Moral Responsibility In Politics

My prent aim in wliat I have written, snd now write on 'iriatters of pub' ie interest, is to Tomiite politics and mornlily: to bvin? into iiarraony the lnw oF the land and ihe law of God. Ámong the chief causes of the mi?eriea ofnations ia the divoree which has taUen place bet ween politics and morality; nor can we hope for a botter day till this brench be liealod. Mcnintrustpd with gOTernment Inve ol'.vays been lisposed to regard tbèfriselves as nbeolvpd from the laws of jnstico pnd hfftnanity. Fnlsohoods and fraiuis nic allowcd líiem for tlieir country or for their pnrty. To mnintain tliemselves against their oppo.=ition they may even vnvolve mtions ín war, and the mtmlors and robberies which follow this crime are not visited on their heads by human iustice. Ia all times povernironl Ims boon the grand robbor, the grand murdornr, nnd yel Ins epcaped the júst rprobation which Breaks forth aainst private ruilt. Sucli profliaacy pervades the sphere of polfttcn 1 nction, that the confidence of the peoplo is well nigh wUlidrawn from poli'ical men,' and a virtuous statesman is involvea in tfie suspJcionwhich his nnprinciploaaFsocntPs have diawn pon bis vocation. Public lifeö ttipngiit.tó release men nnt only from tlic cibliiiations ot' jiisticc, but from the restraints of jood mannme; anti nccordinarly the debates of Conress are too oftrn póllutéd by vujgaif abuse, threats nnd brawls. So low is the standard rfpolitical lifn thar. nmnnis emiled nt for hi3 Rimplicity who tnllís of infro'hioin? religiön'in tho condúct of public nffiiirs. Reliírinn, it is thotifrht, bplongs to Salibatlis srrtí to ciuirchn?, and wonlíl be ns mticb ont of ])lacn in tabinets or hal!s of lojrislaUon, aa a delicate kvly on a field of bnttle. A etranger inierht be tempted to think tliat thc ccr.cant-n'-arms was stationed nt tbe doors of lei tivchambprg fo forbid eiitranoe to the evr law of God, nnd that npthingrbttt mm:'s iinpotence prevrn's íhe exclusión of f lim whose presenco fíífe tbe imivere. Nothin? is so needed as to revive in citizens nnd rulcrs the conviction of the snpremacy of tha moral Christian law Conid this be done, Iho oarth would cease lo be whnt in .1 mensure it now iö, the imaírnof hel!, and vonld befnn to frrow preen with the plnnts of paróíiíee. Relígrion, the only tno puide of Hfe, the gtiáidian and ihapirer of all virtnes, sh'ould espccially rein over the deliberations of pr.overñments, by which the weal or vo oí' nations, the solemn quesüons of peace anJ war, of life and death, are determíneid. On this r.ccoiiüt every man who bas studied humnn dut y, human perfection, human happincs, hri3 a riT]it and is bound t ppeak on matters f pnblic coneern,thotifrh hÍ3 jodffuient may be condcmivil by hackneyed politiciah?. It Berras, indeed, to bc thonerlit by pome, tliat politics are myster íes which only tbe nitinted imist deal with. But. in (Kis coxmttj tlmy belon to the people. PubüR qúestións aré and ougiit to be sabjectcd to the moral júdgment oí' the'oomintinity.- Tlpy oup-ht lo be referred to tlio religión we profes3. ChnVtianitv wap rnoanf to be bronnht iiito actual life. The bVh :!il lv, private nnfl public men, are nlike to bow before it. - To remove uny Rplterc of human nction fren iia roifuizancc, 9 virtiüil'y (o deny its livinity, and to absolve uli me froni iis contro!.