Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-04-05
The state Bcbtnna Meral Obligations
MANASSAS, Va, April 1881.

Sm, p:rso1s Gr3 Of the OPTION t5s: We gro
mo:aIy bourd to p,y TIC s a:c obligations IN
!c!I, sh?ul1 the cri di:o!s Sd dccao@;. | cn!cfa
| taia 3tfereut osigioc. ard will give m7 te.s-
ons 70: k. II addition to tn, n:n7 ceg.a; facts
aoi Iaascos which may be j1slly urged Why
| The debt should 30 RACED. which axe k1omn to
all who ha7a exluioed The suti,cs, Thick i:
deserves sefioug consideration whether CT not
| tic fac: !ha: naay Of The creditors assisted in
causing US 80 much unjust less Of property, md
cruel sutIeIag, may not b. regarded So a prep
CT rc,son for rsdlciag tie am7unt Of their
c.ina.
L. ns,y CESS. to Ge.erllina waat course Of
o3n! ut i, really moral, rtq7irts much legal
laar1lu., good uCdarstaptluS, and careful
consideration. Even with these advantages
end the best inten!i9ls. from the inpossibiIity
Of ob:slGl2g ali tho fac:s, and the weakness OF
our faculties in judging, OF them, render it in.
possible, 10 some cases. to determine with eX
cc!ness what is real moral and right. | pro.
ptss, therefore. 10 briefly examine tho moral
a:pcc. ct the debt question. 10 difference to the
moral ccru9!cs ct tnosa good persons WHO be.
s7e &c ere morally bourd to pay the total
am:u9t ri TIC Claims OF the creditors, shoull
they r=t1se 10 iDaka aay abatement 10 them ard
o. C. to Tba: is called fo.cibio read .ment.
Although the words iCrc.bls s,aGiuHmeut ere
often Esd in potlca! discussions. to adVaroe
party lacrcs!s, yet /: is really chimera-an
imposs billy, a5d t9o sigialy absurd TO bo DIS,
cuss?G or believed We have 70 moro power
, 10 compel tue c:edl:cls to rs3uc1 their claims
or ic,ept REas We may cho3sa TO otter, than
they haVo tho power 10 folco Us to pay thenl
81! IS the c:!Gitols must know that the State
will never pay their tl,ius 10 full, and that they
hsve no power 10 enfulco suo1 rGymeIt, |
thi1k it nay b. re- s2Datly Supposed they VIII
, agree TO such reduction Of their claims and
rate Of interest," as tic State c,n ard vii! eco,pt
| IS a AL s,lt!omeEt. Thesc r,a,ctioas b!ius
ne TO :ho G!:cds:i2a of the moral phase CT the
qlca.i1r.
Although il ie our natural duty to az! with
d;mac:s ioTaTG5 0ac another 10 bu;laesj iran
sac iots, IS we'll as 1st and reasonable, 10 cur
clclAs aGcts. to pFcmote the Happiness Of cur
ttlI0w creatures. set this daea not daromipa!o
aoV moral Obligation rot to relieve ourselves Q!
> u 1t sutt+rlng, though / should cause p2oua
iary l2ss, CT lv3u paiu. to thuso who otc.soDeG
! i. AID is nature, which is tho work Of thu
Crta;@r, requires Us 10 make prop.r erdeavors
10 5lclr1 cur own iotcTeS. end hsppoe$s,
5cCca to pu0lsh CIV in order to s care cur hsp-
|. piucss. Es is d9nc 10 the administrator Of vii
g9VifaEoeC!, which is natural, nus. be moral in
the proper sc.so ct that void. Were this not
c !:t rtl! oil Gc.io3, We should concund VIZ; U
, sac: G;c9 ;eV3 % moral iu!3 Ct life, and b., 70.
: dGle1 TO the cCaail0n OF hru;o animals. Aad
! as we hBvo suffered 50 much 10 es:tilp The rhi
!althronby OF others. spprehcud W. sh:ui1
cmm't % very great sin IN seeking so@o ID
Ill a-d r3pos", by pp5lGicG That r0blo law to
! ourselves. Tao NEST lXc.lept # Gil vi.iu3uj
piiacplcs." uaess, inlcsd, Gu: sl2s arc 50 Gu.
t msr.Gj AID wicked aa to reaGtg r. lief tr3nl
j th2G iEpc2s:b.c. |: Is iIu,, tia. srinyeot
D2as1Gta It'd "A oppressive pcl5?, mGY na
a; s5:Ec coca icas, be Zee, s5iry, bit to bo heutG
! cal, hey W!St b, tempered wl:a meicy AID ct
brici iuraiicn,
III. f5c.cd tl,i@:a OF lu napi;y Gni duo sir
!Gtc;.s: @rc c)!noIan, nssGraI, and ctcI, ia il
: sil!, cl;s;i.utcs jus: lu!o CT Ec.iln. THIS i!
