The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-04-08

MEN RI sorALy
The following from Bishop Elder on the
recent pastoral OF the Provincial Council,
snd addressed TO the Commercial, was
given out in Cincinnati for publication on
wednesday:
Permit me 10 express my wonder ut the
interpretation You have given TO the pas
,oral letter 81 the Council OF Cincinnati.
Won regard II rs taking issue squarely
With the Declaration OF Independence, as
heing anti-democratic, as denying the peo-
ME an power, and tending 10 spiritual, POI
liiical despotism, &c.
As one Of the signers Of our pastoral let
fer | share the responsibility OF It's teach
ings. beg you. then. TO let me show how
widely YOU have misunderstood 1t.
In An that we say abou. equality and In
couality among men we only give distinct
eypreSSion 10 q simple, palpablc fact, which
l slppoSe no one will deny; which l be-
Beve YOU would assert yourself when oc-
cs.ion offered: that "neither in mind nor
lod, are men equal" Is this not true, that
emo men have naturally more talent than
o,b,r>: that some men have greater bodily
movers than otherSy
no Won understand the Declaration Of
Independence 10 mean that there are 10
diIefences Of talent and skill among men!
"Weahh gives men standing before the
law that poverty has not"
I. moi this again simple statement OF
tocts A wealthy man can engage ADLER
counsel: he can give boud for making an
s,,ncal and IN various ways a man who has
.iIncy and powerful friends has better
homes before the law than one who has
,.ai,hcr I sav chances. Thank God, that
aaa,D,ime. the most rich and influential
49,, ,oeritcl punishment; sometimes the
NJ. ,,oor and friendless find not only pro-
.no,ior liii charitable favor. But other
..ings heing equal, the man with money
~ hotter standing than the man with
ont il. .,ol ,,,o mons. >,
No., tiis very commonly the factI Take
our countrv. where the government Is en-
,;rolv nonular. are there not in each party
toaders and executive committees, and
,onrnali.,s and men liberal with money,
and men EMPLOYING large numbers OF
workmen. and men holding the appoint
,nenfs 10 Offices? Then. men OF higher
,oIents and better education, and more
skin in pcrsuading people! Put all these |
to0etber, they are still the few in COMPARE |
son 10 tbe great mass Of voters. And yet |
what can any voter, or any number OF
VOTERS. accomplish unless they have some !
~ these few 10 organize and direct themy |
n occasionally. an unorganized mass OF
voters. nv spontaneous effort, succeed in |
Gaining one election. vet they will never I
hold the power unless they get "the few "
who possess the necessary qualifications to !
direct them, and unless they obey their |
control
Now. this j. all we said in regard TO |
equality and inequality, and this is all we /
meant TO say
Next. with regard TO ruling, we may say: |
II Is ordained by God "that some shall /
rule and some shall be ruled" Is not this /
ordained likewise by our State laws and /
our citv ordnmcesy
The Governor and the Legislature, the /
Mayor and the City Council are ruling, and /
all citizens are ruled, or ought TO be ruled, /
by their enac,ments.
Is this not OF the very foundation Of or
der and Of society!
"Tb0se who are appointed to rule have |
certain rights that subjects have not" Is |
thi. any strange doctrine, that the Mayor
and the Board Of Aldermen have rights
given them TO enact or TO enforce ordi-
nances which we other citizens have no
right to enact or enforce, but which we are
bound before God and man TO obey?
"Hence kings and magistrates, bishops !
and priests, are appointed TO rule"
To cOntinc ourselves TO the civil officers |
l. there anything wrong in saying that our 4
MAYOR and our Governor and our Presi- |
dent are appointed TO Tuleg For what else /
are they appointed!
And in monarchy, are not Queen Vic
toria and Mr.. Gladstone and the members
Of Parliament all appointed to rule-each /
one according TO his and her respective /
places and powersy /
This is all that we say and all that we
mean. But YOU may ask: Why should
such obvious truths be set forth so serious
~ in a pastoral letter? Because, in our
opinion, while those truths are clear enough
IN themselves, in practice they become
much ohscured through the passions Of
men. Children think themselves equal
10 their parents, and throw aside both
obedience and reverence. The idle
loaier thinks himself equal to the best
cltizen, and seeks 10 live ut the eX-
pense Of the industrious By fraud, by gam
bllng specuatlOns, or perhaps by political
Office. And so the rule Of magistrates is
resisted, when men are strong enough or
numerous enough to hope that their resist
ance may be eilectual. And on all these
matters public opinion is not rs healthy as
il ought 10 be for the good OF religion and
of society. Resistance 10 law and to law
ful officers not unfrequently becomes a
popular movement in some localities, and |
sometimes II obtains very general ap- /
proval through the country.
II is our duty, as teachers OF Gods laws,
TO remind the people who are disposed to 1
listen TO us Of these plain fundamental |
truths. There may be differences Of taste /
as to the words in which they should be I
expressed, but | think there is little differ |
ence OF judgment, and when their meaning |
l. set forth, that they are truths, and that /
they be at the very foundation OF civil |
government and of society. Moreover, |
We think that their clear enuncation is !
most needed in country OF popular gov
eminent. II is important that the people |
know the source and nature Of their own
power, the relations which their chosen
officers have toward other citizens, and the
influence 10 which they are subject in the
leaders who direct their political action.
You have touched another question on
which perhaps some would make dis
pute, Whether all authority comes from
God? There is neither time nor room to
enter on il now.
will only say that God's own declara-
ton ON that point is unmistakable. Ii is
uttered by the Holy Ghost through the pen
OF st. Paul: "Let every soul be in subjec-
ton to the higher powers, for there is no
power but Of God, and the powers that be
are ordained Of God. "-Epistle TO the Ro-
mans, xiii. /. And IL would be easy TO
show that this doctrine, so far from being
anti-democratic, is the yerystruth that fur
nishes the most solid foundation for a dem
ocratic government, the most efiectual pro-
lection against despotism and arbitrary