,transcriber's ,note3 ,minor            
typographical errors have been corrected
  without note4 ,irregularities and     
inconsistencies in the text have  been  
retained as printed4 ,words printed in  
italics are noted with  underscores3    
italics4          ,,election ,,sermon4  
,a ,,sermon ,,delivered ,,before        
,,his ,,excellency ,,levi ,,lincoln     
,,governor1    ,,his ,,honor ,,thomas   
,l4 ,,winthrop ,,lieutenant ,,governor1 
,,the ,,hon4 ,,council1 ,,the ,,senate1 
,,and ,,house ,,of ,,representatives    
,,of ,,the ,,commonwealth ,,of          
,,massachusetts1 ,,on ,,the ,,day ,,of  
,,general ,,election1 ,,may #bh1 #ahbh4 
,,by ,,james ,,walker4    ,boston3      
,,dutton ,,and ,,wentworth1 ,,printers  
,,to ,,the ,,state4    #ahbh4           
,commonwealth of ,massachusetts         
,,in ,,house ,,of ,,representatives1    
,may #bh1 #ahbh4        ,ordered1 ,that 
,messrs4 ,,thayer of ,braintree1        
,,goodwin of ,charlestown1      and     
,,fuller of ,boston1 be a ,committee to 

wait on the ,,rev4 ,,james              
,,walker1 and present to him the thanks 
of this ,house1 for the      ,discourse 
delivered by him this day1 before the   
,executive and the      ,legislature1   
and to request a copy of the same for   
the press4        ,,attest1             
,p4 ,w4 ,,warren1 ,clerk                
,,sermon4    ,,exodus1 ,,xviii1 #ba4    
,thou shalt provide out of all the      
people able men1 such as  fear ,god1 men
 of truth1 hating covetousness2 and     
place such  over them to be rulers4     
,the public business1 the excitements of
 the day1 and all the  circumstances in 
which we are assembled1 make it         
imperative on me to be  brief1 and      
almost entirely occasional4 ,you have   
not come here prepared  to sit down and 
listen to a learned discussion1         
fearfully long1 and  fearfully dull2 and
 ,i do not mean you shall be troubled   
with one4 ,i  only ask your attention1  
while ,i throw out a few hints on the   
responsibility the people of this       

country are under1 to take care that    
the men whom they raise to authority1   
are honest and capable4    ,in those    
countries where the accident of birth   
determines who shall  rule over them1   
the people are not responsible for the  
character and  capacities of the men in 
power4 ,it is true1 a corrupt           
administration is  a national calamity  
in all governments2 but in ours it is at
 the same  time a national calamity1 and
 a national sin4 ,from the freedom and  
frequency of our elections1 our public  
men exist but in the breath of  the     
people2 and if power is put into        
unworthy hands1 or suffered to  remain  
there an hour after it is abused1 the   
people are responsible4 ,it  is a fair  
inference that the whole people have    
degenerated4 ,it would  not be fair to  
judge the morals of the people of       
,england1 or of ,france1  by the morals 
of the court2 but it is perfectly fair  
to judge the  morals of the people of   
this country by the morals of the men1  

whom  they elevate by their voluntary   
suffrages to represent the majesty of   
the nation4 ,it is of unspeakable       
importance1 that we should feel that  we
 are implicated1 in a manner in which no
 other people are in the  character of  
our rulers and the duties resulting from
 this peculiarity  of our constitution  
are weighty and solemn4    ,consider    
too1 the effect1 which the political    
observation of a bad man  will have on  
public opinion1 and through public      
opinion on the public  morals4 ,we      
preach about conscience1 the dignity of 
human nature1 the  power of religion and
 divine influences2 and all this is     
well4  ,experience teaches us1 however1 
that all this is nothing1 or next to    
nothing1 unless countenanced and        
sustained by public opinion2 which      
fixes the practical standard in every   
place1 and few rise much above  it1 or  
sink much below it4 ,the history of     
legislation on such subjects  as        
dueling1 lotteries1 and the ,lord's day1

