The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-08-24
LETTER FROM REV DOCTOR JOHN
HAMILTON.

two weeks ago appeared an extract from
the Mt Vernon Banner, mentioning
Reverend Hamilton of the Republican,, of
that place, By remembering this, the
following excellent letter will be better
understood
BUTLER, ILL.,, August 18th, 1876.
a, McGregor, Esq.,
Respected FRIEND-Sef-respect in
Clines me to say that have had no cor
respondence with the editor of the Mt.
Vernon Banner, and that | have not
charged him with sinister motives for
not publishing anything in favor OIL Gov.
Tilden. There may be other clergymen
of my name who are responsible to him
for the accusation. The publication of
the reproachful notice in the Stark Co.
Democrat may incline my friends to be-
lieve that am the man. In giving the
notice the undeserved attention I have,
is to correct and disabuse the minds of
my friends Of that belief.
believe every man processes econ
science" and "soul" within his original
and individual Corporation" The soul,
or spirit of man is vital, quickening and
moving power, Like the aspiring of
a watch, it sets everything in its imme-
diate connection in motion. There are
circumstances which will lessen its pow
er. Hence, it may need repairing and
cleaning to make it answer the design of
its author. Every corporation" requires
a similar process to develope the life
giving principle or moving power. The
surroundings and circumstances of some
men are of such a nature that the mo-
wing power within them is very weak. l
haye known men who professed great
vitality, who, in time that tried mems
souls, were so weak and frightened by
their surroundings, that they were afraid
to breathe their sentiments, and who
lacked the power to give utterance to
facts that made tyranny quake and trem-
bic. Their utter weakness was so per-
ceptible that many doubted whether
they possessed souls, or supposed they
were so diminutive, that if one could be
caught and put into the bowl of a pipe
and confined there, it would crawl out at
the little end, and evaporate in smoke
l have said that every man has "con-
science" which is the executive aid of
the soul, and which is constituent ele-
ment of mind and heart. If the mind is
unenlightened by correct principles, and
the heart is corrupt, what kind of a con-
science will such a man have? Such a
man will be governed by the rule of sell
fshness, Of greed and sordid gain. To
have a pure conscience is to have the
mind enlightened and directed by the
word of God, and to have the heart over
flowing with the love of God and man.
A conscience thus regulated will promote
"peaCe on earth and good will toward
men" What kind of conscience can
such men have who inaugurate war, pro-
mote strife, confscate the property of
others to their own use, desoate the
land eat up the substance of the people,
and destroy the provision that remain
eth, that filed once happy homes with
weeping, anguish and lamentation, that
has bankrupted a land once free, pros
porous and happy, who have burdened
the people by taxation, uniustly and OPP
pressive to their business pursuits, and
who now boast of their cruelty and evil
doing and glory in the perniCiOus crimes
perpetrated under the perverted name
of Liberty What has such perverted
conscience attained? The freedom of f.
100000 blacks and the slavery of 100000
900 whites, who must pay the taxes i'm
posed upon them without their consent,
or else lose their homes to meet the ra-
pacious demand. The highway robber
says to the victim Of his Cupidity, "your
money or your life" government de-
mands your property or your money
What is the difference between the two?
The robber has the law of necessity and
circumstances to force his demand, the
other says his demand is according to
the law of the land The one is a pun
ishable offense, the other is not. In both
cases the victim of oppression is the suf
ferer. This is called civilization in the
land of professed freedom Freedom
from what? Surely not from oppressive
taxation and misrule, nor from Corrup-
| ton in high places, nor from a thousand
other things which the people endure,
and which they have tried in vain to
have removed.
The servants of the people have chang
ed their relation to the people, assuming
the mastery, and without the consent of
the dear people, voting themselves an
increase of salary, thereby increasing the
tax upon the people, in which they acted
upon the indefensible doctrine, that it
is easier to pay large debt than it is to
pay smaller one. In addition to this
they have no objections to large presents
from their friends, without Considera-
ton, and they made their prominent po-
sitions entitled to large rewards for ser
vices rendered to their friends. In this
way they have become wealthy, proud
and dictatorial Gratitude should induce
them to do something for their friends.
The offices in existence are not ade-
quate to the applicants. An adequate
number of offices must be created for
these applicants. That will increase our
greater security in office, if it does not
increase the revenue of our country
But, will it not greatly increase the tax
of the people to support so many thou
sand office holders? That is minor
consideration, the strength of our party
requires the expenditure. Such is the
conscience of corrupt politicians. This
cup of wormwood and gall is not full
enough for the people, they must license
professional vampires to prey upon the
people, These licenses will add some
thing to the treasury or to the pockets
of the officeholders, and the holders of
these licenses will be richly compensated |
for their outlay by the authority we give |
them to tax the people according to their |
pleasue. A doctor was recently called |
for consultation to see one Of my parish |
oners, and for his visit and advice he |
only charged $1O0! Since that time my
friend is sinking rapidly to the grave.
suppose that man has an elastic con-
science.
The only purifying and vice restrain
-, H. 1orI 80 kbo M