The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-03-31

question which the supporters Of this Ad-
ministration have SO pefsistently clamorcd
into the public car for the last three wretch
ed years Is il right in itself to treat with
those who arc in rebellion. with view to a
restoration of their allegiance. and thus to
ensure TIE domestic tranquility? If we
lraw an answer from the conduct of this
/ Government in former instances Of trea-
;onable resistance to law. that answer IS all
N favor Of negotiation, and compromise.
Washington set the example in the case Of
Pennsylvania. and Jackson followed it in
the more celebrated case Of South Carroll
M. in 1892. In our wars with foreign
powers, the same course has uniformly
been pursued. And We ourselves we're the
/ objects Of similar treatment even from the
/ tyranmical ministry Of George III in the
days OF the Revolution. Commissioners
from the Court of England came to our
shores mere than once year during that
struggle to treat for return Of the rcbell-
ious colonies to the union Of the British
Empire. But | shall not content myself
with The enlightened precedents furnished
by the history of our own and other coun-
tries. Is there no higher standard Of
moral right to which TO appeal? Is the
voice Of Him who spake as never man
spake, huahcd and stihcd by the hoarsc
cry Of passion aud rage? Have those
pages which blaze with inspiration and
which contain al the principles Of nation
al as veil as individual morality aad JUS
ticc. lost their light AMI power in tbs TN
happy and? Can government long sur
vivc, or hope to escape rcsr;butiye punish
monf Which blots out the doctrines Of
Chr'~ in the regulation Of It's affairs >
'hal' a snecr. The sncer Of the Jacobin
and A;heist deter me from seeking the
path ofpublic as well as private duty III
the .clared record Of the Great Father OF
Us al? Have Robcspierrc and Marai
come from their dishonorea graves to De
throl God and to give us the hideous IL
fdeii.y Of the French Revolution: Sir, T.
ask YOU to 90 with mo 10 the u1sulliod
!i.un.ain ofc:crnal truth:
".lyreoyor. il ,hy brother shall trespass
against thee "a and tell him his fault
between thee and him alone; if he shall
hear illee. thou hast ~rinod tly brother.
But if he will nOt hear thee, then take
with thco one or two mere. that IN The
mouh Of Two cr three witnesses every
word may lie established.
And il he shall neglect 10 hear them,
tell ii unto the church; bat II he neglect 10
hear ;lic church, let him be unto thee as
an heaiheu man and publican.
in these brief hut comprehensive SEN
ien:cs are embraced the great principles
ofsocial harmony, individual charity, ana
national fraternity. They were written
by divinity to convey lesson of humane
philosophy into every department Of life
and to every succeeding age They fur
nis' the text for every treaty Of peace
which nations ever framed to prevent the |
efason oi blood. They inculcate the duty |
Of not one only, but repeated attempts at
reconciliation; and these attempts, too, up
on the part Of those who haze suffered ,he
injury. Under the malignant auspices,
however, Of Ike present hour in this afliict-
ell country what contrast is presented to
these sacred passages Not only Go We
refuse to 20 10 our brother who has COM
miticd the trcspass, but we reject him
vi II he offers TO come to us.
sir. / take my stand on these immortal
M lims and appeal to the native justice
of he human. heart. appeal to those in
stncs of charity and bcnevolence bywhich
it !. allied to the attributes of Deity. The
pla 4 people of America, those who, with /
hon st hands earn their daily bread, whose
wea ing apparel is not purple and line In
eu, flashing with diamonds and pearls pur !
chased by the blood and tears of millions
to them in their humble homes, dark
cncd perhaps by tllc death of the first born,
[ make this solemn in1 ocation. Before
thai pure aud unscli,h tribunal lodge
my cause IN behalf of domestic tranquility |
and tender the Bible as authority for the
principles which declare. BY the voice
OF my own heart, unseduccd BY gain and
unawcd by terror, | know what will BE the
verdict of an incorruptblc and free pco-
pie.
Bat there IS another class who preside
over the ministrations ofthisinspired book,
and who minglc with their offerings to
God the poison of political prejudices, be-
fore whom the cause OF humanity, uuion,
and ,eacc need not be presented. That
large portion ofihe CLERGY of the land who,
claiming to be the chosen agents OF the
merciful Redecmer, gill the cup Of his sac