,,government ,,and ,,rebellion    ,a    
sermon delivered in the ,north ,broad   
,street ,presbyterian ,church1  ,sunday 
,morning1 ,april #bh #ahfa1    ,by      
,rev4 ,e4 ,e4 ,adams4    ,published by  
,request4    #ahfa4          ,government
 and ,rebellion4        ,an evil man    
seeketh only rebellion2 therefore a     
cruel messenger shall be    sent against
 him4--,prov4 xvii4 #aa4      ,we have  
in these words this plain               
announcement--that ,rebellion is a      
crime1  and shall be visited with       
terrible judgment4 ,solomon here speaks 
his own  convictions2 ,god declares his 
thought1 and utters his sanction of law4
  ,this is also the expression of       
natural conscience1--vindicating in our 
breast the ,divine procedure1 when the  
majesty of insulted government is       
asserted1 and penalty applied4    ,god  
never overlooks rebellion against his   
throne--never pardons the rebel  until  
he repent and submit4 ,god does not     
command us to forgive our  offending    

fellow-men1 unless they repent4 ,if thy 
brother trespass against  thee seven    
times in a day1 and seven times in a day
 turn to thee1 saying1  ,i repent1 thou 
shalt forgive him4 ,god is in a         
forgiving attitude2 so  ought we to be4 
,but he does not express forgiveness    
until the rebel  expresses penitence2   
neither are we under obligation to      
pronounce an  enemy forgiven until he   
signify his compunction and sorrow1 and 
desist  from his injurious conduct4 ,if 
my child rebel against my law and my    
rightful discipline1 ,i am not allowed  
by the spirit of love to pursue him     
with vengeance2 neither am ,i bound by  
the law of ,god to release him from  the
 penalty of his sin1 until he shall have
 exhibited signs of submission1  of     
sorrow1 and of obedience4 ,i may pity   
him1 and cherish toward him the  spirit 
of forgiveness2 but for his own sake1   
for the order of the  household1 and on 
account of my innate sense of justice1  
,i must not  pronounce his acquittal1   

nor declare the controversy ended1 until
 he shall  have satisfied my            
governmental authority1 and the         
sentiment of justice  which both his own
 conscience and mine1 constitutionally1 
and therefore by  necessity1 cherish4   
,and ,i do not see that ,government can 
safely pardon a  rebel against its      
statutes1 its honor and its common      
brotherhood1 until  his rebellion cease2
 until he bow to law1 confess his crime1
 and signify  his sorrow4 ,i speak not  
of oppressive government1 of iniquitous 
law2 but  of good government1 of        
statutes healthful1 humane1 equal4      
,although in  the former case rebellion 
cannot be justified until every         
constitutional  measure has been        
resorted to for redress1--then1 if      
redress be not given1  the voice of the 
people in all representative governments
 may legally  change oppressive for just
 laws1 and oppressors for rulers who    
shall  regard the popular will4 ,and in 
despotisms1 when the people have the    

power to redress their wrongs1 and to   
enter on a career of development  in    
mind and morals1 in the arts of         
civilization1--when every other course  
fails--resistance to tyrants is         
obedience to ,god6 ,man was not made for
  tyranny4 ,he was not made for any form
 of government that crushes out his     
intellect and his religious             
capabilities4 ,he was made to be        
governed  morally2 to be under righteous
 law2 law which1 while it restrains     
passion1  selfishness and crime1 gives a
 man all the freedom that he is able and
  willing to use safely for himself1 and
 for the commonwealth2 all that is      
consistent with individual development  
and the national good4    ,i am not one 
of those who believe that the voice of  
the people is1 without  exception1 the  
voice of ,god4 ,it was not so at the    
,deluge1 but quite the  reverse4 ,it was
 not so when ,israel clamored for a     
king--not in mercy but  in anger1 ,god  
gave them their request4 ,it was not so 

when ,absalom stole  the hearts of the  
people1 and stirred up rebellion against
 his father4 ,and  yet1 when a nation1  
independent of party1 free from the     
excitements of  momentary interest1     
without the influence of ambitious      
leaders1 under the  calm guidance of    
reason1 history1 and the spirit of the  
age1--rises  spontaneously against      
oppression1 against iniquity1 and       
demands just  laws2 rights for all2 free
 thought1 free speech1 free labor1 free 
worship2  when compacts are not         
violated2 when moderation is maintained2
 when the  spirit of humanity is        
preserved1--then1 ,i believe1 the voice 
of the  people is the voice of ,god4 ,i 
have no question that1 in the great     
principle1 ,cromwell and his puritan    
hosts were right in their  revolutionary
 action4 ,i could never doubt that our  
fathers did a noble1  glorious1 and     
,christian deed in throwing off the yoke
 of ,britain1 and  proclaiming a new    
government for themselves and their     

posterity4 ,it was  right to contend and
 bleed for equal representation1 for    
freedom of  conscience1 and for an      
independent nationality in which these  
high ends  could be secured4    ,the    
first government of which we have       
account was a ,theocracy--that is1  the 
government of ,god4 ,he was the only    
,king4 ,he revealed the law1  appointed 
leaders1 gave rules for worship1        
instruction and warfare4 ,thus  in the  
outset did he set up his claims among   
men4 ,he established the great          
precedent1 which men ought to have      
followed1 which the world has ignored2  
but to which the thoughts and the will  
of the race shall ultimately  return4   
,it is true now that government1 as     
such1 is ordained of ,god4 ,all         
government1 in its elemental authority1 
is a theocracy4 ,all power is of  ,god2 
he ordains law4 ,he originates the idea 
of civil compact4 ,while1  therefore1   
the principles of governments among men 
may be defective1 and  the              

