Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-11-26

be kept In dread of prompt rotribution.
something like the awful sentence of
Elisha upon his servan Gehazi, after
he had detected him in falsehood and
fraud--"The leprosy, therefore of Naa.
man shall cleavo unto thee aud thy
seed forever" they may be restrained.
Let the political dcceiver and thief
400 before him the fate OF Gehazi lot
him know, whether Republican or
Democrat, that ho will not be sus-
tanned, but that the indelible stamp of
social and political leprosy awaits him,
and no may fec the wrath to come.
BY such means coming down to ns
from high authority, ii is possible that
the evil picture may be arrested.
Still another thought: Our system
in It's purity may bo fairly termed one
OF self-governmont, but those who neg.
loct to perform the duties devolved
upon them under that system may
not fairly claim its blessings. rank
such neglect as another growing evil
Of the times. If mon would enjoy tho
blessings of selfgovernmcnt they must
use the proper means 10 that end. If
they desire the election of pure men
TO Office they must 90 to the polls and
vote accordingly. Tho neglect of this
duty is virtual abandonment of our
form OF government, nor is it suffi-
cient reason for such neglect that the
performance Of the duty may at times
be unpleasant "Eternal vigilance is
tho price of liberty" The vigilant
friend of good goy yernment will not
neglect the primary steps in the good
work. SO long as political parties ex-
ist u will bo the duty Of good mon of
each party to endeavor, at tho right
tfnc, to shape the preliminary steps
so as TO bring the best men to the sur
face. Results humiliating to the whole
State and country have been a sc-
quence Of such neglect.
i have often, and nowhere so fire.
quen1y as in this city, listened to
vehement expressions of regret, drop
ping from the lips of citizens of com
manding infuece, that bad men of
their party bad been nominated for
office whereas if they themselves had
done their duty, as diligent and cour-
agcous friends of good government,
the result would have been otherwise.
IL is at the outposts that the safety of
the army is assured, and SO it is in
primary steps of political party that
tho contest is often determined be-
tween good and bad men. The elec-
tor who neglects tho primary steps
will have but little claim to the honor
of vigilant sentinel on the watch
towers Of liberty.
] notice another evil somewhat akin
to the last discussed, in which the
remedy is largely with the people
themselves. | alludc to the common
acquiescence in the violation of law or
in the habit of allowing laws to be.
come dead letter. The proposed
constitution, however perfect in its
provisions, will avail us but little un-
less faithfully administered. 1t is the
boast Of some that laws cannot be car.
ried out unless they be in accord with
popular sentiment or prejudice, but to
my mind the converse OF the boast, TO
wit: that the laws will be obeyed
whether deemed judicious or not,
would be a sentiment more BETTING a
christian people. If law be so i'm.
polite that it cannot be executed, than
it should be promptly repealed; but |
can think of no more dangerous Gus
tom in Republic than the common
disregard of even unimportant laws
Obedience to law is the duty of all,
high and low. Disobedience to the
laws Of God brought upon the world
endless tolls and sorrows, and just so
surely will the habi!ual disregard Of
human laws, by any people, bring
upon them, sooner or later, shame and
] say, in conclusion, that it shall be
my earnest prayer that the people
may accept, and that God may bless
to their use, the proposed fundamental
aw.