The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1868-04-12
all similar topics, and compel the country to
come TO the consideration Ct great moral and

Will hit her at length TO the LlShtr, NOBLE
), level of the life in Christ.
II He forced suddenly upon us question tina
8 involved all morals and all religion, that o
l. Slavery, and We can see in the light Of THU
subject the morning of that long perlous agi
tatiOn. Men wondered that 1t could in NJ
manner be repre- ssed, that it could in no man
ner be got rid of. 1t was because the Nation
could not shake itself free from God. lie
forced the whole American people to come
to His divine school o.: morals, when also lie
taught us the elementary principles Of the
Christian scheme. We learned anew in
those discussions that stirred the continent
that some new things about God and his law
and its penalty about the brotherhood of the
race its unity in Christ and the God-g:ven
rights of humanity. Great questions Of
morals and religion swept all else aside, and
the Nation was vitalized by fresh spiritual
power, but not thoroughly convinced, nor
quite ready to act. Was there not a most
earnest effort by peace conventions and
otherwise to still the question Of the rebel
lion without the admission Of a moral prin-
! cFlc with reference to God or his law
/. Then God smote US in wrath with rebellion
and war, and we studied morals and Chris
tianity then, on the red field of battle, amid
graves and corpses, amid widows and or
phanS, amid five thousand millions of our
| wealth sacrificed on the affairs Of war.
| Feebly, usclessly, with no success, the wal
began, because there was no high and holy
| purpose; because there was NJ moral power
| in the movement; because We ignored the
law of Christ and scorned the rights Of man.
But when one great act Of Justice was done
TO millions Of bondmcn, the Nation was born
into newncss Of life, and from that hour it
was great war sustained by moral and re-
ligious sentiment, wased alike for the !.onor
Of God and the rights Of man. II become a
war that enuobled and spiritua.ized the gre at |
Republic. The beginning Of the war closed |
up the goddess era OF American politics, etc. !
When, at the close Of the war, ia the nat |
ural Reaction from strong excitement, there |
was tendency to seek peace at the expense |
of Justice, TO regard treason as light oiiense
to forget once more moral principle in view
OF expectancy, and refuse proper protection
to those whom the Government had sworn to
defend, God brought US, by most startling
and unexpected events, once more face to
face with the pTOfOunGest moral and reii-
giuus questions, and we all know how every
great issue made in the Thirty Ninth Con-
gress, and thus far in the Fort!eth. alsn, has
involved the authority Of God, the demands
of his law, the rights and duties Of govern
meut, the teachings OF Christ, the claims OF
eternal justice, the brotherhood Of the race,
the rights and relations of the individual.
eMn and eloquent debates ever heard in the
legislative halls OF America before which all
discussions Cf tariffs, and banks, and State
rights sink into comparative nothnsness.
/ Ecse debates mark clearly the upward pro-
grcss which the Nation has made under the
stern but blessed teachings of our Gcd, who
has thus immensely strengthened the moral
tone of the Nation, and has thus introduced US
10 nobier era, 10 Il higher spiritual lie; nor
is it the least remarkable thing that the great
central financial question is also one Of
y hristian morality, a question whether the
Government viii honestly keep covenant
With those u whom in the hour Of it's dis
re>s it sulemnly pledged its faith. And lest
Ill this should not sufficiently onTubie and
trengthen the nation for her great future, We
lave been brought to the most grand and =
olomn spectacle Of modern times. :
| have nothing to say here in regard 10 the
rCprioty Of this State trial, or whether il has
+ has not proper cause. | have no word
o utter in derogation Of the President, or his
Ugh office it does not become me to offer Z,
ny opinion here as to whether he has done
'ell or ii. | refer only to the moral gran
eur Of this imposing scene, which must
nm hereafter a central point IN American
i>tory. I
There i. nothing here ofthat popular fury 7
lat in France swept royalty away in the
eluge Of blood; nothing Of that determine
on 10 revolutionizs the Government, which G.
o,t the English Charles his life. 1t ..thc
nj. t, orderly, but resistless uprising OF the
cope, demanding, through their repre- ssata-
YES, that their Chief Magistrate, b.f,re the
oIt august tribunal Of the country, should
lsvcr, in due form Of law, whether he is
ielding the great powers Of his Office with
le regard 10 the vital interests Of the nation.
And What gives the highest aspect Of 10
oral grandeur to this transaction Is, that
e Investigation will not be confined to the "
lesion whether some specific stature law
4, been violated. But the people propose
w to inquire whether the Chief Magistrate -
man 20 whom the vast concerns Of tLis -
lrislian Republic can be entrusted, This y
IS the trial Up TO the Level CT moral sLg.!m- /
50 far ~ this nv argument is concerned
matters nothing how the III, may eud. -,
e grandeur OF the occasion will consist, -
: in tn. conviction nor in the acgui;tal Of -
, President, but is greatness is IN this
1t when rumors I'LL the country Of Official 49,
scouduct il the highest place Of all, there o.
no tunult, riot, or disorder, no appeal 10
rs, as elsewhere; but the people, through
'ir representatives, in du. form OF Const j.
ioral law, Notwithstanding the vast power ~
ich TIA. President Yields, with a cahuncss ~
/ courage and dignity worthy the occasion, ~
o solemnly summoned him, in the name
he nation, to answer at he highest triba-
and he has calmly and quietly ap-
red to say, | am here TO present M reply,
abide the issue. TT
know Of nothing in history taa. equals
moral and religious power that solemn