The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-07-15
day in our nations birthday song.

my, College, University. The hands
that raised many of these have palsied
in death, but "their works do follow
them. Educational advantages is
now the boast Of our nation, and in.
tellectual acumen the pride of our
people. The Goddess Of wealth pours
her treasures into our country's lap.
With Il climate varying between the
antipodes of torrid and trigid zone,
health is our national inheritance. and
heavens blessings crowns in all.
''In every stream his bounty flows.
Diffusing joy and wealth.
In every breeze his spirit blows
The breath Of life and health,
His blessings fall in plen teOus showers
Upon the lap OF earth,
That teens with foliage fruits and no rs,
And rings with infant mirth."
But with all this we abuse our in.
dependence, and to-day our sins Da>
tionally and individually are enor>
nous, and,
/. There is a National corruption,
and this corruption is found in the pO-
litical world, 4 moral miasma so CON-
tagious in character that as sOOn as a
man is elevated to a position Of trust
and honor, he is affected by it-unmis-
taxable signs of 4 morbid condition
present themselves III lying, bribery,
credit mobilier, hack-salary grabs, &c.
Statemanship il now synonym OF
fraud, and politician of dishonesty.
The examples have been set by those
holding the highest positions ofhpnOr,
and is repeate by the smaller celeb
rites. Every one now holding the
elective franchise may become-in one
sense-a Pope; just let him stick out
his toe, and some candidate with all
the eclat of an Italian monk, is ready
to kiss it. Oh! yes, they are the clev-
crest Knights in all the ranks, they
simply want your votes to enable
them to drink from the country's cis-
tern aud grow fat, Gall present excep>
ted. Our halls of legistation-with
some exceptions, AMI thank God for
the exceptions-are filled with men of
corrupt morals, and doubtful reputa>
ton; profanity and obscenity are the
principal ingredients of every word
they speak, and nectars their every
cup of sensual enjoyment. From the
President of the nation with his cab
met down to the village Mayor with
his board corruption so dark as to
cause the hearts of the piOus Puritan
of the past, to tremble at the idea of
civilization. Money and whiskey,
the one the originator of the other,
the one the root Of all evil, the other
the fire of hell, the one the king, the
other the means of his elevation, for
fear of these, and to keep in love with
these, scarcely a man i'll office. from
the Chief Magistrate OF the nation
to the common Town Marshal, will
dare do his sworn duty.
9. There are corporate and indi'
vidual sins. We fear when we see
the laws of God so persistently viola
ted; God hath spoken, let the nation;
hear, These words which | command
thee this day shall be in thy heart,
and thou shalt teach them diligently
unto thy children" What words
The moral law; 1t is of universal in
terpretation, and is binding upon all
of every age, and of all natiOnallties.
1t is the foundation Of American laws
and its principles are interviewer IL
the constitution Of our country; but
alas, this foundation is marred, anc
their principles repudiated. We arr
a nation of Sabbath breakers. Cor
porations, sanctioned blythe silence
of our legislators, care not for a posi-
tive law of Almighty God. "Ant
God finished his work on the seventh
day, and blessed it and saRetifed it.
Remember the Sabbath day to keel
it holy" See our railroads; 1t Is 1
burning shame to see them habitually
violating this law. Their thousand
of employees are compelled to wori
on the Sabbath. Indeed it often ap
pears to be the busiest day of tn
week. God disapprOves OF this, ant
hence the most fearful of all railroad
disasters, both in America and Europ
has happened on Sunday. God speak
and men should hear. His laws mus
he respected. Where is lthe corpor
alton that is not gnilty? Worldly in
terest is respected, and receives atten
ton beneath the perception OF our ex
ecutors of law in every town almOs
everywhere. Our individual sins ar
numerous. Intemperance is the deN
IFS grand highway,tO our nations ruin
Everything must bow to the edicts
King Alchohol, and he must hav
the preference in all places. Whisk
is the sine qua non of almost every col
poration, and the principal factor i
almost every institution. The office
must have it to nerve him for hi
study. The lawyer must have 1t I
enable him to make his briefs, III
merchant can't be popular unless b
occasionally slips into dark cOrne
and takes little, the grocer, wei
we'll, his business is not business at q
unless he spices his customers wit
the aqua 81ortis, the minister mul
compromise his dignity with the bs
, keeper and bis responsibility to Go
aud let whiskey stay in the churcl
and some, who in public places. an
in polite company are the loudest