Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-07-13
PROGRESS AND LIBEGTY.

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Embellishments Of art. we arc too
prone to forget that all these things
do not necessarily contribute 70 tho
reinforcement Of hnman happiness.
Properly directed, the amolioration of
our physical condition should lead TO
better and pleasantcr things on earth !;
but that such direction is not the in
separable coneomitant Of improved
processes and fresh inventions, the
statistics Of civilized communities
very sadly prove
What some people term the "spirit
Of the ago' looks very much like the
spread Of sheer license, the rapid en-
franchiscment Of the evil passions,
and the breaking down Of all law,
human ard divine Parental authority;
sanctity Of wedlock reciprocal duty
between man and man; reverence for
agc-in fne. an those exalted senti.
mcnts which, hitherto, have been the
rule and pride Of governmental wis
dom--are becoming less and less OBJ
served, and raprico, fashion. the will
and example Of tho strongest and most
lortuuatc, are rapidly superseding all
/ the old time honorod ideas Of the past
DgnItaries IN high places. ministers
Of "religion.7 the SO called leaders Of
society, now unbluslingly and even
deGantly lend their aid and counten-
ance TO this work Of dinrganization,
and dishonesty, bloodshed, perjury,
the disruption of families and nations,
signalized by debanchery and dishon-
esty of all kinds are the result Dun
geons and gibbets multiply. and the
hungry piacemen. subsisting upon the
miserios and crime Of their fellow
creatures. hourl, spread ike a swarm
Of l0cusls, deyouring and not produc-
ing, over tho whole land,
"By their fruits yc shall know
them" was the olden precept Of
Divine wisdom, distinguishing evil
from good influences.
Obeying that rule, what must VIC
perforce conclude, in reference to the
present status OF civilization in many
regions of tho globe Can this bar.
vest of bitterness be the product of
pure seed Or, are we troubled be-
cause the enemy has been sowing
tares in our wheat field over night
Are we normally wrong in our system
of organization, or are we simply suf-
fcring from negligence in tolerating
so many bling guides and false proph-
cts, because they are loud and boldg
AT all events, we cannot maintain
the claim that this is a condition of
things betolSening true liberty and
progress which puts us back to the
utter lawlesncss on the one hand,
and the violent repression on tho
other, which characterized barbarous
epocbs.
To us, We submit, real progress
means the ncarerand nearer approach
to the recognition of those principles
of personal self government, which
eliminate in the Golden Rule. and
real liberty will be ours only when
that rule shall have been universally
recognized.
What are our leaders and teachers,
then, doing TO hasten this milcnial
period Are they preaching duty
instead of right alone on the principle
I that the latter exists with the former
only, and springs from no other
sourccl Or are they telling the un-
tutorcd multitude that the indulgence
of fancy and inclination are the only
/ lawsl
If, in the hesrirg of the young, the
ignorant and inexperienced, insriru-
tions intended for the enlightenment
of the masses, daily, and with success,
in obtaining adherents, assail tho
foundations Of order, what have We
TO expect but anarchy and disorder at
last
Let our business mon our pastors I;
our fathers of families; our honest,
toling classes, look 10 it that fraud,
corruption, domestic troachery, and
finally, open insurrection and reign of
terror and blood do not follow, TO end
IN absolute anarchy, Tor which there
will remain no other remedy than a
despotism that will crush, not only
progress and liberty, but oxtinguish
public and private happiness.
The signs of the hour indicate that
no time is TO be lost in arousing to n
settlement ofthis portentous problem.
Hannibal is at the gates Let good
and true men gird up their loins to 90
forth and repell him, once for all.