administration wrong and hurtful1 the   
great fact of government is a  ,divine  
fact4 ,good government is emphatically  
,god's government--intended  to suppress
 evil1 to promote holiness and          
happiness4 ,the powers that be  are     
ordained of ,god4 ,whosoever therefore  
resisteth the power1 resisteth  the     
ordinance of ,god3 and they that resist 
shall receive to themselves  damnation4 
,despisers of government are enumerated 
by the ,apostle as among  the most      
flagitious of men4 ,there are statutes  
in almost every government  which may   
not be absolutely right2 some which may 
be oppressive4 ,these are  to be        
distinguished from the principles1 from 
the general bearing of a  government1   
and endured for the good therein1 or be 
rid of by  constitutional and safe      
methods4 ,it is a duty of each subject  
and citizen  to surrender some of his   
desires and preferences--some of his    
convictions  possibly--for the general  
sentiment--the comprehensive good2 while

 he has  the privilege of convincing by 
fair argument all others1 and winning   
them  to his views and measures if      
possible1 without violence1 without     
infringement of law4 ,it is not to be   
expected that every man should be       
absolutely satisfied with any           
government4 ,if he is called to yield   
only  his share of personal interest and
 preference1 for the sake of all the    
protection and blessing in which he     
participates in common with the state1  
his reason1 his conscience1 his         
patriotism will joyfully acquiesce2 he  
will  freely make so much sacrifice for 
the interests of the whole1 knowing very
  well that every other citizen is      
likely to be under an equal sacrifice4  
,natural1 individual liberty1 without   
law1 is only barbarism4 ,where every    
man is free to do whatever his worst    
passions prompt1 there is in fact no    
freedom2 there is tyranny2 for the      
strong will subdue the weak1 bone and   
muscle will govern mind and conscience4 

,in laws and governments men have  their
 best thoughts2 human law is likely to  
be better than human  nature4 ,men feel 
the need of restraint--are convinced of 
the necessity of  law4 ,they therefore  
make laws in self-defence2 if thereby   
they would not  restrain their own      
selfishness1 they would restrain the    
selfishness  of others2 but that which  
is made a barrier to one bad subject is 
also a defence against all2--thus men do
 restrain themselves by their  defences 
against others4 ,thus it is that1 with  
healthful convictions1 men  may control 
diseased passion2 with a right ideal is 
intimately  joined a safe actuality2    
with good law1 a comparatively good     
condition4  ,even in the worst          
administration1 and when the public mind
 is most  demoralized1 there may remain 
the purity of law2 the sublime thought4 
,if the mind finds itself sinking into  
lawlessness and disorganism1 and  borne 
away by the pressure of evil1 it can    
look upward1 and1 catching new  energy  

from the unquenched light--             
,spring into the realm of the ideal4    
,our destiny is ideal4 ,we are on our   
way to the ,unseen4 ,the ideal draws us 
upward1--real now1 to the spirits of    
just men made perfect--to be real  to us
 when we are perfect--once ideal to     
them1 as now to us4 ,we must  keep above
 us the model of life and of law which  
we have not yet attained4  ,let it never
 be dim4 ,it is a star shining through  
time's night6 ,a banner  waving from the
 throne of ,god4 ,it tells us of the    
goal4 ,it points out our  futurity--the 
altitude of our virtue1 our exaltation1 
our bliss4    ,our subject is           
,,government ,,and ,,man4 ,we proceed to
 consider it in a  three-fold aspect1   
inquiring        ,i4 ,what is good      
government8     ,,ii4 ,what constitutes 
rebellion against such government8      
,,iii4 ,what is the duty of each citizen
 when rebellion exists8          ,i4    
,what is a good government8        ,no  
citizen looks for an absolutely perfect 

form of nationality--of law4  ,but we   
have a right to ask for good government4
 ,we have been accustomed to  think that
 it depends more on administration than 
on principle2 and the  line of the poet1
 ,that which is best administered1 is   
best1 is a  proverb1 to the sentiment of
 which we too freely yield4 ,no doubt a 
government with bad statutes and wrong  
laws1 may be so administered as to      
produce a tolerable degree of national  
comfort and development for a  season2  
while a ,constitution perfect in its    
theories and principles1 may  be so     
maladministered as to corrupt and       
distract1 impoverish and  demoralize1 a 
people4 ,and yet1 ,i agree with an old  
patriot of the past  century who said1  
,there is no foundation to imagine that 
the goodness or  badness of any         
government depends solely upon its      
administration4 ,it must  be allowed    
that the ultimate design of government  
is to restrain the  corruptions of human
 nature2 and1 since human nature is the 

same at all  times and in all places1   
the same form of government which is    
best for one  nation is best for all    
nations1 if they would only agree to    
adopt it4    ,there is a deep thought in
 this remark4 ,we often say1 for        
example1 ,france  is not fit for a      
republican form of government1 and it is
 true2 but that  is not to say1 ,a      
republican form of government is not fit
 for ,france1  if the population would  
agree to adopt and preserve it4 ,man1 in
 his  fallen state1 is not fit for the  
holy government of ,god2 but that holy  
government is1 nevertheless1 the only   
one that is fit for man as a moral      
being2 and it is man's ignorance and    
folly1 his guilt and ruin1 that he  does
 not adopt it4 ,it is owing to the      
ignorance and wickedness of the  world  
that it is not fit for a representative 
government2 and that all do  not choose 
,christ to be their ,king4    ,were a   
score of the professional politicians of
 our land to frame a  ,constitution for 

us in full accordance with their own    
schemes and choice1  we would soon find 
ourselves under an oligarchy of         
schemers1 who cared for  the ,republic  
only so far as to secure from it their  
own fame and  emolument4 ,were as many  
brokers or merchants to make and        
administer our  laws1 without regard to 
other industrial interests1 we should   
have an  oligarchy of trade4 ,were as   
many husbandmen1 or mechanics1 or       
lawyers1 to  have full control of our   
legislation and government1 we would    
have one  interest towering above all   
others1 and true equalization1 true     
brotherhood1 just representation1       
healthful nationality would be          
impossible4 ,or1 were we dependent on   
officers in the army or navy for our    
government1 legislative and             
administrative1 we would be likely to   
have  many of our rights circumscribed4 
,were as many clergymen to frame a      
,constitution1 and administer laws1 we  
might be under a crushing  priesthood4  

