Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-08-18

II
material elements under our control p
There are few who are willing to admit
that they do not believe in 3 0cd as su-
preme Ruler; yet, whore do find any
manifestation of that faith except as ex-
emplifed IN ths trite saying Of Oliver
Cromwell 10 his soldiers, which is too IA
miliar to require repeating, q Trust in
God" bat be sure that the army does the
work, is the practical philosophy Of those |
who profess most reliance on the suPremsl
We have fallen upon strange times-a re-
markable era. It has come unlocked for
by the greas mass, but there are many
who have foreseen it clearly for many
years. The magnitude Of the changes
coming upon the world are but imperfect
ly realized to-day, and will not be, only
IS they transpire. It Is better that it is
so. There has been so many wars, after
which the world Of mind and matter has
settled down to nearly the old state of
things, that we look for little more as a
result Of our present National struggle;
but whoever cOmprehends fully the princi-
pies involved must see that a more mo-
mentous end must come.
We profess to believe in God, but we set
him aside in the management Of human
affairs. What would We think Of man
who should attempt to build up a tree
from its elements, carbon, oxygen, and
Hydrogen, which he had collected in his
labrstory2 ? Why, We should say he vas
philosophical fool Observation has
taught that these elements combine in the
development of the vegetable structure
only under certain conditions governed by
natural laws. By following these indica-
tions, mon allies himself with God, and
the end is surely attained, and by no other
means. The same is true Of animal life,
and equally SO in national existence, and
lewiston from the organic law dwarfs or
destroys the life Of the subject in either
case. Man grows out Of organic life be-
low him, governments grow out of man.
We cannot deviate from natural laws, or
immutable principles, in the one case more
than Ia the other. We follow the indica-
/ tions of nature with some degree of acou-
racy in the development Of organic life,
but in the organization Of governments
we fail, because we put our trust in mate
rial elements of power alone.
Progress is a grinciple written in all ma
ture-ehlightened minds recognise it eve
rywhere. It is in the power Of man to
interpose obstacles to progress, but
he cannot destroy the principle, nor
prevent the ultimate end; for progress
is an impautable lsw-the right hand OF
God. In building up this Government, re-
lance has been placed in the material ell
ements Of power, and thus, when we had
become the strongest nation on earth we
broke asunder, simply because we had
deviated from natural principles, and its
organic life had thereby become impreg-
mated with fatal vices. The vital life
principle of the Republic had be3ome eX-
aausted through excesses from efforts for
personal aggrsndizement. The great end
of fgovernment-the good Of the pecple-had
been lost sight Of Our rulers have stood
in the way of the Divine aim. viz: the hu-
man progress, hence comes the revolution
How plainly these principles are exem-
ulifed in the management of the war
President Lincoln is intuitive, he reaches
principles by process it would be diff
eult TO explain, and feels that they are
, the power Of the Supreme and must and
will prevail but he often finds them op-
posed by the pondersble elements Of ma
terial power. Muscle, powder and iron
: are the only tangible elements OF power
some minds can discern, but they are the
least effective though essential When
man allies himself with true principles ht
) opens the way for the reception Of mora
mower. What he may then do is limited
only by the imperfections Of his being, fol
the power of God is manifest in him. Upon
this principle only can we account for the
? wonderful feats Of the heroes of history
} The germ treated in harmony with natur'
Al laws springs forth and becomes a grea
tree. The nations growth must be cult
vated upon the same principle or it mus
sooner or later fall to decay.
: We are struggling to-day for the reeov
e cry Of power, but to make that power per
, manent when acquired it must be uset
solely for human good. The whole race o
: political aspirants for selfish sggrandize
= ment must 20 by the board before we eve
have q permanent Republic, or one worth,
an enlightened people. No man is fit 70
a leader except that he possesses mora
# power over the people; mere brains wi
not suffice, however so much that articl
may be in demand lust now. Let such
is man 90 into the field and take from th
10 army only such as will Voluntarily 6
a With him, and he will accomplish mol
than with host divided amongst then
ID selves. Had we not been educated to est
g mate power in war by the weight Of meta
2 the philosophy Of this statement would |
a easily disoerned History gives many
lustrations of the fact. Whether we hay
y degenerated so far in materislism as to
b efficient in moral power requisite for U
t, restoration Of the Republic to the extent
In its old landmarks is yet to be decide
!. The rise and fall of nRtionalities develop
ie the human mind for the perception Of pri
IL ciples as certainly as the growth and d
cay Of vegetation refnes matter and fits
h. for more perfect organizations; thereto
!, to whatever extent we possibly may IA
h we may feel assured that greater nati'
tn will rise up again to bless humanity. Th
ir can however only be through the yieldil
s of material power to moral, by which
mean the Divine element In man.
10 C. D. G.
,r The Draft in New York,
= The crisis is at the door. The dra
: which Governor Seymour and his cl
have been so steadily resisting, cOmmenC
l. M