Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-05-27
uNPATRIoTIe THINGS.

1t is the duty of every man to love his coun-
try, and to exert himself for the welfare of his
country. The traitor has ever been the object
of the severest execrations of mankind, and
justly. As any one would shun the traitors
character and reputation, he should avoid doing
all unpatriotic things. Not even the wrongs
which the country may do may rightly estrange
the patriots love for her. They cannot cOnsti-
tute an excuse for a lack ofdevOtiOn to her well
fare. Some men have-as politicians-adOpted
the motto, my Country, right or wrong" If
this means that they will sustain and encOur-
age the country IN doing ,orong as well as in do
ing right, the motto is wrong. 1t is the privi-
lege and duty of every patriot to testify against
the wrong. But if the motto means that they
who adopt it will never desert the cOuntry's
cause, but will ever be faithful to her best in
terests, even though she often does wrong, ev-
cry man should adopt it. John Knox, the cele-
brated Presbyterian preacher and reformer, of
Scotland, believed it wrong that his country
was under the reign of a Queen. He thought
that woman had no right with the reins of
government. He said so on all proper Occas-
ions. When called to account for his words by
the Queen herself he reiterated his sentiments
with the utmost fearlessness But she had no
subject more faithful than that same John Knox.
He told her that she had no right or business on
the throne but that while she was there he
would be faithfully obedient. And he was so.
wrong committed by the country constitutes
no reason why one should be Indifferent to her
welfare or should rejoice in her calamities.
But there are many things which are mOtcom
monty considered unpatriotic, and yet are so,
/. e., if we consider the highest interest of the
nation. Such things as aiding our enemies,
hindering the efficiency of our armies, conspir-
ing to impede the operations of the government,
are recognized as treacherous. But these other
things are not SO recognized. They are not de-
signed to be treacherous. They are often done
by persons whose feelings and purposes are
thoroughly patriotic. And yet their influence
and tendency are always against the country S
welfare, both in time ofpeace and in time Ofwar.
The country as a whole can do itself great
harm in no other way SO effectually as by doing
wrong See, now, what unspeakable evils have
come upon us in consequence of the practice of
Yet this institution was not, at
first, thought to be unpatriotic. Many of our
patriots have been shareholders. But
they were participating in an evil which was
undermining ourprosperity, and tending to our
ruin every way. Their course was therefore
unpatriotic in this respect. And everything is
unpatriotic which tends to the destruction of
our welfare as people, or which undermines
the public virtue The true patriot needs to be
a man of the sternest virtue in all things.
But, take an example. Drunkenness is un-
patriotic. Suppose We were all drunkards?-
What would become of us as people? What do
the people say of drunken General on the bat
tie field? Suppose an army to be all drunk
when attacked by the enemy. Every one sees
at glance the magnitude of the peril. But if
it be right for one man to get drunk 1t Is right
for every man. Every man who indulges in
drunkenness does what he can to unit himself
for the duties that devolve upon him, A very
great proportion of the taxes which sober Peo-
pie are called upon to pay, grow directly or m
directly out of intemperance. The more drunk
enuess extends the more are we unfit for our du-
ties, and the greater harm do we do. Therefore
drunkenness is unpatriotic. We have law in
Ohio which forbids the opening of places for
the sale of intoxicating drinks on election days
Why is this? The people evidently feel that
drinking interferes with the purity of elections
and tends to disorder. l would be ashamed of
myself to be engaged in a business so danger
Gus to the public welfare that my government
would compel me to suspend it on election days.
The rum-seller and rum-drinker are, thus, so
far forth public foes against whom the govern
ment is compelled to defend itself. Now, say,
is not the whole traffic unpatriOtic?
Every vicious thing is unpatriotic. Profane
swearing, licentiousness, dishonesty, all vices
are unpatriotic Just SO far as they prevail they
destroy the public virtue, and unfit men to be
dutiful citizens. You may see their unpatriotic
nature by simply imagining what state of things
would be induced if they were once to prevail
everywhere, and to draw the whole community
into their embrace But what it is right and
proper for one man to be, in the line of moral
and patriotic conduct, it is right and proper for
all to be. If virtue is necessary to freedOm
then the man who is not virtuous is not patri-
ot of the highest style The thorough patriot
must avoid everything that is not pure. B.