,a government of mere scholars1 poets or
 orators1 would be only  a sublime      
dream4 ,a ,constitution of philosophies 
alone1 would glitter with  abstractions 
beautiful1 cold1 grand as the snow-capt 
,alps1 and as distant1  too1 from the   
actualities of men6 ,a government of    
mere gentlemen who have  nothing to do  
but think for slaves1 to enjoy the chase
 and the  race-ground1 to extol their   
pedigree1 and traduce labor1 and lead   
retainers to war--would be a government 
for the few over the many1 an           
aristocracy of blood and privilege1 of  
curled moustache and taper fingers2  but
 not a republic of patriots1 of         
self-made men1 of equal privilege and   
just laws4 ,it would be a return to     
semi-barbarism1 to the age of ,louis    
,,xiv41 or even of ,charles ,i4    ,this
 is now the strong tendency in the      
,rebel ,states3 even along our free     
border1 but below it1 such is the system
 of representation1 that a county       
containing only about #c1jjj            

inhabitants1 sends as many              
representatives to  the legislature as  
another county of #cj1jjj1 and a single 
proprietor casts  as many votes as a    
whole commune4 ,so much liberty of      
citizens is already  sacrificed to the  
chevalier1 to the system of forced      
service4    ,but were a select number of
 experienced men1 of true statesmen1    
embracing  different pursuits and       
professions1 educated in different parts
 of the  world1 and drawn together by   
grand national events1--statesmen born  
in the  age when liberty had its first  
grand revival1 and was guarded by       
soberness  of thought1 and tried by     
every variety and extent of             
sacrifice--by men who  had no           
professional1 exclusive interest to     
provide for1 but who expected  to fight 
and die for their convictions1 who      
sought only to lay the  foundation of a 
nationality for future generations1 and 
for the world2 who  aimed at a healthful
 union of all popular interests1 both   

among poor and  rich1 among masters and 
dependents2 who provided for freedom of 
action  under law2 of worship and       
education1 of commerce1 agriculture1 and
 the  arts2 for the easy and equitable  
support of government1--for its         
perpetuity indeed1 infusing into it     
elements that appeal powerfully1 both   
to the self-interest and the patriotism 
of the citizens1--,i say1 were such     
men1 with such ends in view1 by such    
sacrifice1 to frame such a  government1 
containing the most delicate balance of 
interests1 with strong  checks against  
the encroachment of any branch1 either  
the legislative1  executive or judicial1
 giving all trades and professions1 and 
all men1 an  equal chance for           
excellence1 influence1 and honor2 you   
would not hesitate  to pronounce that a 
good government1 even though you might  
find slight  exception to some of its   
terms1 though you might not interpret as
 others  do1 all its constitutional     
phrases4    ,in view of the protection  

which such a constitution affords1      
especially if  it had been tested1 for a
 period of eighty years1 by all the     
inward strain  of domestic evils1 and   
all the outward pressure of invasion2 by
 the  influence of foreign envy1 of     
intrigue1 of hostility2 by the debasing 
power of disloyalty1 the incompetency of
 rulers1 and the general  degeneracy of 
human nature2 ,i say1 in view of all    
these untoward  influences1 the         
government which could still retain its 
majesty and power1  still stretch its   
,aegis over every national and          
individual right--you  would pronounce  
the best1 both for ruler and people1    
that ever blessed a  nation4 ,and you   
would not hesitate to declare that man a
 traitor1 who  should attempt to weaken 
and destroy it6    ,now we pretend to   
say that our government was thus formed 
by the  choicest wisdom and patriotism  
of the world1 with the largest liberty  
in  view1 under the restraint of law1   
giving equitable privilege to all its   

citizens1 and so balancing its different
 departments that they are  mutually a  
defence4 ,we pretend to claim for our   
government the loftiest  purpose1 the   
most comprehensive views1 and the best  
practical results4 ,we  claim for it    
justice1 equality1 and power4 ,it does  
not stand out--a thing  distinct from   
the people and the states4 ,it is not an
 objective power  only1 but subjective2 
it is in every ,state and in every      
freeman4 ,it is not  in machinery1 which
 can be set in motion and work out      
certain results1 as  if every part of it
 were iron or steel1 and put into action
 by applied  heat2 but in men1 in minds1
 in hearts1 in the family circle1 in the
  church1 in every throb of patriotism1 
in every fibre of the husbandman and    
the artizan1 in the pastor's prayers1   
and the student's living thoughts4  ,it 
is in the nation like latent fire1 like 
a hidden life--evoked in time  of peril1
 and flashing along the telegraph1      
breathed in song1 uttered in  oratory1  

thundered from the cannon's mouth1 hung 
out in streaming banners  whose every   
hue was born in heaven1 felt in firm    
resolve1 illustrated in  response to the
 call of country and of law4 ,where is  
our government8 ,not  at ,washington    
alone4 ,that is but its symbol4 ,it is  
throughout all our  ,loyal ,states4 ,it 
is enthroned on the granite hills of    
,new ,hampshire1 sends  its voice along 
the ,alleghanies1 and on the swelling   
floods of the  ,mississippi1 and spreads
 its wing over the children of the      
,west1 even to  the shores of ,oregon4  
,it lives in every cottage1 and every   
mansion1 and  has a throne in every     
true1 free1 noble1 ,christian heart4    
,that it is a good government1 you have 
only in imagination to blot from  the   
face of the earth whatever has grown up 
under its protection and  encouragement1
 by the will and the blessing of the    
,almighty1 during the  fourscore years  
of its existence2 level all the cities1 
sink the commerce1  prostrate the       

