New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-11-17
THE CHURCH CONGRESS.
ADDRESS OF THE HON. ALEXANDER II. BULLOCK ON
"THE MORALS OF POLITICS."


ADDRESS OF THE HON. ALEXANDER II. BULLOCK ON
"THE MORALS OF POLITICS"
BosToN Nov. 16.-The Hon. Alexander III. Bull
lock delivered an address to-day before the Church
Congress on "The Morals of Politics." His first
thought was that men do not usually carry INTO
politics the same high principles that govern them
in their private business and in developing his argu-
ment he showed that political morality had been
marked by lower standards than have been observed
10y society in its other relations. His closing re-
marks these:
Time is the ONLY public rcfomer and line upon line
preeept upon prece2 through all the agencies OF cduca
ton and correcten will bring the politics OF ibis coun-
Try to the degree OF honor which characerzes the
Is the aowt OF an age The schools Of learning have
early Share in this work OF moral reconstruction OF
which the outcome Is to be national tone OF lnhXlD9
prObity OF moral elevation, of dsInerestedness and
hatred OF corruption, and those who are az a.
the presidents and professors OF the colleges must
deem IL heir duty 10 parcla,e as puoc ,, iboy
the hastings, 1t is OF the gravest Importance tt oey
should to their classic halls in 70 es bearing no
song by sOphistry. by partisan eXaggeraton, by as
guised apology Tor corrupt practices ny any g ". thr
slightest compromise or Christian scHOlI Lei !ii
instruction. and their example, without which al tnelr
instruction is vanity hre the rising ~ VIII
the resolution that, IL ambition Is TO make NM te , SUI
want OF the people III office, honor Is 10 prevent nun run
becoming their victim or their slave me Press INC
third estate, which has become tine hrsl, mus oo
counted chief reiormer, itself not se0On heeus
reform This omnpresent refoner. this universal cen
sor at all times aggressive. and part OF the time just
already becomes in large proportion ndivuua ana io
pendent during nine months in the year ana III shacr
proportion through the whole year, IN us nigher iep
sentatives fully up to the culture and moral seht
OF the professions and the schools, must be mah'l"
in all our hopes OF moral advance and political reiorf
ton, 1t is from this quarter that the citizen Is 10
receive his daily encouragement III eclectic Voilhs'
of two bad candidates taking neither Oh soou
and a bad choosing the good one OF TWO eoou
ones always selecting the better of the two Inere no
teacher of civil reform equal TO weil-cut ana uscf
mating ballot. And stu more thah an ness ysmrni
the example OF the Government. III Is uO'eInmont
which has the first offender and government 1s.
he rae first refOrmer The iObbng departments OF COY
eminent have had spicuous place IN history ~
characteI of the Government Of nation The pracuee
of eorrupting the public service in IL own interest ~
IL WAS claimed OF ministers brlblng meihpeis vi
Parliament 10 the support of Government, lasted
unrebuked in England more than hundred 5ens. lme
elder Pitt not then mead but only subordinate asso
ciae of ministers set the first mple OF refusing ms
personal completely his conduct touched chord OF a
proval and admiration that yibrated from lndia 10
America in less than five years the Administration
adopted the example and for The rst nne @
the custom of bnbng the Commons ana tOdh! pupihc
life in England beyond all question the purSst on tne
globe Never since the day of Washington mas there
6een a time when so signally az now, the American
people tired and sick Of official mpur1ty would ha ~
their head the reproduction Of that lofly spirit ana
wonld throw their arms and their hearts around him
who having declared it to their ears, snail placuce
before their eyes
But the pulpit has the highest duty to perform. re-
,oee that the ministers of church not in the habit
Of dippng their hands the current stream OF politics.
but cannot doubt that it OF their high duties 10
help protect the public fountains in their purity Far
away let the day be when they shall tune the pulpit OF
this church to the dscOrdance OF party politics. out am
sure of your assent that they should ncucatc without
fear or favor those principles and duties OF Citizenship
upon which alone all pure politics must depend. They
stand over the vestal lights at the shrine beseech
them IN their sacred office, not merely once year ID
their preparation for Thanksgiving day, but In their
prcparatlon several times every year, that they shall
consider and instruct and expand, how great and sol
en,n thinr nation is The natoi-it appeals to their
best thoughts and most stud0us su port nov aionc as
tho aggregate OF increasing millions, but as an en-
dnring agency i'm the pgovidences Of God and the
designs o. His glory. How sublime is the organism ana
the life OF nation IL is sealed 10 the PURPOSES Oh the
creation by temples and schools by social aesthetics 10y
the purcties earth, by the ties mt cOnncc genera
tons by poetry and ART, by custody OF he virtues VI ,c
Vead by the assurances OF progress Whleh sha elccf
the coming by the guardianship OF worship Wncn
joins the comfort OF patriotism WIN tle soce .,
as the august arber of justice as the peaceful anger oil
tastes aud hunanitles as the ueasus ~ "Gh h
inspiring hstorles-as law ana soHeIhHeihl' WI'nou'
which IN Obeycd and felt majesty without which IN pre-
served purity there Is advancement Tor he human
race Surely whatever pertains To the purhGalon anu
preservation OF the nation cannot be alle 10 hc pulpit
of this church which itself sprung out oil national con
vusons which is itself the everything beneficiary OF ma
tiOnal reformation.
Other essays upon the subject read by the Rev
Edwin Harwood, d. d., of New-Hayen Chancellor
l. " L. Pruyn, University OF New-York; the Hon.
James Emott Now York the Rev. Samuel Osgood, DID,
Ney-York; the Rev ]. S. Gaaher ID. d.. New-fork;
the Rev f. r.. j. Brigstocke, NewBrunswick; and the
Rev Dr. Medley, Fredericton, n B.
The subject OF discussion at the evening session was
Just liberty adoption of the service to the varied
wants OF tile people" The participants In the dis
cussion we're the Rev. ID. H. Grier OF Providence,
Jonathan Edgar OF New-Jersey, the Right Rev.
W. w. Niles. d. D., Bishop Of New-iiaInpshire;
the Right Rev. IT, Il. Whpple, ID. d., Bishop
OF Minnesota the Right Rev Alexander C. Garrett,
Bishop Of Northern Texas, the Rev. DR. j. Cotton smith,
the Rev T. NJ Peters. ID. ID, and the Rev. C. c. Tiffany
OF NewYork City Great diversity OF opinion was mani
tested during the discussion, although a ma
iority Of the speakers admitted the feasible
ity OF granting permission for such changes IN
the use OF the service will secure the best
results undcr the circumstances in which 1t Is used
The attendance to-day was larger than that OF
Yesterday and the wealth and culture OF the city was
largely represented ia the audience which this evening
flied the halls and passages TO Oyerowing while many
were unable 70 gain admittance. Music Hall has been
secured for the closing exercises tomorrow night which
will it is expected, be Of great interest