 shows us also1 that laws1  human laws1 
are an absolute nullity1 are no better  
than so much blotted  parchment1 unless 
countenanced and sustained by public    
opinion4 ,god  forbid that ,i should    
speak of virtue as not having its       
foundation in  human nature2 still ,i   
cannot but think1 that this is a subject
 on which  we may be a little too       
refined1 a little too enthusiastic1 a   
little too  eloquent for practical      
purposes4 ,generally and practically    
speaking1 ,i  believe that men are just 
as good1 as they think public opinion   
requires2 and no better4 ,let it be     
understood1 therefore1 that  notorious  
vices will not lose a man the confidence
 of the people2 let  it be understood1  
that the vicious are not only tolerated1
 but trusted  and honored1 and the great
 practical restraint on the bad passions
 is  compromised1 and all others will be
 eluded1 or defied4    ,a mischievous   
prejudice prevails1 that a man's private
 character has  but little to do with   

his public character4 ,undoubtedly a man
 may want  some of the qualities        
necessary to a good father1 or a good   
son1 or a  good neighbor1 and yet make  
an excellent magistrate or judge4 ,even 
these defects however1 though they may  
not operate directly1 must  operate     
indirectly to injure him in his public  
capacity2 because1 by  lessening the    
regard felt for him as a man1 they must 
do something1 at  least1 to lessen the  
regard felt for him as a public officer4
 ,and this1  in a government like ours1 
is no trifling consideration2 where     
official  dignity depends in so small a 
measure on the pomp and circumstance of 
office1 but almost entirely on the      
personal qualities of the incumbent4    
,besides1 the reasons why some defects  
in a man's private character do  not    
unfit him for a public station is1 that 
though criminal in  themselves1 they do 
not imply him to be1 nor make him to be1
 absolutely  unprincipled4 ,a man may   
have a very bad temper1 for example1 and

 be  addicted to many bad habits1       
without being absolutely unprincipled4  
,let  a man become absolutely           
unprincipled as a private man2 and ,i   
can see no  reason for supposing1 that  
he will not be equally so as a public   
man4  ,libertinism in private life may  
be consistent1 perhaps1 with a          
scrupulous observance of the rules of an
 artificial and conventional  honour2   
but it is the grave of sentiment1 and   
gradually induces that  moral           
heartlessness and skepticism1 which is  
fatal to the higher  virtues1 and not   
more so to religion and true friendship1
 than to a  disinterested patriotism4   
,besides1 in well informed and well     
disposed communities1 nothing is  more  
common than to overrate the talents1 and
 real efficiency of bad  men4 ,we see it
 every where2 for even in a number of   
brothers1 if there  is one of them who  
gives himself up to vicious and         
profligate courses1  he almost always   
passes for the genius of the family4 ,we

 judge a man's  power to do good by what
 we see of his power to do evil2 not    
reflecting  that the latter is a very   
vulgar accomplishment1 which seldom     
implies  even so much as the perversion 
of a great mind4 ,there is the more     
occasion that topics like these should  
be pressed in a government like  ours1  
as it is essentially popular1 and on    
this account more likely to  be carried 
away by qualities that are merely       
striking and popular1 in                
contradistinction to such as are solid  
and useful4 ,if there is any one  mark  
admitted by all to be peculiarly        
indicative of real greatness of  mind1  
it is originality2 nor do we object to  
this criterion when  properly applied4  
,but it unfortunately happens1 that     
unprincipled men1  not having the least 
particle of real originality1 may easily
 gain a  reputation for in the popular  
mind merely by being1 or affecting to   
be singular in their ways of thinking   
and acting4 ,let a man of nothing  more 

than ordinary powers strike away from   
the common track1 advance a  few        
startling paradoxes1 and defend them    
with as much plausibility as  he can1   
and straightway he becomes1 in the eyes 
of the million at  least1 a wonderful   
genius4    ,such were not the men1 who  
have raised this country to its present 
enviable place among the nations of the 
earth4 ,there was not a  wonderful      
genius among them all2 but they were    
able men1 and such as  feared ,god1 men 
of truth1 hating covetousness4 ,this    
point was secured  in the first         
settlement of ,new ,england by the      
strict and puritanical  principles1     
which our forefathers brought over with 
them from the  parent country2 and also 
by the idea they were continually       
holding up  to one another of           
establishing here a ,christian          
commonwealth4 ,it is  also true of the  
leaders of the ,revolution1 throughout  
the country1  that they were remarkable 
alike for their public and private      