schools and churches1 obliterate all the
 science1 history  and thought it has   
fostered1 quench the light of oratory1  
turn back the  wheel of improvement1 and
 leave us at the opening of #aggf2      
estimate all  the freedom of act1 of    
utterance1 of industry2 reckon the sum  
of human  comforts1 even of luxuries1 it
 has brought to our hand4 ,look at all  
our  ships1 our mechanism1 our homes1   
our sanctuaries1 our institutions of    
morality1 of mercy and of religion2 our 
wealth1 intelligence1 order1  power2    
consider the elevation given to millions
 in the worst form of  civilization in  
the land1 showing that such is the      
vitalizing force of our  national life1 
that even slavery here1 bad as it       
is--and we know of  nothing worse as a  
system--lifts men above the natural     
license of savage  existence4 ,consider 
all this1 and much more1 that ,i may not
 stop to utter1  and you cannot--you do 
not--no sane mind can question the      
supreme  excellence--,i had almost said 

the divine excellence--of our           
government4 ,and if there were need of  
other proof1 we have only to remind  you
 with what promptness the call of our   
noble ,chief ,magistrate was  answered  
from every free ,state--from the city   
and the hamlet2 from the  bank1 the bar1
 the press and the pulpit2 from the     
workshop and the soil2  from the calm   
and comfort of home and ease and        
affluence1 and from the  cottage of the 
poor1 as if the pulse of the government 
were beating in  every vein1 and the    
will of the ,cabinet had its home in    
every bosom6  ,strong men1 young men1   
aged men1 men of leisure1 ,christian    
men--all ready  to march under the stars
 and stripes1 or to pour out their      
treasure for  others4 ,mothers and wives
 and sisters1 with breaking hearts and  
tremulous  benedictions1 bidding the    
heroes go--offering them on their       
country's  altar4 ,oh1 it would not be  
thus but for the true manhood which our 
government infuses into loyal citizens4 

,it would not be so1 but for the        
,christianity it protects without       
dictation1 and acknowledges without     
ostentation4        ,,ii4 ,we come now  
to the question1 ,what constitutes      
rebellion against good  government8     
,there may be criminal rebellion even   
against a wicked and oppressive         
government4 ,the people may take the law
 into their own hands1 and put to       
death1 or imprison their rulers1 without
 first having tried  constitutional     
methods of redress4 ,but ,i speak of    
rebellion against good  government--such
 as we have already had in review4      
,there is a difference  between         
insurrection and rebellion4 ,the former 
is an act of a people or  population    
against a single statute1 or against a  
portion of the  legislative enactments1 
without necessarily growing into        
warfare1 or  revolt against the whole   
constitution and the laws4 ,this may    
become  rebellion4 ,there is also a     
difference between rebellion and        

revolution4  ,the latter1 in a political
 sense1 is a change1 either wholly or in
 part1  of the constitution4 ,this may  
be effected by argument and a peaceful  
vote--by abdication1 by a change of     
national policy in view of some new     
relation1 and by general consent1 or by 
warfare4 ,the revolution in  ,england in
 #afhh1 was occasioned by the abdication
 of ,james ,,ii41 the  establishment of 
the ,house of ,orange on the throne1 and
 the restoring of  the constitution to  
its primitive state4    ,our revolution 
of '#gf1 and onward1 was not a          
rebellion2 it was resistance  of        
oppression1 of burdensome taxation      
without equal representation1 and it    
resulted in our distinct nationality4   
,the revolutions of ,france have been of
 a similar character2 they have  sprung 
from oppression of the most severe and  
unnatural kind4 ,this was the  fact1 at 
least1 in #agig and in #ahcj4 ,in #ahdh1
 when it was my lot to be in  the midst 
of it1 the revolution arose from the    

selfish conduct of ,louis  ,philippe1   
who enriched himself and his family out 
of the national  treasury1 and          
encouraged his sons in a course which   
was at war with  national precedent1    
with the commercial interests and       
democratic  individualism of the        
,french2 for with their imperial        
prestiges and tastes  they are extreme  
in their personal democracy4    ,but all
 these revolutions resulted in good to  
the people4 ,education1  public spirit1 
enterprise1 labor1 all the arts of      
civilization1 and even  evangelical     
,christianity received a new impulse4   
,mind was opened and  enlarged2 the     
people thought for themselves1 and      
sighed for knowledge and  a better      
faith4    ,revolution is going on       
silently1 from year to year1 in         
,england4 ,the  nobility yield by slow1 
almost imperceptible degrees1 to the    
demands of  the people4 ,it is by this  
process that the ,government avoids the 
shocks  which startle ,austria1 ,france 

and ,italy4    ,such is the variety of  
honest opinion among men on all         
subjects2 so  different are the degrees 
of information1 and the opportunities of
 judging  with regard to the best       
measures of government2 such a diversity
 exists in  the interests and abilities 
of a people1--that they may be good     
citizens  without being satisfied       
altogether with the constitution1 or    
with those  who administer its laws4    
,there will be different political      
parties4 ,it is  the glory of a         
government that the people are allowed  
to think and vote as  they please1 and  
to express their honest opinions4       
,perhaps with us1  expression is too    
free1 especially in regard to public men
 and measures4  ,we may have diverse    
views and convictions1 and yet feel and 
act loyally4  ,but men who endeavor by  
any influence or means to lessen the    
loyalty of  others1 to alienate the love
 of the people from the government1 and 
who  signify their own aversion1 not by 

