The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-08-27


the plan inaugurated by the Savior ever yet
been fully testedi Four thousand years of
the worlds history was developed under the
shadowy twilight Of prophecy before the sun
Of righteousness arose to dispel the dark
ness For centuries since his appearance
both the principles which he taught and the
practice which he exhibited have been de-
cided by the princes Of this world. This
name it is true has often been used before
the multitude with the utmost apparent re-
verence, not so much to sustain the princi-
Piles which he taught and practiced, as to
disguise Or conceal gross departure from
them or bitter opposition 10 them. Thous
ands seem to believe that Christ can make
world, can redeem a world, can destroy a
world, while they seem equally sure that il
is almost utterly absurd to hope, that the prin
ciples which he uniformly obeyed and
taught others to obey, can ever control the
political affairs Of the smallest fraction of the
earth's surface. 1t isa popular motto that
all is fair in politics. Men who would scorn
to misrepresent a matter in the relations of
social life, will boldly stand in the presence
of thousands of their fellow men and mis-
state plain fact Of political history for q
mere partlzan purpose, till it has become a
sort of general impression that an honest
man and especially a minister of the Gospel
can say or do nothing in reference to politi
cal affairs without degrading both himself
and Ills Office. Why il this so? The sun
which shines alike on the evil and the good
the rain which falls on the just and unjust,
the air which every oi,e must breathe are
all invigorating and purifying in their in
fuence, and must the public relations Of
man to man tend only to prostitution and
corruption 1t belongs to the men Of this
generation to rise in the full stature and
majesty Of their manhood, and declare that
/. shall not be so. The government under
which we live invites to this. It demands
of us this. 1t was made by man and for
man. 1t is not gracious gift to US from
Kings or Emperors or Priest or Polltiti s
or partizans of any kind whether in church
or State God gave to our fathers the man
hood to construct it in defiance Of the mar
row minded and selfish despotisuy of earth,
and we are Assem- bled to-day to praise him
that he has left US net without evidence,
that the sons of these sires have inherited
the manhood of their fathers, and are ready
to defend it against any alliance which treas
on at home may contemplate with tyranny
abroad. Men occupy proud position, un-
der government that stretches across a
continent from ocean to ocean, opening to
their enterprise millions of acres of virgin
soil and offering to each an equal influence
shaping its policy, while it claims no con-
troll over any not necessary 10 the common
prot"c'atol of all. Those willing to surren-
dei privileges so unlike any hitherto in pos
session of mankind must be either the vic.
tins of some strange deusion or accompli-
ccs in some plot of villiany not yet parallel
ed in human history. Never before has
man had an opportunity to commit a crime
80 great or to sink into depth ofinfamy so
measureless The first murderer did not
hear the walls Of centuries and ages ringing
in his ears when he lifted his arms against
his brother. No battles were ever fought
like those in our land No such issue ever
hung in suspense. No forces so utterly the
reverse in the object Of their conflict ever
before met face to face in deadly struggle
for the mastery.
Compare for moment these two forces.
On the one hand is Government made by
its subjects. for the benefit ofits subjects
and conferring no power on any OF its otfi
GERS except that which is designed for the
welfare ofits subjects. But more than this,
its subjects retain in their own hands the
right and duty to renew the terms Of Office
or change every one II their Legislative and
executive officers once at least in six years.
Their chief executive once every four years,
and those in one of the legislative branches
once in two years. the other once in six
years. This duty has ever been carefully
done, this privilege promptly claimed, with
out failure in single. instance for nearly
three quarters Of century. Eighteen
times the Chief Executive of the nation has
been selected by the sovereign act of the
masses, twelve time The Senate Chsmber
has been filled by the ; act Of the several
States and thirty-six times Representatives
of the people have been supplied to fiji the
vacant seats In the lower house In no
State. in no district. and in not solitary in.
stance have the people failed to discharge
their duty OF claim their privilege IN this
matter. Were they weary of their
governmenti Is there the slightest evil
derce that they ever contemplated for mo
ments dissolution! Does man fail to eat.
to walk or to breathe Of his own free will
He may fall by the blade of the assa ssin, but
he never plunges the weapon into his own
bosom unless strangely bewildered and de-
mentsd. IT is trae that politicians have
boasted again Of saUisg the Union, but it 10
not yet clsar that they have ever had, or
even now have the power to destroy it. On
the other hand wo meet to-day for the sole
purpose Of praising God that in his mercy
and his providencc, no has at last placed be
fore our eyes the scidsncs that they have no
such poseer. Who are these who instigate
and wage war against the Cover nment