Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-30

wroneiuluess. we're mainly the reasons OF IL abb
llton Against that, ia an early period, iona
thnn Eiwards bad protested. in vindieation OF
mOfe government: and 10 assert his Christian
liberty. bad bought slave Thoughtful men
we're NOT troubled by the thing iisef, but only BY
it, accidents. The philosophy Of sentiment and
romance hsd not then extensively inlectsd the
descendants OF the Purans. II exciusble indi
viduals among them had begun to feel the aura
OF the dawnng illuminism and cosmopolitan
Of that period. and consequently condemned
slavery By that criterion, even they were not re
gardless OF their pighted faith They saw no
jusffable remedy for the supposed evil, but IN
such amendments OF the Constitution are pro
vided for ia that instrument itself, or IN friendly
constitutional legislation. or the insensible intiu
ence of providential or moral causes, that could
not be reckoned or compelled beforehand. So il
stood-an integral part of the best social edihce
that bad ever been reared by man, and contFibut
ing. IN It's own constituted order, 10 an unexam
pied prosperity. So il stoOd-an occasion, In
deed. Of many wrongs and sufferings such as are
incident 10 earth, but also of invaluable and
otherwise impossible benefits 70 a degraded PEG
pie, thereby brought nearer TO the usages of civil
lied lie, and. in a. great proportion as our own
citizens into fellowship with the Church OF God
So is stood. I'LL generation arose that compre
hended none of these living realities that honored
not the God OF their fathers, and for his everlast
ing word OF natural and revealed religion. sub
sttuied higher law Among them were born
the Abolitonists, who now, officially,
pr enc over he land They were, ut first, a small
class of eculalive enthusiasts, intoxicated by
the airy pantheism of France and Germany,
which had covertly breathed its spirit into the
"glittering generaliiies" of the Declaration of
Independence, and by that instrument insehsby
infected the public mind They were men of no
mark or figure. inflated Missionaries, installing
their own fancies for another gospel which is not
another, destitute of all practical concern for
Church or State. and affecting only suppOsabe or
possible, underlined and indehnable interests of
humanity in general But they are ambitious,
insinuating resolved and reckless. Intent upon
an i'm ginary universal restitution, before God
appointed time. by sweeping processes of what
they called reform, without discrimination of
time. place. age, SEX race. capacity or condition,
and passionately heated at evils attending she
ordained relations Of social liie-eyils growing
not out of the relations themselves. but the bad
passions o. our common nature-the very pas
siOnS by which they were uncOnsciOusly inhamed:
they affected 10 restore society by first destroying
il, and, thenceforward. not by the renewal OF i'm
dividual minds according TO Christianity. bat by
political refOrmations and reconstructions accord
ing to their own speculative concei:s They rs
PRED TO 4 millennium, not OF grace but OF nature:
platonic, according to the impulses and sent
inents of the natural mind They put feeling
IN the place OF conscience. They substituted
manG for the God-man imaginary human
rights for revealed human duties; and the happ
ness Of the creature for the glory of the Creator
a happiness consisting not in n spiritual likeness
to God, the Scripture has described. but n the
multiplying agreeable sensations, according to
the baptized pagansm of sophisticated school
Il,.... - Il a
to restraints unnaturay laid by the family, the
State, the Church. for which they substituted
more refined free love, II self determined will,
AMI liberty 10 enjoy whatever God aud nature
had put into their hands Such, at least, was
the spirit and genius of the dolatry which at
length. embodied itself in the abolitionism of the
North, developing itself. however. variousy, nc
cording to the different temperaments, tastes,
mental and moral habits, or the associations and
other accidental pecuaritics of the individuals
who fell in its snare.
Great errors do not obtain currency and be
come effect. but as they are permitted TO have
reference to respectable authority. Unhappily
for the country, Abolitionists acquired that nd
vantage. For it was an illusion that gained, at
the same time. upon the benevolent seekers and
the infatuated dreamers of common salvation
and captvatcd, for "A time, some whom it could
not absolutely seduce or hopelessy destroy 1t
was so rs when. under a similar temptation in the
mother country. some such men rs Edmin Burke
aud Robert Hall were borne ON the deceitfu cur
rent OF false opinions till the roar of the rumbing
cataract awoke them, and they were hardly saved
by springing into the eddies or clinging 10 the
rocks. Forgetfu of the lessons Of history and
revelation. they were slow TO believe that n wis
dom which boosted such great things of superior
light and a heavenly charity. could be- after all
shallow and deusive They sympathized gener-
ousy or benevolently, with afflicted humanity,
ard the painted dream of universal emancipation
which played before their excited ttncies, seemed
realization of what belongs only to an age in the
dark, unrevealed futuritv of providence, 10 which
we have vet to pass amid scenes more terrible
than any of the antecedent revolutions through
which Jesus Christ has been advancing to His
throne of Judgment and of glory. So here; few
like Adams and Claiming, 10 say nothing of dis. |
tinguished living men. by we know hot what |
secret political or phiosophic basis, what vein of
morbid sentiment what blurred ethical or theo-
logical vision. by words whose meaning they did
not measure, by reasonings inconsistent with /
some OF their acknowle iged principles, and un.
worthy of their intellect and their fame gave
il not patronage, to the danger.
Gus idolatary.
Abolition became an institution, organic and |
and soul-a working power, repre-
sentative Of new type of moral and social WIS
iom, improved, comprehensive, philosophical
and destined TO prevail. As its CANDY sOphistry
took its natural, popular effect, it assumed to be
arrogant, insulting and encroaching Ii was en-
Vious Of Gods appointed orders the family. the
State, the Church-aDd SCRUBBED not to assail
heir blood cemeuted foundations IL labeled the
Constitution "league with death, and COW
anant with hell Ii set up its propag anda, IA
'embled its conventions, aud sent abroad its
gents. 1t became a subtle disputant cunning
daring reformer, fiery agitator
'iruent declamer. a malignant denouncer i'm
placable prosecutor. Gaining confidence as il
acquired ascendency over the simple the curious,
he fearful, the imaginative. the sentimental the
the passionate. it aspired popular
control and revolutionary distinction. But 20
hat end II must become religious. lie was ready
or the occasion. lt appealed accordingly to the
moral sense now jostled from its popularity Ii
ppealed to Scripture. now twisted by improved
'ersons. arbitrary criticisms and fantastic com
nentsries, from its literal, direct and scientific
meanings, till il was made as subservient and OBJ
'cure a. a Delphc oracle-the very Scripture
which il had before denounced as hostile 10 its
IDEAS. or had disparaged unworthy of compe
itiOn with its higher law. IL even clothed itself
n the robes OF sanctity and kept It's Sabbaths. 1t
assumed control, extensively. of the religious
'reSS. IL assembled the platform aud the pulpit
{ figured ut anniversaries liz dispensed, er ca
hedTd the OIacles of the new divinity, and i'm
'recated the wrath OF heaven upon all who re
used fealty and homage To the same end
lso il must be political Ii affected the well be
n of the State IL studied intrigue and inesSe