condemning a single statute and seeking 
its lawful repeal1 but by heaping abuse 
on the constitution and on those  who   
are chosen to administer the laws1 by   
avowing their hostility to the          
government and its policy1 or their     
purpose to resist and war against       
it1--are in a posture of rebellion4     
,those who1 being in office1 commanding 
the arms and other property of the      
government1 cause them to be removed so 
as to weaken its power and strengthen   
those in actual rebellion1 or who  are  
threatening the same2 those who aid and 
comfort a population or  soldiery who   
are in a state of actual resistance1 and
 finally1 those who  do openly and      
avowedly renounce the authority of the  
government to which  they have sworn    
allegiance1 or take up arms to attack   
its strongholds1  seize or destroy its  
property1 or injure the soldiers and    
citizens who are  sent to protect       
it1--are in a state of rebellion against
 its laws and  against the commonwealth 

over which it holds the shield of its   
authority4    ,korah was a rebel and a  
traitor1 who having1 by intrigue1       
inspired some  other leaders with the   
spirit of sedition1 succeeded in drawing
 from their  allegiance to ,moses and   
,aaron1 a large number of the people1   
who came  together in a mob to demand a 
different administration4 ,they were    
invited  to refer the matter to the     
,divine decision1 but they stoutly      
refused1  accusing ,moses of assumption1
 thus endeavoring to destroy his        
authority  over the nation4 ,that was   
rebellion4 ,again1 in the reign of      
,david1 his son  ,absalom drew the      
people from their allegiance1 then      
seized the reins of  government and     
pursued his father with an army4 ,that  
was rebellion against  wholesome law1   
against the will of ,god4    ,now we    
have the painful fact before us1 that   
rebellion has sprung up  against our    
good government4 ,men in many quarters  
have secretly plotted1  and openly      

avowed hostility to our ,federal ,union4
 ,eight of our ,states have  passed the 
,ordinance of ,secession1 four or five  
others are assuming an  attitude of     
hostility to the ,general ,government1  
or refusing to comply  with the         
,executive1 who calls on them to aid in 
the defence of the  ,capital4 ,this     
state of things has been preceded by    
acts of treachery on  the part of       
leading men in the ,states1 by seizure  
of arms1 money1 and  public             
defences1--the property of the          
government4 ,a new ,confederacy is      
formed1 contrary to oaths and compacts1 
for the purpose of destroying our       
,union1 and giving perpetuity to        
slavery4 ,it has attacked our forts1    
adulterated our coin1 stolen our arms1  
proclaimed piracy against our  commerce1
 set a price on the head of our ,chief  
,magistrate1 threatened our  ,capital1  
and raised armies to exterminate1 if    
possible1 our nationality4  ,and all    
this it has done without one act of the 

,government to provoke such  procedure2 
without any oppression2 without any     
threat2 but in the face of  every       
honorable proposal on our part1 after   
long and patient endurance of  their    
encroachment and plunders2 even until   
foreign journals deride us for  our     
forbearance1 and the rebels themselves  
insult our delay4    ,there are those   
who have compared this rebellion with   
our revolution of  '#gf4 ,there could   
hardly be a wider distinction1 both in  
principle and in  fact1 than between    
these two movements4 ,the ,colonies1 had
 been oppressed  by navigation laws1    
intended by the ,british ,parliament to 
crush out  their commerce for a whole   
century1 from #affj to #agge4 ,their    
weakness  during that period did not    
allow of resistance4 ,they were taxed   
oppressively1 while they were not       
allowed a representation4 ,this was in  
violation of ,magna ,charta2 for the    
government of ,great ,britain was       
representative4 ,having been aided by   

the ,colonists during the ,seven ,years'
  ,war1 in the subjugation of ,canada1  
the ,parent ,government--without asking 
taxation through the regular action of  
the ,colonial ,government--assumed  the 
right to tax our expanding commerce1 and
 commenced a vigorous  enforcement of   
revenue laws4 ,writs of ,assistance were
 issued1 whereby  officers of the king  
were allowed to break open any citizen's
 store or  dwelling1 to search for1 and 
seize foreign merchandise2 sheriffs also
 were  compelled to assist in the work4 
,the sanctions of private life might1 by
  this act be invaded at any time by    
hirelings2 and bad as it was in itself1 
it was liable to more monstrous abuse4  
,then came the sugar bill1  imposing    
enormous duties on various articles of  
merchandise from the ,west  ,indies1 and
 greatly crippling ,colonial commerce3  
then the infamous ,stamp  ,act1 by which
 every legal instrument1 in order to    
validity1 must have the  seal of the    
,british ,government--deeds1 diplomas1  

c41 costing from  thirty-six cents to   
ten dollars apiece3 then the duty on    
tea2 and1  finally1 the quartering of   
soldiers on our citizens in time of     
peace1 for  the express purpose of      
subjugating our industry and energy to  
the selfish  purposes of the crown4     
,it is enough to say1 that the rebels   
against our ,government have suffered   
no oppression4 ,they do not set forth   
any legal ground of ,secession4 ,the    
government has done nothing to call out 
their indignation1 or to inflict  on    
them a wrong4 ,they have had more than  
their share of public office2  they have
 had a larger representation1 in        
proportion to their free  citizens1 than
 we have2 they have been protected in   
their claims1 even  against the         
convictions of the ,north2 we yielding1 
as a political demand1  what we do not  
wholly admit as a ,christian duty4 ,we  
have assisted them by  enactments1 by   
money1 and by arms1 in the preservation 
of a system at war  with our conscience1