2>E.l:4c! b. tho iaot tiiat tic Author Il ta:uro
Q his cLdu:a III nith g neral tacaty 10 Giscsrl
Q b.tH0cI a,:l2ns. c1j made il eur Guy to 81
9'rtVj a0,l reward SUN IS Clio giCtujuS ccadeGl
= and lG2ls1 thca9 t1a! er3 vicious, wlioh duty
. w cs9ao: cV2la {! Ecsi.c-, w:shGu: "ati !;
. cgrdyE1:d." |. IS exc:cd;oyly dangerous
& yl.'a To m0;iy.s &! SSH interest, cr ri.takc1
Ajtian5 Ct wcr,G!y iau0r, for a Eo:al tue G!
cgDiuc. That Ttich ooGtIl;uts 10 proiuc.
81 uUcl Gifii;ally AID c}nICson ia Gtc,!;ag
!. matters iue3!vpg lorsi end pablo obligations,
y aTC indeed, mast c!lt's. il that s. many men
fancy CT i'm 6 1e they kaoH w5G! thy 90 not
= L; gfsihcd, aG3 coull 0vt Il ihcy "cJlStc.cd
/. VIII i!c c!oat,s: attention." AID what i'll
t un.T2 iCGlj TO e,-Ia:rsss :ued matters cad rrl.
7cat Just coGCusiGhs ia that souo meu ere 50
u2flr:unltc'y constituted as Get to be gjvcrocd
hg iacis 2nG ress)D, buf by s.Ifsh musiVCs or
u byl
/ ,asiTs nTIp;s, aad c!Un5t bc!isvo that H;.ioh
is ra:eaihl@ Il tue, AID some arc Inclined to
q b:lllve wlat .hay :;op2, srd others VIA they
fear" La ulstGeg Of 90 uuoh up0rtatcl as
thu public dett, as wi as oil others, ih, safest
ursa OF coaduc; Is TO forget ores self, aud ara
.sc & fair cIasl!Craiion Of ;ho ttc:9 of tic 81,
20 Gccid3 erd &C; ac,;rElrg 10 tho BIS! Of our
, 11.Gent. which Is oil n.!uTe req tires CT ~,
Ter perfect 1siioo Is 20: TO Do lcu d 10 such 9
4 weak creature ss ms1.
, With regard 10 moral Obligations il may be
!, we'll 10 edo, TO prevent erroneous conclusion
: from ThA. have said, that my interprets,ion
OF moral precapt OF Scripture which is Contra
| ~ ID reason and our nature, and would render
J our ru.o OF llto uncertsn and invite yica, vo
llGy be assured is not the truo Interpretation.
HoIco it ia evident that those who believe it to
, DO our mors' duty to pay the whole of the State
debt should the creditors require it, on the sup.
poaii IN that wa should return good for evil. do
net Understand the literal sense and intent Of
those passages Of Scripture which speak Of ro-
turning good for OWL nor the general spirit Of
, them. Tho words in question arc only intended
TO adm0l'th us of the Importance Of exercising
proper forbesrsnco and patience updor provocs.
tions, and not ID bo too hasty or resdy 10 take
offence st or resent wrongs, and that i! is better
to quietly submit 10 como injuries than resent
J thon, which we know, from experience, is botn
prudent aud wise Blu. if wo arc not TO discrim.
ita.o between virtue and vco, we should have
no ground for judgment nor possibility of doing
right or wrong, which would not ony render
cur mind absurd, Gu. useless go far as RICH: or
wrong aro concerned. To DO little more e1.
piieis, will observe tina! those words in revola
tion which refor 10 returning good for evil, like
positive precepts have their exceptions. For
example,, we are commanded 10 keep the Sab.
bath day holy, 30! We may labor on tina. day TO
re!ieTo unnecessary suffering without commit.
Ting sly sla, because mercy Is to be preferred to
sacrifice. And as it is clearly moral obligation
to punish evil, TO punish it must b, good, there.
fore to punish evil is to return good for it. The