Washington telegraph., 1864-03-30
Moral and Social Depravity of Radical
ism

The N. Y. Journal O. Commerce, COM
mentise on the outpourings Of Radi-
cal journal, says:
The general depravity in public
morals is well illustrated by the article
from which we quote. The principle is
broadly laid down and defended, that it
is an abundant excuse for violating con-
stitutions and laws, if the patriotic "
impulse Of the people desire such vio-
lation. The people of the South adopt
ed this doctrine and plunged into seces.
sion. The Radicals of the North adopt
ed it and plunged into foreible abolition,
confiscation, Fort Lafayette arrests, sup
preston Of newspapers, mob law and
lynching. 1t has been the excuse for
crimes against law and liberty more than
can be numbered. Posterity will scarce
ly find shclf-room for the volumes which
will be written upon the grand plunge
which the people Of America made from
free principles into despotic principles,
from high and holy regard for the sane
tity of law into the license Of q radical
majority rule.
Nor is it the Constitution and law
alone that men have violated with the
excuse that An emergency" required
it. Fixed principles Of moral right and
wrong, established doctrines Of religion
and Christian duty, have been trampIed
on by politicians with the same excuse
and the result is visible in widespread
and melancholy disregard among the
people for these once-establislied views
Of right, which were the peculiar char
acteristic of the American people,
Churches are desecrated. Pulpits are
occupied by demagogues. Politica
meetings on Sunday mornings take the
place of the worship of God. The ole
hymns Of praise have often given place
to partizan political ballads, or to "na
tional songs" In the minds of young
people, patriotism according to the
Radical definition Of the word, takes
precedence of religion /; loyalty" is
almost the same word as piety. The Ad
miDistration is applsuded for filling the
pulpits Of churches, by military order
with anti-slavery preachers. and for ban
ishing men whose only offence is rigid
adherence to the purity Of their clerical
character, and refusal to use their min
isterial office for the purposes of any
political party. Publications Of q
Loyal character are widely circulated
read and admired, whose only meri,
consists in being builesques or parodies
on Holy Scripture and we have nov
ying before us one of this class, ISSUED
by Radicals in New York, which con
tains blasphemons parody on the creed
substituting for the names of the per
sons in the Holy Trinity the names o
military and political leaders. So-called
religious news papers do not hesitate
to compare such sublime scenes as the
TRANSPORTATION Of Christ with incidents
in the lives of popular men in the coun
try, and clergymen, in prayers to God
personify Freedom" as a goddess, and
with a sweeping creed, that wholly does
away with the whole religion of the Bi
BILE, returning TO that Of Mohammed, ol
Of the Scandinavians, tell rs that the
dead of the battlefield pass at once into
eternal bliss, redeemed by their own
blood We exaggerate nothing in this
picture. We speak with proof of every
word before u.s. This is the aspect o.
our country, under the rule Of Radica
party, whose religion is their own lust
for power and hatred of their opponents
II is the result Of this doctrine, for three
years past impressed on the popular
mind. that Constitution. law, right, duty
religion, everything, ought TO be sub
jected to the requirements Of the "emer
gency." and give way before the man
dates Of the Administration.
The doctrine il ruinous. It is contra
ry to the principles of free govern
nent. subversive Of personal morality
and national character.