The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-12-06
EXTERNAL VIGILANCE Is
THE PRICE OF LMBER-
tvs,

WAS STedUeT necessity IOr more ire
quent recurrence to this fundamental
principal than now. And there never
was period when 'little brief au-
thority" was inclined to play more
fantastic tricks, before high Heaven,
than now. AT one time, the consti-
tuition OF our country, and of the
States, were charts beyond whose
limits, no President or Governor,
presumed to go, or dared to 60. That
was a time when the people of this
country were not only vigilant, but
jealous of their liberties; and when
their public officers, instead of being
masters were but servants, amenable
to the people for their official acts
Then that sacred charter was regar-
ded by ALL as the palladium of our
liberties. BY it the powers of the
Federal Government itself were pre-
scribed. By it the restraints upon
the powers of the States were and
are prescribed, so as to prevent either
from encroaching upon the just pow
ers of the other, and at the same
time insure harmony and concord
between all. BY it the military was
made subordinate to the civil powers
of the Government, and Church and
State kept as separate and distinct
as Earth and Heaven. And by it,
equal and exact justice and liberty
was secured to all, without regard to
section or creed. Never was more
human wisdom circumscribed in so
small space as in that almost sa-
cred instrument; and never did any
people prosper like ours, while its
sacred and just provisions we're obey
ed. Then the President, on taking
his seat, took solemn oath, to the
best of his ability to pre- serve, pro-
tect and defend the constitution of
the United States; then he took that
oath in it's spirit, and he kept it, and
then congressman took an oath to
support that constitution, and they
kept it enthroned in their consciences.
But now, how different! 1t is true
they still take these solemn oaths,
but how many of them care to keep
them unless it suits their purposes to
do so. BY that constitution and oath,
the President can no more assume
powers or do what is not authorized
by it, than he can refuse to do what
it requires him to do; either, and
both, would be unauthorized infrac-
ton and perjury. But we do not pro-
pose IN this article, to discuss this
question Of unlawful assumption of
power in the Governments, Federal
and State, in the length, and breadth,
and depth of its scope, nor in po-
litical or partizan sense, but so far as
in our Judgment the insidious as
sumptions of power by the executives
of these governments have tenden
cy to enslave the religious consciences
of the people by the yoke of cicil
power, and thereby to connect church
and State in violation Of that char
ter and the fundamental principles of
our government, and to convert free
religion OF the heart and conscience,
purchased by the Saviour's blood,
into a forced formula prescribed by
ungodly men. King henry VIII was
unwise enough to try that expert
rnent, with some of the fruits OF
which the reader of history is some
what acquainted. Little did he
then think he was thereby sowing
the seeds of an empire that should
rob him of his glory and his king
dom of its wealth. That unwise act
built and loaded the Mayfower and
turned her bow fol Plymouth Rock
in the new world, there to plant the
seed of perfect religious freedom in
soil uncursed by religious bigotry
or civil despotism, and there it germ
mated and grew in despite of the re-
ligious enthraldom of the mother
country until it ripened into our in
dependence IN 1776, and when thai
struggle came, religious freedom was
the iewel of the casket, stored away
deep down in the hearts of the Amer
lean people. Hence we find thai
Virginia, the chief of the colonies
among her first overt acts. solemnly
declared, { see Virginia Bill of Rights
"That religion, or the duty which VIZ
owe to our Creator and the manner
of discharging it, can be directed on
ly by reason and conviction, not by
force or violence, and therefore al
men are equally entitled to the FREE