Smyrna times., 1863-01-22

sOlemnity If felt that we were the guilty
parties in this strife, and that upon our
beSds rested the sin Of enormous blood
guiitiness, | should feel rather impeled to
cry IN sackcoth and ashes for mercy. than
to offer the sacrifice Of praise. While in
deed there are public and private iniquitics
tnat C:.iI iOr repentance and humiliation, and
have not been back ward in reminding you
OF them, i'll the question Immediately at is
sue hrtween the loyal and the revolving
States, | hesitate not TO affirm that the JUS
tice OF our cause is clear and bright ms the
sun in the heavens The Government and
those who sustain it are contcndng for the
most sacred principles and the dearest social
rights tor the majesty Of law, for that le-
! gltimafe authority which is the ordinance
OF God, for the right Of a majority Of the
! people to elect in Il constitutional manner
! their own rulers, and for the duty of rulers
to regard their oath of Office, resist spdi-
ton, hold the public property, and extend
/ protection to their own oppressed and per-
secuted citizens. Not a single intraction Of
their constitutional rights by the National
Government could be produced by those
who took up arms and unsheathed the sword.
! 1t grievances had existed, there were peace
able modes Of redress But there were
nome that could be alleged against the duly
chosen authorities And these authorities
must either see their country dsmeabered
and ruined, its flag grossly inSultel, its Cit
z"ns wronged, imprisoned and compelled
by terror to ahiure their native alleoiaace,
must submit TO = movement OF llsintcgr;,-
tion and insubordination to which no limit
could be set or they must exert the pow
er with Which they had been c!trustr,l
Armed rebellion must be resisted. rirh'fil
authority asserted, and the integrity Of the
| nation maintained against fraud and force.
menace aud violence. When under such
circumstances, battle is joined, it is on the
one side tho exercise Of lawful rule-for
the worG OF God hath said the Magistrate,
lie huareth not the sword in vain" On
the other side it is war, and war Of the
most unlustitahle character. causcles, ar
greSsive, insurectionary and sclitious.
It We should 90 deeper into the moving
causes Of this rebellion We should find
still more conclusive proof of the JUS
tee OF our quarrel. This do not propose
to do he Q, but l will merely say that if in
the providence of the Almighty, ihe issue
0fthra struggle shall be the end OF an insti-
tuition which has borne these pernicious
and baletul fruits, the fountain of these bit
ter streams, the one great source If strife
among those whom so many bonds and
Interests conspire to draw together Of that
which has been our reproach among the
nations OF the civilized world tue glaring
contradiction 10 our boasts Of liberty. the
blot upon our Christianity if such shall be
The issue. then do believe there will be
praise among the angels Of God and Joy in
heaven.
| cannot boubt then on which side ofthis
contest is holy God. We make our al
peal without a shadow of misgiving to the
Judge of all earth, to him who is no respect
or Of persons, to Him vino hath ordained
, the magistrate as His minister for good, 10
Him who is. the protector ofthe helpless and
oppressed, to Him who has represented the
shedding Of innocent blood as so foul aud
gricvous sin.
For the vast numbers of our misguided
and deceived tellow-countrymen who are
filling the ranks of the rebellion, and mani
s TESTING courage and endurance worthy OF
= better cause, we should entertain nought
: but kindly feeling. Many Of them arc re-
2 luctantly, many Of them under strong de.
= lusion, enlisted in the strife. The Lord
: hasten the time when we may meet in fra
t tc"nal embrace, and renew old bonds o.
e friendship and BROTHERHOOD My tears arC
e ready to flow, over their desolated hearth,
0 and ravaged fields. But no words Of con
, demnation are too severe for the ring-lead
trS OF this revolt for the arch conspirators
: and midnight plottors who abused the pow
: er cOnfided to them by an unsuspctinr
t generous people, to undermine the founda
n tiOns OF the State and subvert their cherish
t Cd institutions for the intiamitorv writer.
v who applied the torch to kindle this cOnfla
II grafton {; ave, and the ordained ministers @
e the gospel Of Jesus Christ, who have al
4 tempted TO sanctify this enormous Grim,
against humanity and God, and who have
h made the Christian pulpit the apologst fol
s treason. Upon such men charge the Cuii
2 OF this terrible warfare and all the misery
that flows from it. Let them answer a.
8 they can for all this havoc, for murdered
men, widowed wives, bereayed parents. or
phaned children, and souls sent unpreparcc
, to their account, for the weeping and wall
o ing that resouud in SD many once happy
hsmes. andfor theiuhaming Of the worst pas
. sons Of the humanheart SO widely and Sc
y I1iercely. '""4 b 80.
;, fit were his will that the nation should
/ goydown in this struggle, let her go dowr
h rs the C0mberhtad did, with the flag Of right
aud freedom flying ut the masthead. But
> she will NOT go down. Ile'who hath don,
L such great things in times past will not for
I sake us now He who hath permitted the
} flames to kindle, is able to quench them
Q Whatever events betide, we will not let &C
q our trust in our Omnipotent Protector
= However spreading the oonhagration and
y spreading the heat, let us "glorify the
Lord in the fires" And, grateful for oul
e own merciful preservation, let our hearts and
i hands be freely open to relieve the suffering
+ md to succor the destitute. BLESSED j.
: he that considereth the poor the Lord shal
# deliver him in time oftro6ble." -
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