Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-01-17

IRON the National Inteiiiesucef.

signalized by the delivery Of what ID
called an " Election Sermon" by d.
vine selected for that purpose, because
OF qualities which are deemed to benefit
him for the office Of rightly counscling
the rulers OF the State. And we have
generally observed that these discourses
are equally remarkable for their appro.
priateness and their ability, .uch Of
them as we can recall being at the fur
therest removed from the assumption
and dcclsmatory style too common
amonga class of clergymen who convert
the pupi. INTO the rostrum.
At the opening Of the Massachusetts
Legislature, on the 9TH instant, the
Election Sermon" was delivered by
the Rev. DIR. Walker. We have before
US only newspaper report Of some Of
the topics treated by the reverend
speaker, but even this 10 sufficient to
show that tn" enlogy passed upon it by
the Boston Daily Advertiser, is not
mi,piaeed when it says tht nobody
viii accuse him Of failing to appreciate
the full sign ticsnce of the issues involved
in the struggle in which the nation is
now engaged, nor Of taxing too dark
view OF the future. But, adds our con
temporary, he 10 nevertheless no, blind
ed to the distinct perception Of the orr
gin OF the distressing state OF things IN
shich the country is involved. While
the country has otherwise been gradu.
A. : MI IN ft,a
private virtues of the people, while We
have been enjoying an extraordinary
material prosperity, While III literature
and 10 art we present brighter page |
than 1t any former period of our history,
our polite. had become dcbased and
corrupted.
II Is IN this deporsble decay of public
siiiuc, aud not IN its outcropping symp-
toms. that DR.. w alker finds the deep
rooted seat OF the msadies which nov
aifiiet the State, and his remarks under
this head are ut once so forclbIe and so
Just that we quote their substance a. we
tod them reported in the columns Of
our Bost n contempory:
We take \ superficial view OF the
civil war ii We think to ascribe the
whole 10 slavery or anti.slayery. Either
this controversy would not have arisen,
or 1t would have been compsra,ivel,
harmless, ii the ties which once bound
Us firmly together as one people had
not been ro,ung awav for years under
he influence OF an unhealthy and dis
oval tone OF public sentiment.
While changes have thua been 90.
ny on 10 the public mind, changes
equally important nave been going on in $
he Government, or in the manner and !
pint in which it is administered all !
ending unhsppily in the same direction.
w hear great deaf said about restor-
ng - the Union as it was One is tempt
d to ask, as it was When 2 Since the
generation of its founders q new charac.
er has gradually been given to some OF
ur most cherished institutions. Wit :
ess the powers now assumed by our
conventions to determine every
hing in advance-,he pract ce of max
ne availability, not merit, the test Of
and'dateshlp, and the doctrine that the
poils belong to the victor. Adopted by
Il parties, these pra ctices are defended
y no enlightened member OF any party
kept, perhaps, as necessary evils; but,
necessary, why not from the begin
ing
+" how essentially n,i.Democratic
lese changes are is evident from the =,
ct that they take the conduct OF af.
'ifs almost entirely out of the hands OF II
lie people. To be sure, the forms Of a
&c suffrage are left us, and this suffrage
As been made universal but to what
'rpose If the whole is merely 10 sane 4,
Oh foregone conclusion agreed upon b.
sewbcre A printed list Of names is Al
'rnst upon me, which transfer to the 80
,llot box, with the rot very pleasing :
faltering consciousness that l am
led by somebody. know not whom.
{ some purpose. ! know not what
OF does the evil end here. Ii The Sc
over which is thus taken from the =
.ople were made over to the govern a
ent, what is lost,o Liberty might be
iined TO Order. But it 10 far other. -,
se. The power is made over TO a set
men working out Of sight, and under
} official resi- possibilities. Dat OF this
l,e OF thugs have grown the party =
ID sectlona! jealonsics and irritatiou. .
ch have had SO much TO do with our Or
tsent troubles. The unnatural and Ma
alienation Of he Southern w. +"
Ind must not be ascribed to spon,a. an
Gus movement OF the people, nor to
G legitimate working Of our ins,itu Al
'ns. II, Is The sccnrsed fruit of IRE.
oaslole, undergr und Vaccinations OF
G leaders Of the party. En-
" Nor Is this all. Our creates, men W
dssuaded from entering the fed OF um
ll'ics. We never had greater mcp 70
science, IN learning. or 10 ait: never on
eater lawyers, greater merchants. n,