The weekly Butte record., 1863-05-30
IFrom our Eastern Corrcsroadeatl
The Consumption Act and the Clerg,

The CONSUMPTION Act and the Clergy
Several papers Of the abolition STRIPE, iha
were luriouSiy aud uacond,lilnally Admius
tra,ion, especially after the procaEnalion
September 22d are begiuuing 10 see their wa
somewhat more darkly since the passage Of III
conscrip,ion act. Religious journals 100 VIII
all their love for the fat aud sleek slaveI
that they would turn over to pinching pend
ry, poverty and want, do not now SO piouslJ
express their unconditional devotion to th}
Administration. We are sorry to see this
If the Union can ooly be preserved through
proclamations and legislative acts Of the ADJ
miuistration, those who have assisted III urging
such measures. should not fater IN their 'loyal1
ty" now. Crowd them through! Adopt ,he|
glorious motto, rendered classical by the imi
mortal Brown. viz e Noqus et taum p Don'1
gig back after having crowded the adoption 81
these measures.
The Northwestern Church takes the follow
ing view of what we have heretofore considered
a very healthy provision, if not the redemption
feature of the coascription act:
The matter is such peculiar one that wei
DO not really see how We can pass it by with
out entering our protest as Christians andI
patriots. 1t seems the bill designs to makeI
every clergyman, in any name or in any posi-
tion, under forty FIVE years, liable to military
service. The old State laws, with scarce an|
exception, exempted them, The general Gov
ernnent proposes to make them shoulder Ghe|
musket and learn the exercise. Il is the onlyI
instance on record where a civilized countryl
ever attempted to make the ministers of re-
igion do military duty. We believe that mol
heather nation even ever forced the priests of
its religion into the ranks Of lis armies. This
fact is startling, and suggests reflection. That
il has been left for the United States. in the|
year of grace 1868. to compel the ministers of
its Christian people to bear arms, and dye
their hands in blood-to leave the altar and
the pulpit, aud the instruction of the young,
and the comforting Of the sick, and the buryug
of the dead, and all their sacred duties, TO
poise the rifle, and sway the sword, and
slaughter men this fact we say, is startling at
least. We are progressing, but whittier ?''
1t will be matter Of asionishmeut, If not of
delight, to many semi secessionists, to be thus
Informed by religious Journal, that Christi
ans and patriots may protest against any
measure the Administration may choose to
adopt. That they may even say that some
measures of the Administration exceed those
Of '' civilized governments, and have gone
farther than any " heathen nation even ever :"
has The paper from which the above article
is copied must certainly be " Copperhead,"
or a rebel sympathizar,' to speak thus against
the immaculate conception of au abolition
Administration. Uncyilized ,-exeeling the
heathen We are progressing, but whittier ?''
May it not be that ministers of religion have
brought the conscription upon themselves by
the introduction of politics into their pulpits
That they have done so as class, will not be
denied although there are undoubtedly, hon
orable individual exceptions. Having been
instrumental as a class in keeping up the
political agitation that resulted in war, why
should they not share the responsibility? "He
who takes the sword, shall perish By the
sword, saith the Scripture, and Providence
may have delivered the ministers over to con-
scrPtion, that the prophecy may be fulfilled.
Children were delivered over to be slaughtered
by bears, for crying out &" bald head " to a
prophet and how can ministers, who have
done so much, on both sides to iuaugurate
civil war, except to escape? Do they expect
to disobey Divine law, and trust to Congress
to relieve them from all responsibility They
should not say to the Government with refe-
renee to the war, go up old Bald-bead," and
expect the draft will leave them behind Pos.
sibly it might were bears as numerous as in
former age.
Now we do not think the Government has
excelled all civilized as well as heather govern
ments, in adopting this provision. This is a
gigantic rebellion. The policy adopted for the
prosecution of the war, requires great sacrifices.
The rebellion must be put down by the strong
military power, if it requires every man and
every dollar in the Union States. Christians
and patriots should not protest against
stringent measures now-they have clamored
for them too long. The true Christian ought
to be brave soldier, in fighting for his reli
gious belief, which be has rgidly carried into
politics.
For the benefit and enlightenment of the
Northwestern Church, we prod1ce the follow.
ing as au instance, where another government
has held the ministers Of the religion of its
people, responsible as other men,
Pedro the First. the eighth king of Portu-
gal, distinguished his reign by a steady and
impartial administration of justice, and by his
h..