The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-08-28

The Way They Help ON the Morals of
Government.
Washington Post.L

washington POST
The influence of that class of people
known as Christian statesmen on our poll
tics has not been q wholesome one. This is
surprising and discouraging, but none the
less true. In the light of the examples fur
nished by the most prominent of these in
dividuals, it would not be far out of the way
to say that they have done much more to de-
grade than to purify. 1t seems to be a gen.
eral proposition, the truth of which is time
and again demonstrated, that a person enter
ing from an old into a new profession COM
mences with very high and altitudlnous
ideas. principles and purposes, and finally
compromises on a line of action below the
average, with steadily lowering tendencies
This is about the status of the case with the
Christian statesman. He enters actively
into politics for the purpose nf raising the
standard to the high plane of true morality,
and as general thing, winds up by stead
lily lowering the grade until it reaches a
point suitable for his active participation.
We have had, and still have, several bloom
ing specimens OF this order of high moral re-
formers in active political life. Among the
more prominent are the Rev. James A. Gar
fild, the Rev. William @. Brownlow and the
Rev. James Harlan. These are the names
inscribed on their respective family Bibles,
but to the country at large they are known
by the more familiar designations OF
SIC, 900 Harlan. These titles all refer to red
letter epocbs In their virtuous and reforming
careers Perhaps the most worthy OF the
lot is, or rather was, the Rev. Brownlow.
His career furnished living illustration of
the impossibility of penetrating hard. shell
Baptist exterior with the soothing and for
giving injunctioDs OF the Bible. He was
IRE eater in the most radical Specification of
the term. The south never had more
unrelenting and remorseless foe than this
same disciple OF grace, mercy and peace.
He had a gilt Of hatred never excelled and
seldom equaled. While unlike the other
two gentlemen mentioned, he was never in
dividually connected with any prominent
piece of corruption, he wasa thorough-going
radical in principle and practice, in and out
OF Office, and was never known to question
or refuse to sanction any one of the many
villainous transactions of the party This
misguided man is now gone. His influence
was not on the side OF political publication.
The Rev. Jeems Harlan is chiefly known for
his participation in memorable transaction
by which his share of this worlds goods was
increased by $4,000, and bis prospects IN
the next lessened. This gentleman's moral
power has been ever exerted on the neither
side of American politics. The most con-
spicuous parsonage in the whole lsst u.s. per-
haps, the Rev. De Golyer Garfield, at pre-
sent q representative in congress from the
state of OHIO. Conspicuous he IS in many
and divers respects-conspicuoHs for his
absurd pretensIons of morality, virtue
and innate goodness; for his hypocrisy; for
his barefaced corruption; for his pernicious
political example and influence, and finally
for hisabject failure as a shining light in
the field of Christian craftsmanship. From
the moment he first entered the house of
represent atives I'D TO the present time, this
individuals career has been such one as
smells to heaven in its hypocrisy, depravity
and general rottenness. To particularize
would but weary. A fitting vind-up to
this batch OF Christian worthless Is found in
the person of R. b. Hayes, the presidential
fraud.
That there are pure and moral men, Chris
tians in principle and practice, who take an
active interest IN and exercise beneficial
influence on public politics and affairs
far be 1t from us to donbt or deny. That
the influence OF true Christianity on our