virtues1  and owed their elevation1 in  
most cases1 to this circumstance1 and ,i
  may add1 their power and consequence  
afterwards4 ,the war broke out1 and  a  
time of difficulty and sacrifice began2 
the pecuniary resources of  the nation  
were drained to the last drop1 continual
 levies of men to  recruit the army     
operated all over the country with the  
effect of a  military conscription1 and 
meanwhile the enthusiasm which marked   
the  opening scenes of the struggle1 was
 rapidly subsiding4 ,in this state of   
things1 if there had been the slightest 
pretext for believing that the  leading 
men were false to their pledges1 had but
 the shadow of a  suspicion passed      
across the singleness and purity of     
their intentions1  the new and ill      
constituted government would not have   
lived for an  hour4 ,we often speak of  
the virtue and intelligence of the      
people1 as  the great security of our   
liberties2 and in quiet times1 and under
 a  well established government1 they   

are perhaps a great and sufficient      
security4 ,but in the shock of a great  
political revolution the legal          
restraints and natural landmarks of     
authority are broken up2 and the  mind  
is pained at the bare contemplation of  
the possible consequences1  if at this  
crisis in our country's destiny the     
supreme command had  devolved on a      
,cromwell1 instead of a ,washington4    
,it is difficult to do justice to that  
assemblage of qualities in the          
character of this great man1 which makes
 his name almost equally dear  to the   
lovers of liberty in both hemispheres2  
and the reason is1 that  no one of these
 qualities is very striking1 considered 
apart from the  rest4 ,his writings do  
not show him to have been a very        
original or  profound thinker2 military 
men do not speak of his campaigns as    
evincing the highest order of talents in
 this service2 and he is  understood as 
a statesman to have availed himself of  
the aid of the  distinguished men he    

called about him4 ,his fame does not    
rest on any  one quality1 but on a      
wonderful union and blending of         
qualities1 in  which there was none that
 detracted at all from the confidence   
and  admiration the whole inspired4     
,those who think there can be no true   
greatness1 where there is nothing       
dazzling1 startling2 those who are      
smitten with a foolish admiration of    
heroes1 may pronounce his  character    
tame and commonplace2 but much of this  
appearance originates  in what really   
constitutes the chief glory of his      
character2 its exact  proportions1 its  
perfect harmony4 ,above all1 there was  
his sacred  regard to principle1 and the
 solemn resolve with which he devoted   
himself to the service of his country1  
that gave a moral finish and  sublimity 
to his character1 and makes us speak of 
him1 as we speak of  religion4 ,yes1 we 
can hardly stand in the presence of that
 noble form  in the almost speaking     
marble1 without something of the feeling

 with  which the pagans were impressed1 
when they stood before the statues of   
their gods4 ,you have done well to place
 it where it is2 for there is  something
 in that look1 which a public man can   
hardly pass without  being reminded of  
his obligation to go1 and do likewise4  
,one of the worst tendencies of our     
political dissensions is1 that they     
make us indifferent or blind to the     
personal qualifications of the          
candidates for office4 ,i am aware that 
parties are to be expected in a  free   
country2 and that they answer many      
useful and important ends1  particularly
 by being a watch and check on one      
another1 so as to  prevent the party in 
power from abusing that power4 ,i know1 
too1 that  where a party is founded on a
 real difference of opinion on important
  national questions1 no one is at      
liberty to compromise this  difference1 
except1 perhaps1 in great emergencies   
which can seldom  occur1 threatening the
 very existence of the state4 ,party1   

