North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-01-10
VOL. S NO. 22.

| iOI VIC lutuie. huot CouiceS tH3t I'd my
mind it bears threatening aspect, and,thas
that the whole political heavens are ovee
hung with clouds surcharged with ruin.
What can ward off the impending doom
Can armies or navies? Can hatred and
strife Never! We must come back to
the old landmarks, as have told you be-
fore. The pulpts must cease their cry for
blood and vengence and preach the gospel
of peace and good will Rvery Anerisan
citizen must be man, and white man
too. Taking for the rule Of his political
life the Constitution, as prepared and inter
preted by its trainers, and having an intel
ligent perception Of the rights guaranteed
to him by it, he should exercise those
rights without fear or favor. And this
brings to my mind an overAowing compli.
ment made by an English paper to the for.
mer shareholders of the South, in which it
said that inasmuch as the leading polite
ians of this country propose at once to CEN
fer upon everey negro over 2l years Of ago
the right of suffrage, it is of course to be
taken for granted that these negroes must
have been we'll instructed by their masters
all questions of political ethics, and conse-
gently all that has been said and written us
to the condition and ignorance, and utterr
degradation in which they were kept up to
the moment of their emancipation goes for
nothing.
No my friends-No such means as these
vii avail us, if we wish to escape future de-
strution. The evil is too deep-seated for
any mere patching up or tcmporizing, to
remedy it. We must strike at the root of
it. We must as people be imbued with
virtue, intelligence, and scriptural pisty.
Then, and only then will we be safe.
These alone are the bonds which can hold
us together. Our destiny is in our own
hands. The men who ell all official sta
tons must be men ofunblemished integrity.
Those whom we appoint to make our laws,
must be ofthe highest order ofintelect. and
morals. The ermine on the judicial robes
must be as pure as the snow flake on its
way to the earth. Every man who goes
to the baIlot-box must 60 as free man, un-
tramelled by fear or bribe. Our noble man
hood must be untarnished by passion; pref
udice, or avarice. Let every man he fully
persuaded in his own mind. St. Paul says
Happy is he that condemeth not him
self in that thing which he alloweth," and
David, the King of Israel, with his dying
breath charged upon bis SOD Solomon IL
90 the way of all the earth-be thou strong
therefore, and show your thyself a man"
and Paul again exhorts all men thus
"W atch ye, stand fast in the faith, and quit
you like men-be strong" He also de-
clares;;"Whsn | was a child, spake as
a child, understood as child, l thought
as child.-but. when became mon put
away childish things" Let US understand
and apply to ourselves this glowing and el-
oouent admonition. As American citizens
let us be men-strong in our politicl rect
titude, and in every Christian grace and
virtue.
Mr. people, have done. have endesv-
ored to give you my simple yet frm con-
II. T b,l. fn ha state
and condition of the country, and of what
the future will be. beg you to believe
that it has been done in all truth and hon
esty, without any attempt or design mt dc
; tation or interference with the conscience of
others. am only too willing to accord to-
others the right which claim for myself
= that of thinking and acting for myself. But
in my humble position as minister OF the
Church of Christ, feel that a solemn duty
rests upon me to warn those who are my
special charge and care of the perils which
surround them in this day and generation,
and to implpre each and all to exert his in
dvidual influence to avert the consequen.
ces which must befall this nation in the
! event of no effort being made to roll back
e the tides of sin and ruin which are, day by
|, day, rushing IN upon us. Let each one
lenl his voice to swell the cry of "Peace on
q earth and good will to men," And when
a the last great day shall come. when Gabriel
!, with one foot on the land and one on the
: sea, shall sound the trumpet which shall
t call the nations of the earth to judgement,
, may you and |. mine and yours be of that
e mighty host who shall take up their march
: around the throne of God, having received
d crop, ,,ur T ord opd Mastor the welcome