Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-03-06
its usurped domain; and woe, woe to them
that confront their forward march!
PREACHERS AND POLITICS.

that confront their forward marcn!
PREACHERS AND POLITICS.
In the first place let US dispose Of one or
two fallacies, which have obtained lodgment
in the minds of many, and, 60 far, distort-
ed their view Of the present crisis. II tis not
unusual TO hear this war spoken Of as . mat
ter of politics as If we were in tho midst Of
q Presidential canvass, and to convert the
nation into armies, and the land into camps
and battle-felds, were legitimate and broth
srly modes Of settling controversies, dis
covered BY our happy people in the science
of self. government! This werd politics is q
favorite in this connection, with some preach
ers Of the Gospel, whose Southern sympa-
thies" shrink from declaring the whole
counsel of God" when it calls for preaching
divine truth as contained in the opening
verses Of the thirteenth ohaptsr Of
the Epistle to the Romans 70 en-
force from the pulpit allegiance to establish
ed government, as Bible duty, is, with
them, to preach politics" of which they
have a special, If not holy, horror. But
may not the modern preacher preach what
inspired Paul, of old time, wrote, and,
doubtless, preached, too? When Paul said,
'Let every soul be subject unto the higher
powers" he left on record Gods precept
on the subject Of allegiance, for the guidance
Of Christians to the end Of time. And he
adds this reason for the injunction There
is no power but Of God; the powers that be
are ordained of God" And he follows this
with the stern declaration: "Whosoever
therefore risisteth the power, resisteth the or
dinance Of God; and they that resist
shall receive to themselves damnation ;"
Plain words, at least to plain men, when
Paul was moved by inspiration to record as
q rule of Christian duty, but to inculcate
which, here and now, is to preach politics" :"
which, under present circumstances. is not
pleasant to disloyal earsl But, leaving the
ministry to square their action with their
own consciences and Holy Scripture, l
wholly reject the idea that the people of the
United States are at war over matter of
party politics, or politics of any kind. The
question is not how the Government shall
be carried on-which is the appf0prate field
Of politics-but whether the Constitution
and the Government shall be carried off by
turbid and raging food of revolt and trea-
son. The strife is not for the best mode of
keeping the Government uprigh. in its posi-
tion and action, but to keep it standing at
all. 1t is not war of rivalry between pa
trlots for the wisest and safest administra-
tion Of our national affairs-but struggle
life and death struggle--bctween disrup-
ton, anarchy, and dissolution on one sido,
and the Constitution, order, stability and
freedom on the other. And in the words
Of the great and lamented Douglas, uttered
almost as he descended to his tomb, "Thert
are only t,oo sides to this question. Euery man
must be for the United States or against It.
There csa be no neuhssls IN this ,oar; onl.
pdtriots-or traitors"
SLAVERY THE CAUSE OF THE REBRLLIoN-
THE INSTITUTION DOOMED.
With these two points disposed Of, let u.
proceed. In any review of the causes of
the rebellion it is proper to notice the griev
ances alleged by the South in defense of it
parricidal acts There is not time now, how
ever, to discuss them at large. On last ami
versary of our National Independence, il
addressing an assemblage of loyal citizens il
the interior of this State, l gave such at
tention as my ability enabled to the "De
claration ofthe Causes of Secession" pu
forth by the South Carolina Convention
(the only one proceeding from any Of tn
Seeded States, Qfwhich have knowledge,
and endeavored to demonstrate, as am no
without hopeI did, at least to loyal minds
that the matters therein paraded before tn
ii world WEI no more the causes of Secessio
than thew were the semblance of n ;nst;f;c,
tion Of the crime thew we're ;ntended I
yindicate. After = somewhat q,
! tended examination Of that documen1
! Il anneared that the whole srrav n
their complsints summed itself nm in tbes
three noints. / The elect;on afa Pres
dant of tbe limited States bv tba votes solel
8 of the nor. % .savehol,];n1 States. rcsnlt 4
l rectIy and desienedly produced by the Sout
I ;tself. 40 far as Southern action could mr.,
: duce IT, and planted "a the fulcrum Of III
: great lever which sbould beave the Soutl
0 arm States from their orbits, and inaururat
s the chaos whence should snrinp. mature
It and fnll armed. a Southern Confederac,
q The enactment. wears before. of person
n liberty laws in four Northern States. Il,
S stead Of fourteen as falsely alleged. \ concer1
/ inc which the South up to t6at time h,
e mada little or no complaint. and 2. N
d nosition assumed by the Republican mar
n IN favor of the exclusion of Slavery from ii
Territories. Concerning these allegation
IT i il needless that vour time be now furth
10 occunied thau to remark, that were tn,
lr the real causes of Secession. thew would q
is bibit the paltriest palliation ever offered ,
" the most stupendous of popular crimes, b
De Il is one of the most reyolting features
se South Carolina's dark dishoncr. that in ii
Al