Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-08-01
MORAL CUHTUHE

1
the moral sense in the bosom and brain of
man. 1t has been wisely said:
ssWhat consciene dictates to be done,
| Or warns me not to do;
This teach me more than hell to shun,
That more than heaven to pursue"
Pope breaches sound doctrine in the above
lines; but suppose this conscience which die
tates what shall be done, is either wholly
neglected, as in brutes, or is developed into
pious reverence for the sacrifice of
human victims to some pagan god?
Must such moral culture, pietY, ard human
butchery continue forever as the highest
duty Of an Interchangeable religion? Abra-
ham came very near cutting the throat of
his own son on q pile of dry kindling
wood, a thing that never could have hap
pened if the use of sacriicial knives for
such purposes were not common in the He
brew and other nations at that time. 1t
was at a late period in mans history that
his conscience was educated up to the point
that it was willing to substitute the blood
of rams and lambs for that Of the sons
and daughters Of his own family.
as evidence of obedience to duty.
Pollock says, "Ye knew your duty, but did
it not" What is duty? Is it to fear God
and keep his commandments? All these
commandments are evaGed by some cas-
uistry, growing ont of great and often new
and unexpected temptations. "Lead US net
into temptation" are words of wisdom the
value of which no one can oVerestimate.
But the rapid progress of society in thou
sand industrial arts and sciences, brings to
the mind and flesh of man before unthought
of temptations to practice vice and perpe-
trate crime. 1t is in the presence of these
strong evil influences that neglected moral
sense gives way under the pressure, and
yields from its primitive natural weakness.
The proper remedy is to give less thought
to the narrow, selfish, mercenary labor of
making money, as though that was mans
supreme good in this world and in heaven,
aud pay more attention 10 develop the
highest attsinable purity and excellence of
moral character, based on the Bib'e idea
that man should Glove his neighbor as him
SELF" and never fail to do unto others as he
would have others do to him. If all chris
tians would place their whole lives square
ly on this golden rule, educate their chill
dren to respect the same, and teach the
world by earnest example that "the lOce Of
money Is the root of all era," we would
see less avarice and crime in society.
Il is weak and nasty materi alism, with its
licentious worship of wealth that blights
all sound morality in Congress, and threat
ems to destroy our Republican system of
government. If mans conscience and
sense of responsibility cannot be taught to
rise from the finite to the infinite, he is at
best learned brute, and as undeservipg
of trust as hyena. To cultivate the in
tellectual in society and leave the moral el-
ement starved by vorscious auimsl appe-
tits and passions, is to make man sly
and cunning like a fox; hungry as
she-wolf with whelps, and
as Unsuitable as the devil.
There is remarkable difference between
the natural wants Of a hungry beast and
the iucurable avarice of man. The supe-
rior mind of the latter, and his lust of pow
er and dominion, make him menace and
peril to the rest of his fellow beings. The
brute is easily satisfied, but man IS not. If
the moral turpitude of President Grants
taking one hundred thousand dollars out of
the Treasury which does not belong to him,
because be contracted to serve for the old
salary, was rightly appreciated by the public |
conscience, it would soon force him to re-
sign the Office of Msgis- |
trste which he has disgraced |
Men and women of easy virtue do any thing |
that is wicked and tolerate the same in
others. Grant fairly represents his party
and it will keep him in Office for life if it
can, and then elect another who worships
m2mmon with the same devotion. Grantism |
is at war with all moral culture. Any man
with q pure conscience would be contented
with salary of two hundred thousand
dollars and. free rent for eight years public
service, with all the incidental perquisites.
But Grant was not; so he takes$l00,00 extra
because be is wiser than all former Presi-
dents Is it not time to raise the standard Of
public and private morality in the United
States? At the rate we are drifting down
stream, honesty will soon become obsolete,
and as little known in America as the bones
Of fossil horses, elephants, and mega theri-
The sovereign people must choose between
God and sound morality on one eide, and
Mammon and Grant on the her side.
Grant teaches by example that the New
Testament inculcates falsehood when it
says "The love Of money is the
ROOF Of all evil" His imperial
SIN is the soul of pagan idolatry.
It is utterly impossible to harmonise the
moral culture of Washington, the first Pres
dent, and that of safeguarding Grant,
he last President. If the morality of the
armer of Mount Vernon was sound, that
If the tanner of illinois is emphatical!y un-
Iound. But with men If his stripe that
will be sufficient reason why he should be
Pres ident for life. The principle of salary
tesliug is up for approval or disapproval
,efore the country. 1t is eminently NOR
j question which admits of neither denial
lor palliation. The people did not prom
Sc to pay fifty thousand dollars year
or the service of their Chief Ma gistrate
nd it takes more than one man to make a
air bargain with anybody. 1t is this fact
hat makes the act of Congress stealing by
ny just standard of morality. The people
Who pay these salaries had no negative nor
oice in the matter. Grant and Congress
ave the same moral right to ten million
oIlars year salaries, that they have to
shat they did steal. The sum taken is