 and with our liberties4 ,we have paid  
for lands which  they occupy2 and after 
all their indignities and taunts1 and   
attacks on  our citizens1 their         
plunders1 and their warlike             
demonstrations1 we have  been patient2  
and are even now imposing on ourselves  
restraint from the  execution of that   
chastisement1 which many of their sober 
and awed  citizens acknowledge to be    
just1 and which1 if the call were made  
by the  ,executive1 would at once be    
hurled on the rebels by an indignant    
people1  like the rush of destiny4      
,now1 ,i grant1 for ,i do not wish to   
make the matter worse than it is        
against them1 that in the ,north1       
individuals have demanded more than the 
,south were able1 at once1 to give4     
,some have pushed reform faster than it 
would bear1 faster than the laws of     
,providence would allow2 but it was     
honestly and conscientiously done4 ,we  
have sometimes in our warmth1  uttered  
irritating words2 but all this has been 

returned by blows1 and by  savage       
vindictiveness4 ,we have shown a        
willingness1 of late1 to yield some     
things2 to abide by the sense of the    
whole people2 but these ,states are1  by
 their rulers1 declared out of the      
,union1 without appeal to the  people2  
they have commenced the war1 and now    
they are regarded by the  whole world as
 in a state of rebellion1 not of        
justifiable revolution4  ,they would    
submit to no method of adjustment that  
we could honorably  allow4 ,they desired
 war1 as they have been for years       
preparing for it1 at  the expense of the
 ,government1 and in its service and    
trust1 drawing their  life from the     
bosom which they now sting2 and because 
freedom will no  longer bow1 as it has  
done for a whole generation1 to their   
will1 they  rebel1 proclaim a system of 
piracy1 and threaten the subjugation of 
the  whole ,american people4 ,it is a   
deep1 and long determined treason1      
running  into the whole national life1  

and is become to ourselves a question of
  personal liberty4          ,,iii4     
,what then1 we ask1 is the duty of all  
citizens when good government  is       
assailed by rebellion8      ,doubtless1 
one duty is to inquire whether they have
 in any way  contributed criminally to  
the occasion or the causes of such      
rebellion2  whether they have demanded  
too much of the disaffected1 or         
encouraged a  wrong spirit in them by   
coinciding with views leading to their  
present  attitude2 whether they have    
participated in any way with a policy   
calculated to irritate1 to defy1 to     
provoke honest minds to anger8 ,whether 
as individuals1 as ,christians1 they    
have been bitter and harsh1 and         
vengeful1 or are so now2 and if they    
find any such spirit1 it becomes them   
to repent1 and school themselves into   
,christian charity and moderation4      
,but1 notwithstanding any possible error
 in the past1 the ,christian citizen    
must consecrate himself to the defence  

of the government and its policy2  for  
however1 there is a distinction         
ordinarily between the two2 in a  crisis
 that involves a nation's life1 the     
policy which would save it1 is  the     
spirit of government and order4    ,the 
true ,christian will pray1 and speak1   
and write1 and labor1 and die for  its  
success6 ,will give assurance of his    
sympathy and support1 and refuse  to do 
any act that can be construed into      
comfort to the rebels4 ,he will         
encourage troops called to support the  
government1 and its policy1 giving  them
 food1 clothing1 advice1 ,,bibles ,,and 
,,arms4 ,he will rouse their            
patriotism1 and call down on them the   
benediction of heaven4 ,this is the     
duty of ministers1 and magistrates1 of  
churches and individual ,christians4    
,and if the rebellion continue1 it is   
their duty to advocate and help to  form
 armies of sufficient numbers and power 
to utterly subjugate the  rebels1 and1  
if they cannot otherwise be brought to  

submit1 put an end to  their existence4 
,that is what ,god did by the hand of   
,israel1 to ,korah and  ,absalom2 and it
 is the legitimate issue1 if needs be1  
of all successful  resistance1--of all  
defensive warfare4 ,to deny it1 is to   
deny the right of  self-defence4 ,it is 
to put a man in a position where he must
 love his  enemy better than himself and
 children1 which even ,christianity does
 not  demand1 though it does enjoin     
forbearance1 charity1 and sacrifice4 ,to
 deny  this is to condemn the principles
 of our ,revolution1 and to sanction the
  plunder and destruction of national   
property and being4    ,what1 therefore1
 is our duty1 now that rebellion        
actually rages against  our mild1 equal1
 good ,government--the best1 on the     
whole1 that the world  ever saw8        
rebellion without cause2 with no        
legitimate ground of offence2  rebellion
 for the sake of a dark and demoralizing
 system1 that has robbed  half the      
nation of its conscience1 and cursed it 

with an inveterate  idolatry4 ,what is  
our duty8 ,what is mine as a citizen1 a 
,christian1 a  minister of ,god--as a   
man8 ,what is yours8 ,plainly to ask1   
,what have  ,i--either by demanding too 
much1 not in abstract right1 but in the 
light  of present                       
possibility--contributed towards this   
fearful condition8 ,what  by my love of 
money1 my sanction of oppression1 my    
apologies for wrong1 my  complaint      
against government1 my support of wrong 
principles1 my neglect  to vote and pray
 for the right1 my boast of national    
greatness1 my worship  of power and     
neglect of goodness1 my forgetfulness of
 ,god8 ,what by all  these1 and more    
that ,i do not think of1 have ,i done   
palpably1 possibly1  toward bringing on 
this terrible crime against justice1    
humanity and law8  ,then it is my duty  
to repent of all this and deplore it4   
,it is also my  duty to strive against  
personal hatred and revenge1 and to pray
 for my  country's enemies just as ,i   