however1  becomes faction1 a mischievous
 and unprincipled faction1 when the     
great  national interests are forgotten1
 and the canvass at elections is made   
to turn on points which have nothing to 
do with the questions1 ,is he  honest8  
,is he capable8 ,there is no danger to  
this country so long as a  free and     
unbiassed expression of public sentiment
 governs2 but there is  danger1 and     
great danger1 if every thing is to be   
done by party1 and if  the impulse of   
party is to be given by a few hollow and
 artful men4 ,it  is not to be denied   
that many men1 who would not have       
attracted a  moment's attention from any
 fair view of their natural or acquired 
abilities1 have yet been drawn into the 
lists by party considerations  solely1  
and elevated to high and responsible    
posts1 merely that they  might expose   
their incompetency1 and disgrace the    
nation4 ,can it be  that the people are 
deceived2 that the virtue and           
intelligence of the  people1 of which we

 hear so much1 are deceived8 ,do they   
not consider  in such cases1 do they not
 know1 that they are the instruments1   
the  mere tools of ambitious and        
intriguing demagogues2 who are seeking1 
in  this way1 to avail themselves of the
 popular delusions and discontents1  and
 turn them to selfish and sinister      
purposes8    ,the manner in which the   
characters of our public men are        
treated1 is  another practice likely to 
disgust the virtuous and high minded    
with  the service2 end induce them to   
withdraw altogether4 ,it is necessary to
  our liberties1 ,i admit1 that a       
jealous and vigilant watch should be    
kept on the conduct of men in power4    
,but it is not necessary1 ,i am  sure1  
that that mighty engine the press1 on   
both sides1 instead of  endeavoring to  
enlighten the community by a fair and   
manly discussion  of the great questions
 at issue1 should teem with nothing but 
gross  personalities1 and vulgar and    
unfounded abuse4 ,it certainly cannot be

  necessary1 that this spirit should    
find its way into the grave and  solemn 
debates of our legislative assemblies1  
and make a man's success  there1 depend 
on the possession of qualities1 which   
ought rather to  exclude him from all   
decent society4 ,consider the           
demoralising effect  it must have on our
 own people1 pouring this flood of wrath
 and  bitterness through a community    
already too much excited4 ,consider1    
too1  the influence it will have on the 
national character in the eyes of       
foreigners1 who will always judge us by 
our public men1 and our public  men by  
these calumnies4 ,besides1 what do      
political distinctions promise  a man in
 this country1 supposing him to be      
successful1 but the feverish  life of an
 expectant until the office is gained2  
and then1 though it  may be the highest 
office in the state1 to hold it but a   
few years1 and  be thrown back into     
society a common man1 broken1 perhaps1  
in health  and fortune4 ,is there any   

thing here to induce one to give up his 
good  name1 his private history1 and the
 feelings of his family and             
connections1 to be the sport and prey of
 hireling incendiaries8    ,your        
,excellency1 and the gentlemen          
associated with you in the  government1 
will receive our respectful salutations4
 ,entering1 as you  do this day1 on a   
new political year1 it is unnecessary   
for me1 perhaps  it would be accounted  
officiousness1 to remind you of the     
expectations  of your constituents4     
,they point you to the example of your  
illustrious  predecessors1 to a         
,hancock1 a ,bowdoin1 and the ,adamses  
of other days2  they refer you to the   
,constitution1 that charter of our      
rights and  liberties which must never  
be violated1 or touched but with        
reverence2  they appeal to your         
consciences1 which are as the echo of   
the divine  mind4 ,they also put under  
your protection and patronage their     
literary1  moral and religious          

institutions1 with a solemn injunction  
that you  should be faithful to this    
charge4 ,sad presage will it be of      
coming  evil1 should prosperity ever    
make the people of this country blind or
  indifferent to the sources1 whence    
that prosperity has been derived4    ,it
 is a melancholy reflection1 that we can
 have no certainty of the  continuance  
of any earthly blessing4 ,governments1  
even the best  governments often contain
 in them the seeds of decay and death4  
,it is  by no means impossible1 that our
 own may ere long be numbered among the 
republics1 that have been4 ,let us then 
learn to put our trust in ,him by  whom 
nations rise and fall2 and as we have no
 abiding city here1  anxiously look for 
one hereafter which hath foundations1   
whose builder  and maker is ,god4