, no powers except those which result from
the giving up Of certain rights Of which each s nau
rally possessed It's objects are Of course, confined
washington says 70 the Of the bodies and
the goods OF men," The theory Of the Divine origin
society and cy S o1a simply t th
which is Of Divine institution. By means Of language
which was originally gift from God to man. there Is not
only the association OF individuals in family but the
association Of families in one society The family passes
by necessary law Of developement into the patriarch
ate the patriarchae the tribe and the tribe into
the nation. The whole development therefore, Is
much Of Divine origin tho primary institution The State
cct, therefore, which the State has to accomplish Is not
merely TO protect the and the property or men,
object unquestionaby is to train habits obedi
to law and TO exercise them in system Of proba
tion in which principles Of trah and Justice must be re-
Of violating them BIO suffered This Is universally the
method Of Gods government He calls men TO the per-
Torrance Of duty by experience othe evils to which duty
unperormcd will lead; and II is impossible that there
any Christian view Of society and government
In which this idea of the State great moral institu
prominent. The difficulties in the OF the
theory of social compact are manifold, and, in my
view, utterly insuperablo In the first place it has
no historical foundation. There no traces Of
primeval barbarism, in which men were dssoca-
ted each other Tho indications all the other
way and point q high state Of civilization charac-
terzng the earliest ages OF the world But not only are
there no traces such prmeva barbarism but there
are no whatever for such remarkable convention
Of barbarans this theory supposcs who under deep
Of the Of met together
invented language and established civil society In op
position all this the unmstakable teaching Of history
Is that there has been time since tho first family
existed when language and society have not existed also
II any faith be rcposed in philosophy and history,
have not invented civil society, but have found
themselves by the operation of natural laws already In
it, But the difficulties multiply when como to con
slider tho practical operation Of the theory And this
consideration wiz show .nat TINS ansoEy o. inc social
ment lies ut the foundation Of the troubles which we
present suffer For If this theory true there are no
obligations except those Of interest and convenience
which bind men to remain in civil society, much
loss any particular form Of it, under particular
government. The obligations TO remain in civil 80
Getty can be no greater than the original obligations
enter and higher obligations than convenience and
interest are recognized at all in connection with society
and government the supposton that social and civil
institutions have their origin merely In compact govern
ment has no rghtfu power to perpetuate It's own exist
venience interest Of any VINO are party IN It, And
those who are living under government might Justly
compact and may rghtfuy refuse to recognise its ob
cations This idea Of the mere human origin Of civil
government in social compact is sure TO work itself
out TO such results II is remarkable that the only ar
gument by which the right of secession on the part Of
I,so Untrr kp patn "A
upon the idea that the government Of this country
based upon compact between the several States of
which IL composed and therefore be dissolved by
dissolution Of compact Tho plain answer TO which
is that in that case not living under general GO
whereas the truth in the matter Is that tho old articles
OF confederation were abandoned and the constitution
ana % ny
inherent and naienable character Of government nav
ing the power TO perpetaate Its own existence inc
which 10 the only which Is phlosophcally and his
tcricaly true, places the matter IN clear
and satisfactory light. God has instituted civil
/ governmeht--not aud particular form Of II, but
the thing ITSELF and has given to IL rights and powers
which therefore delegated 10 by the governed
IL has the right Of capital punishment which could not
be derived from any delegation Of rights has tho
right and which il could not therefore, have derived
from individuals. And in the same way IL has right 70
necessary 10 that end which could not rightly do II il
had powers except those derived from mutual agoo
ment compact Men find themselves, by tho exercise
tneHS hoSicJ ahu uu'a' Bosun
mont They may by consent establish that form
OF government which they prefer but when once estab
shed enters upon tho possession OF rights and powers
which the government have not conferred upon IT, but
which 10 derives from the Most High Tho remedy
for any abuse Of these rights and powers the part
OF government Ia TO be sought, FIRST in constitutional
methods of redress these fail. and tho grievances
are such as radically TO undermine the prosperity and
happiness OF the governed, there may be, by common
consent dissolution Of tho existing relations. IL this
is mpracticabe and the government has ceased utterly
subserve the great objects for which establish
ed then the right Of revolution remains II the doc
tne Of the human origin Of government is true there
scarcely be such thing rebellion. Anybody and
vcrybody has right 10 dsown allegiance to govern
ment. But II government is OF Divine origin and has
rights and powers not delegated 10 u by the GO
verned then there Is such thing rebellion and u Is
crime OF the darkest dye against and God unless
every constitutional method Of redress has been
tery exhausted and the has become actually
and hopelessy hostile to the prosperity and happiness OF
those who under this necessity driven irresis
IDLY 10 rebel II Is enough TO stamp the theory OF the