would for my own1 and because they are  
my  own--not that they prosper in their 
rebellion1 but that they repent and     
find mercy1 and acknowledge the         
authority against which they are at war4
  ,it is our duty specially to pity and 
pray for the multitudes of good         
citizens and their families1 who cannot 
escape from among the rebels1 and  who  
are in great jeopardy2 men who love law 
and the ,constitution1 and the  whole   
country2 who are either resisting1 under
 the greatest pressure1 the  evil that  
is upon them1 or yielding through fear  
and force4 ,we feel for  them2 we call  
them our brothers4 ,but it is also my   
duty and yours to  support our          
government--our administration2 to pray 
for and sympathize  with our ,president 
and his ,cabinet in their most trying   
posture1 in the  midst of such perils1  
and with so meagre means for the moment1
 of  establishing order1 and setting the
 nationality in permanent security4 ,it 
is our duty to report traitors to the   

police1 that they may be lawfully  cared
 for2 to help our militia and volunteers
 with every comfort and  defence2 to    
hold up the arm of government so long as
 rebels remain4    ,this is our country1
 bought with blood4 ,it is second only  
to the  redemption which ,christ        
purchased for us6 ,and if we are called 
to contend  with principalities and     
powers1 and spiritual wickedness in high
 places1  for the safety of our souls1  
surely we may contend with flesh and    
blood1  with rebels and traitors1 to    
save this glorious inheritance from the 
gulf  of anarchy and the bonds of a     
lasting servitude4 ,war is terrible1 but
  slavery and plunder and the silent    
gangrene of national dishonor1 bribery  
and perverted conscience are worse4 ,the
 burst of a thunder cloud may break     
down a forest of lofty pines1 but the   
slow delving of the mole may  undermine 
a thousand habitations4 ,the secret     
corrosions of the ship-worm  will sink a
 fleet4    ,this deep-working1 inward   

ruin is appearing on the face of        
society4 ,the  stupendous fact is1 that 
from ,baltimore1 onward throughout the  
disaffected  ,states1 the population is 
under the guidance of mad leaders1 and  
exposed  to mob power4 ,thousands of    
good citizens are flying to us for      
protection2  thousands more forced into 
the war against the country1 and other  
thousands sighing and praying in secret 
that ,god will give success to our  arms
 and rescue themselves and their        
families from ruin4 ,for these1 as  well
 as for our liberties and honors are we 
summoned to war2 it were a  crime to be 
inactive4 ,the ,bible is militant4      
,christianity is a warfare  with sin4   
,life is militant1--a perpetual fight   
with death4 ,if our  blessings are worth
 praying for and praising for1 they are 
worth  fighting for1 and if not to be   
otherwise secured1 must be fought for4  
,i want this country to live6 ,i want my
 children to grow up under its  shield6 
,i want to see constitutional liberty   

mount above the obstacles of  ages1 and 
rise higher and higher here1 ,i want    
,italy to look toward us now  with hope6
 ,i cannot bear to hear the cry of shame
 that will come over the  ,atlantic from
 the vineyards of ,france1 from the     
glaciers of ,switzerland1  and from the 
steppes of ,russia1 if we permit the    
walls of our blood-bought  inheritance  
to be broken down4 ,for the sake of     
,god1 liberty1 religion1 all  over the  
earth1 ,i want our flag to be honored   
abroad4    ,in the ,french revolution of
 '#dh1 a deputation came to me to demand
 the  ,american church at ,havre1 for   
the purpose of holding a political      
meeting1  ,i refused4 ,they intimated   
that it would be torn down4 ,i had only 
to assure  them that ,i would plant our 
flag on it1 and if they touched it with 
rude  hands1 they would have to answer  
to our government4 ,that was the last of
  the matter4 ,this power we must have  
still2 and to secure this the whole     
,north and ,west must awake1 and        

act--for the multitudes who in the      
,border  ,states demand our aid2 for the
 thousands of laboring1 suffering poor  
who  tremble beneath the glance of the  
proud chevalier2 for the sake of our    
education1 our lands1 our homes1 our    
,christianity4 ,we are sure that        
success on our part now will demonstrate
 to the world the inherent power  of our
 nation4 ,they cannot behold the united 
action and offering of  nineteen        
millions in the free ,states--all       
animated with the spirit of  liberty1   
religion and law1 and resolved to crush 
treason and rebellion at  any           
cost--without a deeper conviction of our
 real might1 without a new  impression  
of the majesty that reposes in a        
people's will6 ,all ,europe  approves of
 this war2 and struggling nationalities 
look with anxious  expectancy for the   
issue4    ,it is a war for government1  
for order4 ,it is against the power and 
rage of  the mob1 led on by ambitious   
men who are mad at the loss of power4   

,there  is nothing more sublime than    
law2 holding unseen the hearts and      
interests  of millions1 protecting their
 rights1 and giving them full1 happy    
development4 ,our flag represents law1  
liberty1 sublime sacrifice1 national    
life4 ,it is therefore right even for   
the ,christian to fight for its         
perpetuity4 ,if ,i may defend myself and
 family1 the nation is greater than  my 
family and myself2 and calls more       
powerfully for my service4 ,and this    
war1 entered on by necessity1 and with  
the grand purpose of protecting  order  
and law1 and rescuing a whole population
 from ruin1 is inspiring in  its motive1
 and therefore elevating in its         
influence4 ,we are consciously  better1 
nobler1 in proportion as we forget      
ourselves in the sublime idea  of our   
nationality1 and all that this          
nationality can do4 ,when men fight  for
 plunder1 or victory alone1 they labor  
downward1 they become brutish2  but a   
war for true liberty1 for national life1

