Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-08-26
NUMBER ~.

the remarkable manifesto put forth, after elab-
crate preparation, at Lynchburg, by the chosen
standard bearer of the motley crew assembled
| there. Doubtless its multiplied errors ofstate-
ment of fact and deduction will be exposed in
due time with just but unsparing hand. But
| It proclalms new political Evangel. Afore-
time we were taught that it was the people's
right to.abolish their Government, and Ito insti-
lute new government, laying Its foundations in
sucn principles, and organizing its powers in
sucn form as to them shall seem most likely to
enect eT their safety and happiness" And again:
1nat government Is or ought to be instituted
ior the common benefit, protection, and securi-
y or tne people, nation, or community;" and
tEat whenever any government shall be found
inadequate for these purposes majority of the
community hath an indubitable, indefeasibe.
and inalienable right to alter or abolish it in
such manner as shall be judged most condu-
clVe 10 the public veal. But now, with the
quack In Moliere, when told he had put the
heart the right instead of the left side of the
man, they may say, very well, that used to be
so; but we have changed all that" Now we
are taught that the nation is not machine
contrigeo Dy human invention to be remodeIled
and taken apart according to the caprice of man.
1t Is an organism and growth II has life, pur-
poses, and aspirations. 1t has moral relations
with Its divine and Its constituent members.
Ii has religious as well as civil claims to the hom-
age and allegiance of its citizens 1t is not
SUBJECT OF theories, but an object for the affec-
5ions. 1t is not merely power to be obeyed
out dtU.nely giuen parent soorthy ofan unoxes-
tionang duty and affection - and farther. Il is
said to have been the faith of Washington.
rankin, and Jefferson, that the American
Union was God ordained and God. upheld -
Now, if such be the character of this present
political conglomeration, whether termed the
Nation or the Union, it were clear impiety in
men to attempt to alter it one title, however con-
Guclye to their happiness the chance might be.
Strange teaching this from men who have just
tinkered away by fraud or force the distineuish-
Ing features of the bond of that Unioni Rut
more Is meant. Will, moral purpose, moral re-
iauoos with divine head, religious as well as
clVii CLAIMS to obedience, can never be predca-
ted OF mere territorial divisions, lying together
on the map. or OF the parchment which calls
them the United States. The seutient attri.
butes there described belong to men. not to
Things lnanlmate, and it must be to the men
VINO make up the nation and the men who rep-
resent and govern 1t that they can alone be inn
puted else IS the whole ascrption not even re-
spectacle nonsense 1t is of the personal GOV.
ernment, then, and those who support it that
all these line things are supposed. They are
God-ordalned and God.upheld they have re-
hglous as well as civil claims to our homage and
allegiance they are our diViney given parent.
worthy OF an unquestioning duty and affection
But whatever be the object to which this slayish
submission is said to be due, clearly it infers an
abasement Of mind and soul unworthy of free
men. 1t has it's prototype only in the specu-
lations of Sir Robert Filmer, who in the most
servIle and degraded age of English history at
tempted to reduce to a sort of system the doc
trlne OF passive obedience and non. resistance to
klngly authority. He, too, taught ''that civil
power not only In general is by divine institu-
ton, but he form of the power of governing
and the person having that power are all the
ordinance Of God" Now, is this acc;dentaIS
or Is IL that such as lapse into slavery losethe
language OF freedom, and think and sneak
alike or that the present state of radicalism
ln this country can be defended on no other
ground? Ii has been lamented that protrae-
ted war made such breach in the education of
our youth, particularly In the political training
which should fit them to be the citizens Of
Tree State. 1t we hope to revive them. surely
such sentiments as these should never be toler.
ated from the lips of Governor OF Virginia.
Very respectfully,
Il T. DANIEL