The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-06
4 NEEDED L.

The national House of Representatives
spent nearly the entire day, Friday, in dis
cussing and, finally, adopting a resolution
giving General Howard the right of "chal-
lengc' to the members of the court of in
quiry to be summoned to investigate the
charges preferred against him. AS con-
gressmon were paid by the year instead of
the day, this waste of time would not so
much matter, if there were not other and
more important questions of public con-
Germ demanding their attention. The day
upon tie necessity of a court of inquiry"
and the time was consumed in debating the
question of giving the General the right of
challengc-a right secured to him both by
the civil law and the laws of war. Dur.
ing the debate, several honorable members
having shown their ignorance on this
portland, thereby, proved themselves fit
for their places-indulged in Characters
tic filings and slurs in reference to ''cbris-
%tians." christian gentlemen and ''chris-
tian soldiers" There are u certain class of
public men and, we are sorry to say, news
papers, who delight in II mans downfall.
The moment that the foul breath of SLAM
der approaches the character of a public
man, who has, Heretofore, been above re-
proach, they Immediately to
scent around to discover if he is a profess
sing christian, is or has been an officer or
member of a young mems christian asso-
citation or of some church. If it so be, the
dogs of calumny and abuse are let loose.
and continual changes are rung on the
terms ''christian statesman" christian
gentlemen" etc., etc. A man is presumed
to intend what his acts necessarily result
in. These men and newspapers can, there
fore, in their sneers at young mems chris
tan associations, their members, members
Of churches, christian gentlemen" ETC..
have but one object-and that, to bring
christianity and religion into contempt. 1t
has this effect, and these gentlemen know
thai II does. 1t would be strange, indeed,
with the large number of churches estaj-
llshed all over the land, and their extended
membership, some black sheep did not
creep in. But docs this prove anything
against the reality of christianity ? Men
may, and do, sneeringly point to one of
these black sheep, saying in substance,
There is one of your christians and church
members" We all know that the idea
meant to be conveyed is, that it is all n
sham and pretence. If these men would
pause and ask themselves what would be-
come OF the country, and what security
they would have for life and property
Without churches and christianity, we ina
CINE there would be less of this sneering.
Governor Woodford, on the floor of Con-
gress, met these sneers promptly and as
they deserved. With his words, as report
ed by an associated press telegram, we
leave the subject. They had, saidhe, "even
heard at this moment a sneer against Gen
eral Howard as a christian soldier. If
craftsmanship and christian SOL
dlership had covered the wrong so much
the worse for those who had used the
name to cover crime. But there
had never been an hour when a sincere and
earnest christian craftsmanship and chris
tan manhood were more needed in the
country and in the House than to-day"