Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-05-03
RUTLAND H ERALD.
FRIDAY, APRIL 81, 1866.
nh. southern CIsrgy---Poiiiios and
Trcason.


~ for preaching politics as those self
stclro democrats who have either &C
lively participated in rebellion against
the Government or SympathiZed with |
traitors IN arms, The fact that South
orn clergymen constantly preached war |
ord rebellion against the government To |
which they owed allegiance or took up |
arm, and Joined the rebel armies, was
no,bipg 10 these fault finders, They had !
ro tears To shed, no rebuking voice for .
.,.l meddlmg with politics but all their |
indignant Thunder was reserved for those
who in the pulpit and out of it stood up
FIR GOD and Country who by voice
and action maintained the tlag and the
constituted authorities Of their coun-
try.
But we commenced this article for the
nurpose Of calling attention to the well
known and conceded fact that the clcr-
gymen of the South are more response
HE for the rebellion and all its Ieartully
destructive and bloody consequences
than any other class OF Southern citi-
zens The clergymen of the South are
generally a more active and consequent
" a more influential body than that
class of Northern citizens. More Of
them get into Congress, become govern
ors of States and judges of state
courts. They were constantly in the
habit of actively participating in state
and national politics. No class were so
active. so earnest in urging on the re-
bellion as tie Southern clergymen, OF
all denominations. The Episcopal,
Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist
clergy were almost unanimous in the
work of treason. The Episcopal church,
so sensitive at the North abont the cler-
cy and churches minghng in politics,
were as Jealous as any, and as bitter as
the biSerest. Bishop Polk, as all know,
put on military hat, top boots, sword
and epaulets, and strutted Il full-sized
Major General against the government
that had educated and protected him.
Prominent clergymen in all the other
denominations took commissions in the
rebel army. There were some noble eN-
ceptions, but the mass of the profession
was intensely diSloyal
While in st. Louis, last fall, friend
handed us letter which he had Just re-
ceived from personal friend Of his-a
PRESBYTERIAN clergyman, a resident and
a native of Virginia. By permission we
copied the letter, or that portion OF It
relating to the subject under considera-
ton. This loyal Virginia clergyman,
writing to an officer Of the Sanitary
Commission at St. Louis, said:
"The clergy, South, have preached
politics all the time, and assured the
Deople that God was on their side, and
would certainly give them the victory
They said they would rather die thar
live under Yankee rule. But when Lee
surrendered, it was evident that they
had no notion Of dying or going to
foreign country.
They took the oath, but have dlScoN
covered that preaching politics Is wrong
and they are as dumb as an oyster
They could preach in favor OF rebellion
and war. but they have not one word t.
say in behalf of the Union and peace.
Is not that strange In fact the,
denv that the General Assembly (ol'
school Presbyterian) has right to sa,
that treason is sinful in the sight OF CO.
and man. The Bible has said 80 an
that is enough. If the Ministers OF IN
GosDcI in the South had done their duty
there would have been no civil wa
They were apostles of Secession, an
there Is blood on their hands.
The above we know to bt liter,
COPY from the original manuscript
which we had in our possession invent,
four hours, and carefully read and It
read. and we were very careful in cop,
ingit. W. were reminded Of this lett'
by the following article in the Nae to'
Observer. paper that before the war WI
strongly inclined toward the South, al
was very generally regarded as pr
slavery. During the war the ODserV
was a oval supporter Of the Cover
ment, and since It has been eminent
conservative. In its issuse OF la
week it has the following significant
ticle -
PROGRESS or LOYAL FEELING.
We watch, with anxiety, the mantle
tations of Southern feeling toward /
Government of the United States, IL
well known to all the readers OF this +
per that we have strenu0usly urged t
speediest possible restoration Of the
surgent States to their old status in t
Union, and that we desire the return
peace in all relations, civil, social a
ecclesiastical. 1t will surprise some
know that we have pursued this cour
while many at the South are writing
us that we are going too fast, that
state Of feeling does not justify imme
ate restoration, that so much of the v
spirit still prevails, that the people c.
not send Union men to Congress. /
VIC bava faIt that kindness was the m