The New York herald., 1871-02-13
TEE WASHINGTON CHURCHES.
DR.. NEWMAN ON OFFICIAL HONESTY.
The Lobbyists Of the Legislative Halls and the
Tricksters in Politics-A Sermon to Our
Statesmen-Dr. Sunderland on the
Trees of Righteousness
The METROPOLITAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL
CHURCH.

DIR. Newman ON Omcial H0nesty-The Cor
ruption Of Legislative and Public Omces-
Brides from Lobbyists and at Elections
Dishonesty In Trade and Speculation.
WASHINGTON, Feb. H. 1871.
The Rev, DR.. Newman preached this morning OH
the subject OF oficial honesty. President and Mrs.
Grant, Vice President Colfax, Secretary Delano and
several Senators and Representatives were among
the congregation. Dr.. Newman took occasion to re-
buke dishonesty in high places while he commended
those who witlstood the bribes ana tempta.
tions Incidental 10 official life. He took his
text from Romans, twelfth chapter, seven.
teenth verse" Provide things honest in the
sight Of all men, The duties OF Christianity are
twofold-ethical and devotional. The former In
clude all those relations which exist between man
and man. and relate to liberty, justice, property,
character, veracity,
MARRIAGE AND CIVIL GOVERNMENT.
The latter include those relations which exist be.
tween the creature and the Creator. A grievous
mistake has been made BY many men In attempting
to divorce morality from piely. Christianity is 4
religion OF protection. Seven ofthe ten command.
ments are protective In their character. 1t
Is not remarkable, therefore, that Paul should
take up this idea and In an emphatic manner i'm
pose anew upon us the great obligation of honesty.
DR.. newman spent short time IN considering the
ground Of mau's right to property and the source
or ideas Of honesty and dishonesty 1t Is founded
IN nature. Every man has right to himself, TO the
faculties and capabilities with which he has been
endowed, and II he have right to himself he has an
equal right TO that which may result from the inno
and divine and human law throw their awful sane
tons about It.
is Gods verdict on the subject. Having laid the
foundations Of this right, Dr Newman passed to
consider how it may be violated. 1t may be done
abuse Of trust broker on Change may cause
false Information to be circulated Tor the purpose
0ro Q, hV Se ne TasCa Cod saws suc me-
R RThou 81 shalt not steaS specuiator may monopo. .
lie an article to create artificial scarcity and raise
four dollars more per barrel for rour our for his his
family. To that man God thunders out the law,
and duties on the part Of the buyer and seller The
seller IN certain sense Is benefactor to society,
and as such soaa os me St ns has no
Neither has the buyer any right to underrate them.
Solomon mad tins creature In mind when he Said,
when he Is gone he boasteth." Abuse Of trust Is
another violation of this law. Society Is held
togetner by the golden hands OF mutual confidence.
High honor is no less necessary to commercial
life than II Is moral duty. There are
times when person is In such circumstances as
compels him to entrust his property ~ another; for
IMPERIL THAT rRopERrY IN SPECULATION
Is q wantdn betrayal Of that trust and dishonest
transaction But the highest form OF trust and
honor displayed on the part OF society in select
citizens 10 administer au0rS OF Civil
ment, ana when that trust Is betrayed for purposes
OF personal gain ana that honor tarnished ~ oica
corruption the offence assumes deeper dye and the
criminaty deeper turpitudes What can be sadder
spectacle than to man sitting In Gods stead at
the tribunal OF justice to receive br1be to blind his
eyes and pervert his Judgment, or legislators chosen
to make laws for people to enrich themselves by
corrupt legislation at the expense OF the public wei
AN EXECUTIVE OR CLERICAL OFFICER
to appropriate to himself that which too cOnfdn0
people have entrusted to his honesty and honorl
the midnight burglar, the murterous highwayman
the shrewd trickery OF the merchant and buyer
the crsny m specula1Cr 70 nun ~ VINO s scial posi-
bound to attach greater guilt TO the dishonest acts
OF the latter. TO dishonesty he adds hypocrisy &c
OF the peoples wealth. Under the rebes OF o0ice
there is tuplcity which merits public execratIon
rior Of Judas but upon his soul are the cankered
THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER
To his duplicty ne adds treachery to mis- deceit he
has added perjury. HIS solemn oath before God has
been dsregarded; and TO all these he has added his
fls pie IN history 'A Is the case Or Or Saeon. sssm
Pope wrote OF hlrn. "The wisest brightest meanest
sne o modern scenSss he ssd
sought political prefermcnt and under James j. was
made High chancellor, but his love Of display and
brlbes, betrayed mis- trust and dishOnored his great
| name. lie was tried and sentenced to pay fine OF
| two hundred thousand dollars and to imprisonment
| In the Tower during the Kings pleasure. The
speaker then referred the prevalent causes Of the
violation Of the rights OF property These ho desig-
| mated as extravagance,
CORRUPT PUBLIC SENTIMENT
and an inordlnate love Of wealth. The love OF p0mp
| and show IL as excessive rs 1t Is pernicous
Fashionable society remOrsely rejects all butterflies
which have lost their brilliant cOlors To gratify
natural desire to nlnge IN fashionable society
many man cheats his business BY transferring his
means to
THEATRES, RACE COURSES AND EXPENSIVE PARTIES,
Closely allied with all this s q corrupt public
sentiment The man who steals loaf or bread to feed
his starving family is sent TO JAIL but the man who Is
successful In bold dshonorable specuatiOns is ca
ressed by society. Why is 1t that Official dishonesty
s less disreputable than dishonesty M private cltt
zen2 Is It not because the public conscience Is de-
praved2 In all ages and countries and III all forms
OF government official corrupuol has prevailed
Our own nation is no exception to the rule Men
have taken advantages of their places OF trust and
power for personal gain and brought guilt upon
themselves and dlshonor upon the State, and to-day
THE CRY OF PUBLIC CONDEMNATION
resounds throughthe nations But to what extent
this Official corruption IL due to corrupt public
sentiment IL question which the people are bound