The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-03-19
Political PRINCIPLES for owosso.

80 Q
: Political Principles for owosso,
| Was the theme of Rev. G. II. Wilson,
) discourse at the Congregational church
last Sunday evening to a full house.
, After picturing the great tendency to
municipal msIule in this land and are.
and affirming that the government of cities
! was the problem of American government.
the speaker called attention to the fact
: .'hat Owosso was in that peculiar stage as
cltles grow when it was Of more than or
dlrfary Importance that it. be looked to
That the best kind of men be led TO the
'front.'. He then emphasized two great
dangers, one of which was, the tendency
TO use Official power as a mcaus of rrivate
revenge. This he denounced and warned
all against it. The other fact which he
emphasized we give moro fully. thus.
/ one thing more | wish to impress upon
your. mind is this; no man in whose life is
manifested desire 10 suppress the free.
full, untrammelled consideration of oucs.
ions before electors for settlement j.
worthy of Che place of an Office bearer or
a party, leader. | care net how Obscure
the Office, how slight the honor of holdinr
IT, how, small the responsibility involved
or pay attached, every such man sho,lld
oe summed If we would preserve lbe
rights we. have as citizens. 1t is contrary
TO the genius OF liberty aud contrary 10
the gospel of Jesus Christ to refuse fair
play to any man. l am aware that there
Is strong tendency in the partisan 70
crush conscience and charity and not
1eel that dread recol that sends The lapcl,.
ter OF the soul in upon itself To estccm
as sharp and shrewd that which to tbc
healthy moral sense is repulsiyc beyond
description is the fruit, Of which ordinary
parllsanshp is but the bud. ! know
there is thoughtessness in man which
VIII permit him to overlook MANY wroncs
done to execute his own designs from
the very thought of which his manhood
would recoi if it occurred in the exacd. |
llon OF the purpose of another. I.know
that like the deadly poison which assas. |
SINS were wont TO conceal in the SPARKLING
nectar given to kings, princes and leaders,
So beneath the sparkling brilliancy of wit
may be concealed those deadly forces
which paraEze morality wherever they
strike. Men and women. blinded ,o ,ho
unseen and eternal, mourn that thev should
JOY over and applaud that they should de.
nouncc. In the absence of that eternal
vigilance which is tie price of liberty ever
to free people, we may not see and so
cannot sense. that spirit save as it grows
large and lurid, save us il may flash ont
from the rifle mouth of Klu-Kluy or storo
us in the face from the stuffed ballot hoy
OF leprous or rowdy ward of a large CITY.
we may not see it say save where
masked men break up political gatherings,
or city roughs capture caucuses in spite of
police batons. But the thing is the same.
course or cultured, rough or refined.
AS we were told by that pure lipped
orator, Mr.. Wendliug, last Tuesday night.
hat persecution changes its. form though
not its spirit as the ages pass so the denial
% citizen of his just rights may vary in
Us form but the spirit is the same. In
or Massachusetts, in the cotton
ields south or the cotton factories north.
n Jacksonville, Florida, or in Jackson
Michigan, the same, whether brazen i'm. !
,udence thrust the barbed arrow of moi
'oned wit or the rusty dirk, or flash the
minnie ball, so that the purpose be to
break up" man or meeting. to whom
'r to- which, the genius of our laws has
granted the right of freedom.
Men do big acts when acting on a big :
Gale, little acts when acting on a little
Gale The essential meanness or manli q
less OF an act is untouched by its size. !
my man who has spirit which aims at /
uppressing the free consideration of any Z
question before the tribunal of the people
8 essentially and at heart a DEMAeoeuE !,
4 the worst type. Aided by party blind
css he may be able to pass awhile in his =
lsguise but the spirit of an intelligent i
hrislian faith will pierce the gauzy tissue !,
nd show the nature of the animal covered. h