 for our homes and our  inheritance1 and
 for the oppressed1 is elevating1       
purifying4 ,war is  terrible in itself1 
and in some of its consequences1 but    
there is a bow on  the cloud4 ,when the 
bolt has spent itself in the pestiferous
 air1 all  nature is bright and         
glorious4 ,with true discipline1        
soldiers are made  vigorous in body2    
they are also quickened in mind by the  
tactics and  incitements of warfare1    
they are ennobled by high motives1 and  
may leave  the campaign better than when
 they entered it4 ,courage is awakened2 
love  of liberty and order inspired2    
benevolence increased2 and loyalty      
exalted  by this war4 ,what men bleed   
for they value4 ,i have been delighted  
with the  eagerness with which many     
soldiers whom ,i have visited1 listened 
to  ,christian address1 and received the
 word of ,god4 ,it is a matter of       
gratulation that but few arrests are    
made in our city in these days1 not     
because the police are less watchful1   

but because the debased portion of  the 
population are inspired with a better   
thought4 ,it is also hopeful to  find1  
that many who entered our city as       
volunteers1 or as drafted  soldiers1 are
 actually being reformed from their evil
 habits1 under the  greater strictness  
of camp discipline4    ,we are cheered  
also by the fact that the people        
generally are more earnest  than        
formerly in their attendance on divine  
worship2 more solemn1 and full  of      
feeling1 and disposed to study the      
,bible1 ,they need ,god4 ,they look to  
,god4 ,we all feel the ,bible to be more
 than ever precious4 ,its solemn        
prophecies are swelling into            
fulfillment4 ,the day of ,god is        
approaching1  and the kingdoms of the   
earth are giving way for the coming of  
the ,great  ,king6    ,the feeling is1  
and ought to be1 intense for the        
conflict4 ,let the  question be decided4
 ,let half a million of freemen be      
called1 when the  time shall indicate1  

to form a line of fire along the        
boundary that  separates ,secession from
 loyalty4 ,let them take up their mighty
 march  through the revolted territory1 
if it will not otherwise submit1 and    
proclaim as they go1 ,liberty throughout
 the land6 ,let the flag that  waved    
over the suffering heroes of ,valley    
,forge1 and the conquerors of           
,yorktown1 wave forever on the ,capitol1
 and over every village and subject  in 
the land6 ,nay1 it must be so4 ,we must 
bow1 if we do not conquer4 ,they  have  
proclaimed it4 ,come down1 then1 from   
the ,northern mountains1 and out  from  
the forests and the fields1 ye sons of  
the ,pilgrims1 with your firm  force of 
will1 and your achieving arms6 ,come up 
from the marts of  commerce1 ye daring  
children of the ,empire ,state1 and ye  
firm hearts of  ,new ,jersey and of     
,delaware6 ,come forth from the echoes  
of ,erie1 and the  shores of ,michigan  
and ,superior6 ,come from the free air  
of ,western  ,virginia and ,ohio1 from  

the loyal districts of ,maryland1       
,kentucky1 and  ,tennessee6 ,come forth 
from the great ,west6 and with them1 go1
 ye strong  and true of my adopted      
,state and ,city1 who listened even in  
your cradles1  to the bell which gives  
out its tones over the birth-place of   
our  liberties6 ,go forth1 and live the 
epic that future ages shall sing3 be    
yours the glory of rooting this treason 
out6 ,and as they go1 bless them1  aged 
fathers with tremulous voice6 and       
mothers1 bid them ,god speed6 wives  and
 sisters and ,christian hearts1 load    
them with your gifts and your  prayers6 
,and when they are gone1 remember them  
at the home altar1 and  bless ,god that 
your country does not want defenders2   
and when your tears  are dried up1 and  
your cause is proclaimed triumphant1    
weep again tears of  joy as you clasp   
the returning heroes to your arms6 ,or1 
if they shall be  borne home to you     
wounded and worn in their country's     
service1 be grateful  that your eye can 

watch over them1 and your hand minister 
to their  necessities and griefs4 ,or   
finally1 should they fall in battle1 you
 will  have the consolation of knowing  
that they saved your country2 that they 
did something to consolidate its        
strength1 and illustrate its glory      
before the world4 ,for we are destined  
to conquer1--and after this trial  the  
nation will come forth as gold4 ,we need
 to suffer that we may value  our       
liberties4 ,from the valley of tears    
arise notes of victory and  hallelujahs4
 ,nations as well as saints1 come up out
 of great tribulation4                  
,none die in vain      ,upon their      
country's war-fields6 ,every drop       
,of blood1 thus poured for faith and    
freedom1 hath      ,a tone1 which from  
the night of ages1 from the gulf        
,of death1 shall burst1 and make its    
high appeal      ,sound unto earth and  
heaven4    ,the motto now is--,no       
compromise6 ,submission6 ,give up the   
leaders of  rebellion6 ,bow to law6     

,nay1 more--no longer ask us to protect 
your dark  system6    ,but it is        
possible that1 while we stir ourselves  
up to a fierce  belligerency against    
rebellion1 and rush into hot            
condemnation of those  whom we once     
called brethren1 we are rebels against  
,god6 ,some of you  who are equipping   
for the war1 and ready to take the field
 in defence of  your country and her    
laws1 are in heart at war with holiness 
and ,god6 ,you  may see in the fever of 
our whole population what men think of  
treason  against a good earthly         
government6 ,see also in the commands of
 ,god1 in the  life and death of ,jesus1
 in the declared interest and anxious   
watchfulness  of angels1 in the whole   
glorified army that shall attend the    
,great ,king  when he comes to set up   
his final assize1--what the             
,principalities and  ,powers in ,heaven 
think of your treason against the holy  
government of  ,jehovah6 ,behold in the 
uplifted arm of ,justice--hear in the   

voice of the  ,judge1 what shall be done
 to him who will not repent6 ,now the   
offers of  pardon are made through the  
death and sacrifice of ,jesus4 ,repent2 
forsake  your sin2 lay down your arms2  
retire from your rebellious attitude2   
and  from the throne of ,mercy shall the
 fact be proclaimed1 that you are       
pardoned and restored6