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Communications

Communications image
Parent Issue
Day
14
Month
August
Year
1847
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

This kind atlmoniHon la so frequently and indij-eriminately volunteereil, by c-ert.iin classes of cilizens, to Liberty men, ! and especially to clergymen, wlio ! enliously believt it iheir duly to pray thnt our "rulcrs may be peace, and our exactors righteousness ;" and to act in all the lelntions of life, coniistentlv with ihoir pmyeca ; tliat it becoms us to undantand tlie meaning ai('i foi-co of the cautioti, and see how ínr it l;ls a legitimalc application tq ourselves, our conduint and duties, as men, chrislians, citizens, and philanthropists. Tliat Whiggery and Democraey (m cnlledy have ntich orcusiDii, frota expei'icnce as wel] as observ.-ition in their respective partie, to dopt, as npplictbfa to each ollier and tliemselves, the above adnionition, we are by no mean' disposed lo dispute, or evrn lo doubt. Foi' unqèeStioiiably, if the phrasB "dirty wuters," as nbove Ussd, is inlended to clinracterize political disliotifsly, chicani-r-, forgery, profetsing alone of wpabiksarmffl and democracy, and euppnriing despotism, olijjarobjr, aristocracy, rape, adultery, concubinagf, anii every otber outi-age upon the rights of millions of Their ow.n naTIVK I1ORN COU.NTRYMEN j tllPH SLirelv, words more appropriate, and illuvirative cuuld not bo used, as npplieable to their conduct. Ii politic-il nnd ollicial falsehood, deception, e.tiavngance, corniptinn. favoritiïrn and hypocfisy are charnctci 'zed by those words "dirty waters," thero can cerlainly be no objeclion to their use by either of those partios iu referenco to tlio olher. But we take the ground, that the politica] duties of men, are as important and s-ilemn as tlieir social, civil or religious duties ; and that good citizens are undetthe same, ('and if possible greaterj obligations to do their political duties conscientiously, (inasmuch as ihey regard the interests and welfare of" the whole com? munity,) as their private or social duties. And it is not a little surprising to see many, and even some apparently conscientious olergymen asserting that our political duties and obligntions, are enli.-ely dislinct from, añd have no connection witb, or bcaring upon, our moral and religious duties and obligations. In othe.words, that there are relations in life, in referencfc to which, we may entirely neglect and refu-e to acknowledge God, and our obligations to Him, and to holiess. And it is undoubtedly, the too great prevalence of this recklessness and destituiion of moral as wel] as political principie in those parties and individuals, which has, for years past, exhib;ted the astounding picture, of men, of all shadeu oí moral, and immorul character, juinivg hands, fat the same time that they were denouncing despotism, tyranny, monarchy, oligarchy and aristocracy, trumpettongued, in the old ns well as new woild) - in placing, almost uniformly, the whole power of the nation in the hands of practical and avowed despols, tyranls and robbers. Fellow-citizens, allow me to remind you, ihat we have the very highest authority for pronouncing the man recreant to his moral and religious dulies, who neglecls his political obligations, and therehy, yraclically, nt least, abandons that post of duty and nfluence assigned him by his country, as well as his fiod, to the reckless demagogue and political aspirant. - You cannot have forgotien the lustory of Moses, Joshua, David, and many other ancient chrislians. DiJ ihey abandon to the viciouï--, disiolute and dishonest, the political, any more than the religious, imerests of the nation ? Certainly not. Can a man - a clergyman - consistently pray for righteous rulers, and at tli? same time neglect to use hs nfluence, by vote and ev.irv olher legitímate nianner, in electing good men to be such rulers ? - Clearly it would be absurd. But it will not bfi denied that, if the polilical waters of this nation have become _'dirty" - fand who, that has carefuüy observed the movcments of the Whig and Democratie parties for a few years pas!, will doubt the truth of tiieir assertion to this effect í) - tluit it is time thnt tho wie, the good, the conscientious, the religious portiun of the land see to it that thcv no longer, by their negleèt, (to give it no tiarsher name.) nbandon the very sources of poner and infiuonce to tho control of the proflígate domngogue, and reckless politiciaijs. Then, fellow-citizens, fellow countrymen, feilow cliristians. as you vahie our abus?'J, yet glorious institutions ; as you valué the continuarte of our liberties, and our altars; no longer nrglect to uso your ■polilical, as well as moral and religión influence for the establishment and permanent continuance nnd diffusion of universal liberty and justice, in thia highly favored, but very guilty nation. Centreville, 24lh July, 1847.

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News