Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-07-11
The Treaty and the Pulpit.

Ou tue OuDuuy klLeT Tue FhIlHCa-
ton Of the Treaty of Washington
the Rev. DR.. Briggs, of Cambridge,
Mass, preached sermon on the
event. The following extracts from
it are interesting:
Isaiah, IT,, 4-Neuher shall they
learn ,car any more. A grand event
has occurred during the last week,
whose importance ct the present
moment it is dflicultto over estimate,
whose promise for the best interests
Of civilization itselfin the future it is
impossible to grasp. The Senate of
the United States, which disgraced
itself by angry discussions concern
ing It's prerogatives, redeemed It's
character by the adoption Of the
Treaty between England and Amer
lea. We can almost forgive the un-
worthy debates, the waste Of days in
the attempt to vindicate fancied priv
ileges, after this act of craftsmanship.
Let us forget that it took Senators a
longer time to accuse one another
for revealing what the nation had a
right to know at the beginning than
to debate the Treaty itself; and let
us only remember that their fitting
duty has been so nobly done. When
will men and legislators learn that
their dignity is never secured by at
tempts to defend or vindicate it
Let them link their names with truth,
justice, liberty, civilization, the cause
ofhumanity and right, and they place
themselves upon enduring principles,
the pillars of the universe, and stand
upon pedestals of honor. :
How silently the most benefcent
and grandest things are accomplish
cd What contrast between the
appalling scenes in Europe, and the
peaceful negotiations here during the
last few weeks. The Germans had
completed their conquest But their
Withdrawal from the strife was only
TO give place to q deadlier, more in
human contest. There, battle has
ragged around the city, and around
the streets of Paris, blazing fercely
as the fires of hell. Here, trusted
statesmen sought to weigh great
questions in the balance of justice,
and to adjudicate upon them in the
spirit Of civilization and torbearance
There, palaces and public temples
whose beauty was itself education,
were ruthlessly burned to ashes,
Here, with "no sound axe or ham
mer," men were building a fairer
edifiee Of international community
and law, in which nations should
clasp hands in lasting fellowship.
Shall we presume TO say that England
and America, in the test which these
multiplied causes of national lrrta-
tion have brought to their character,
yet listening to reason instead OF
rushing to arms, have been weighed
in the balance also and not found
wanting? The faults Of England
are clear enough TO American eyes.
We do not dwell upon them now
the wrongs at home, abroad, on every
continent which her flag has covered.
The faults of America are also plain
the growing corruption her cities
and her politics. Though her one
appalling crime Of slavery has been
washed out in blood, perhaps atoned
for by priceless sacrifices of priceless
lives, bots enough remain to change
all boasts into confessions. What
patriot is not at times disheartened
by the yet unsolved problems in re-
spect TO universal education. to ma
tional character itself, which will de-
termine our future history? God
knows how profoundly we need al
true human efforts, and providentiaI
guidance, to accomplish our true
mission for right and liberty. Still
the splendid fact remains. that con-
troversies embracing many causes OF
dispute, relating to acts that swept
our commerce from the seas, anc
perilled the very existence of the
Republic in its hour of agony, wher
it seemed tottering to its fall, thai
these are to be settled by argument
instead of arms. With all their faults
England and America are civilized
enough to accomplish a triumph o
peace that transcends all the veto
ries Of war.