The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-12-08


editors and secretaries and orators.
They are in the state Legislatures
and in the hall of Congress, occu.
plying, better than they were occu.
pied before, some of the very chairs
vacated by their former rebel masters.
We will hold Thanksgiving for this
blessing.
And all through society do we feel
the rejuvinating influence of our new
and free life. No more do we see
laws placed upon our statute books,
making it crime to teach fellow
being to read, or furnishing christians
for teaching men the word of God.
No more is the literature Of our coun
try purged of all expressions that
could favor the idea of universal lib.
erty, nor school teachers put under
surveillance that they drop not one
word against the peculiar institution.
No more are sermons preached on
the divine right of slavery, or papers
or books published to prove it a
necessity. No more are our best
men Of the Nation, our . Websters
Calhouns and Douglasses, and our
Bishops and Doctors from the church.
es brought down by the whitening
touch of the fell power. Not so
often are our churches rent or our
ministers silenced or banished or
murdered for uttering Gods thoughts
on the equality of his children. No
longer do we hear the angry discus
sions when friends meet in the so
cial relations of life, discussions that
alieniated friends and embittered
communities. A new spirit has
come over our land, better friend
ship is born of the triumph. A
little time and forbearance and posi-
tive governmental discipline may be
necessary ITO Its development, but
God will help us if we strictly hold
ourselves to his law.
Many fears, know, are enter
tanned at the present time, that in
the political agitation through which
we are passing, we shall lose the
benefit we had fondly hoped to de-
rive from our moral victories. But
we should remember that the Nation
is greater than the parties and while
the parties are struggling for the su-
premacy and while one goes up and
another goes down, the true and the
good citizens are all the while hold
ing fast to the principles that are
permanent, principles on which the
Nation. may build. The fondest
hopes of the best political party may
be again and again cut off, yet there
remains the eternal principles OF
honesty, purity and sobriety which
all good men will ever work for and
in working for which they shall not
lose their reward. The principles
of honesty, purity and sobriety are
broader than party boundaries,
broader even than the forms OF hui
man government. They are stronger
than Democracy, Republicanism or
Monarchy. These may change or
pass away, but they are changeless,
eternal. If ever our love for our
Republican form of government shall
become greater than our love for
honesty, purity and sobriety, then
may we look for our Republic soon
to pass away. Indeed we are not
sure that the Lord God has commit
ted himself to the Republic of the
United States of America. This
form of government is yet an expert
ment among men and God and the
Nations are watching its outcome.
Certain it is, we think, that there are
high and vast designs concerning this
people. But it may be that God sees
that we will not allow him to accom-
plish Those designs, through this
form of government. The personal
conduct and character of our people
will answer that question. 1t GER
tainly requires more virtue, more in
telligence and more piety to main
tain a Republican form of govern
ment than any other. In Mon.
archy moral or social corruption
,,oav evisf for centuries without reach.