Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-09-15
BASIS OF NATIONAL PROS
PERITY,

more than u glorious revelation in re-
gard TO n future state, but by no means
an exposition Of the sources Of prosper
ity in this world and in striving after
AN ideal spirituality Of character, lose
sight Of that element which conduces
to n good citizen. But the truth is
daily manifesting itself that obedience
to the principles Of universal religion
is the most potent element Of individual
and national prosperity. Every n
knows the necessity of working in ac-
cordance with the great national laws
by which the physical world is gov
erned. He who takes advantage Of the
laws Of expansion and contraction by
heat aud cold, may split the hardest
and most gigantic rocks without tasking
his own strength, while the man that
would try to open their seams with his
fingers would accomplish only the de-
struc,ion Of his bands. He who uses
the expansive power Of steam moves
easily vast navies across the ocean and
immense trains on the land, while the
Indian in his canoe, putting forth his
utmost strength, can make but little
Roadway against the opposing tide.
This cooperation with physical law is
tho great point Of difference between
the civilized mar and the savage.
In the same way all the social success
and moral power Of n community de-
pend upon the citizens conducting
themselves in accordance with those
moral principles which are equally the
established and the eternal laws OF
God. There is n stronger potency Tor
prosperity or misery in every moral law
than in any physical one. In proper
ton as a people rightly understand and
follow those great principles, they must
prosper, because n divine force gives
efficiency to NIL their plans. There is,
we believe, no land whose institutions
rest on such a natural basis Of justice,
equity and equal rights, as they do in
these United States ; one where the
propor,ionate development Of physical
health, intellectual progress and moral
training, have been so universally and
tremendously exhibited. And it is thus
chiefly owing to the operations of the
grea, principles of justice, morals and
religion, in the broadest sense, that we
have so grown and developed, that pop
ulations, equal to whole nations, have
been drawn to US.
Butitis only in proportion MS our prac-
tical observance Of these great laws
keeps pace with our increasing knowl-
edge of them, that we can hope for con-
tiuued prosperity. Our great danger
lies in the severance of conscience from
goverument-morals from politics. We
cultivate science, and feel how much
our national prosperity depeuds on that.
We observe the laws Of the winds and
storms. and men inmortalize themselves
BY charts, showing the currents in the
sea and in the dir. But are our politi
clans and statesmen generally cultivat-
ing o practical acquaintance with the
moral laws as applied to our national
affairs2 II is true, that the moral sense
of the people who must eventually gov
ern the country is not represented by
the amount Of principle exhibited by
noisy and boisterous men, who force
themselves into transient prominence.
There is n higher and better princi-
pie in the politics Of the great bulk OF
American citizens than appears in the
doings Of party leaders.
The politician who will most conduce
10 his couutry's welfare will not be the
tool of my party, but the man who,
day after day, studies all the bearings
| of each question rs it arises, aud seeks
counsel from the true sources OF justice
and wisdom, to guide him in applica-
ton Of the great principles of right to
each case in hand and when these
laws are clear TO his mind, gives utter
ance to them all, without fear Of foe or
favor of friends. Such n one may for
a time be Stunned by party leaders, but
will speedily rise superior to them all,
aud eventually become the rallying
point Of honest men-thc honored OF his
fellow-citizens. Our laws aud consti-
,utions favor universal religion to the
utmost possible extent, without those
sectarian establishments that arc the
curse of every country where they exist.
The great cause Of our present happi-
ness rs a nation, and the chief hope OF
our future blessings, lie in the fact that
the principles Of justice, morals, and
religion, that belong to man MS man,
are the basis Of all our laws.