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'ir.: ■f"\..i l ' 'ii' ■* . * Harvard Uhiversiti/f April 9, 1810. ll£V. SIR, PURSUANT to a vote of the students of the University y we have the honour to express to you the high satis/action with which they yesterday heard your impressive and valuable discourse ; and, in their name, to request thefwour of a copy for publication. Accept, Sir, the assurances of our high respect and esteem* SAMiTEL FISHER GEORGE MOREY, GEORGE HOMER JOHN A. HAVEN Eev. Dr. Osgood. Committa. be was made king over all the tribes. Being thus invested with the government, he speedily freed the nation from every foreign ydte, and amply avenged eve- ry hostile aggression. He never lost a battle, nor failed of success in any expedition. His arms were constantly and every where triumpliant. He humbled and subdu- ed, not the Philistines only, but, the Ammonites, Moab- ites, Edomites, Syrians, and all the former enemies of Is« rael. His subjects saw all the neighbouring nations who had hitherto so often oppressed th^m and, at all times, had been thorns in their sides, now made tributaries to them. The wealth of the adjacent countries centred in theland of Israel. i'l I. i;:ir l)h'. . u * ••■11.. ■ ."' .■»'■ ■! * iM III M# ■ ill <• ■' 4i^ In the civil administration of his government, Davidl fed the people in the integrity of his hearty and guided thenA by the ski/fulness of his hands. Being justy he ruled w| the fear of God ; and tlie Iseneficial influences of his ad- ministration were as the light of the morning when the\ sun is rising ; and his people flourished under them like the tender grass springing up under the warm showers of heaven. He adored the divine constitution of his coun. try, and regulated its affairs with a scrupulous conformi. | ty to its institutions. His heart glowed with the love of I God and of his law ; and he so arranged the forms of pub* lie worship as to give them all the beauty of holiness. No people before or since, were ever more prosperous and happy, than the Israelites were at the very time when they conspired with an impious son, to depose and murder the best of kings and the most indulgent of fathers. The text assures us that this cliange in their affections, was not occasioned by any motives of reason, any con. siderations which honor or honesty, which wisdom or goodness could approve. Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel — as a thief acts against all the rules of truth and justice, so, by the vilest intrigues, lies, and flatteries, Absalom attached to himself, the hearts of the people. So Absalom stole, refers to the preceding description of these his wicked arts of deception. The history insinu* ates that his success was facilitated by the engaging com^ liness of his person and its exterior graces, his form be* ing so perfect iti»t,from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head, there was rio blemish in him. In the choice of a king among the ancient i£thiopians, ** the face availed much," says Lucretius. Many in every nation, are lia- ble to be prepossessed by a beautiful outside. Even the prophet Samuel, when he looked on Eliab, said, surely theLord^s anointed is before him. Undoubtedly Absa- lom's beauty, aided by his polished manners and master- ly address, had its influence among the less discerning part of the people. Having attracted general admiration and become ex- tremely popular, in concert with Ahitophel, the Machia- vel of the age, he secretiy resolved upon his nefarious design ; and in its prosecution, left no arts of seduction unattempted. For a long time, it was his practice to rise early every morning, and throwing himself in the way of all those who, from any of the tribes, had any business at court, or any controversy depending upon regal deci- sion, he accosted each individual with the most conde- scending affability, entered into familiar conversation widi them, inquired from what city or tribe they came ? then reiiarking upon their business, lamented that he was not authorized to hear their cause, and implicitly censured his father's government as negligent of the public good in withholding from the people the rich services which he would be glad to render them in the capacity of judge. As often as any jjerson noticed him, or made obeisance to him ; immediately he took that man by the hand, em- braced and kissed him. On this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: and w, by these methods, he stole their hearts. His success is a melancholy proof of the strange in- fatuation and blindness to which men are liable with respect to the things pertaining to dieir present temporal peace and prosperity : It shows that die majority of a nation, even of a nation professing the true religion, are liable to be so inveigled, deluded and biassed by artful v.;»i-.|,jl Wi ' designing men as to be brought, not only to desert, but to turn against, their truest friends and benefactors; withdrawing from them their confidence and placmg it in the most unprincipled and profligate characters ; and at the hazard of their lives, supporting such characters in a long continued series of crimes, crimes tending, not only to their own reproach, but to their misery and ruin. Afler the Israelites had made up their minds u\m\ the politics of the day, and respectively chosen their sides ; we may easily conceive the bitterness and vim. lence which the two parties, the continued adherents to David and the followers of Absalom, felt and expressed the one towards the other. Of these indeed we have a specimen in the slanders, imprecations and curses which Shimei poured forth upon David to his face, in the hear, ing of all his friends. Come out, come out, thou bloody matiy thou man of Belial : The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul in whose stead thou tiast reigned and liath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son : and belwUlt thou art taken in thy mischief because thou art a bloody man. In this strain, we may suppose, all the orators and emissaries of Absa> lom at every club-meeting in every city throughout the tribes, declaimed against David, depreciating all his vir- tues and good deeds and, at the same time, equally ag- gravating and emblazoning every mistake, infirmity or defect eitlier in his private character or in his administra- tion of the government. To these slanders David alludes in the Psalms which he composed upon this occasion, in which he complains, that their tongues were drawn swords — that the poison of asps was under their lipSy and that they heaped iniquity upon him. .J In this abuse of him, all his known friends caiitc in for their share. Those ministers of religion and those men of understanding and judgment, of fixed principles and steady habits, all the Barzillais throughout the coun- cry, who still retained their loyalty, were stigmatized as tories, friends to an arbitrary and unjust government, to a cruel and bloody tyranny, the supporters of a wicked usurper, of an old vile adulterer and the atrocious mur- derer of the brave Uriah. Thousands and thousands lis- tened with the most eager attention to the enchanting and captivating eloquence displayed upon these topics ; and had their passions worked up to phrenzy against the ad- herents to such a monster of wickedness.— Undoubtedly the partisans of David retaliated in their turn, and were not sparing in applying to their adversaries, the appella- tions of rebels, traitors, parricides, miscreants, unprinci- pled disorganizers, seditious disturbers of the public peace, and the mad destroyers of their country. — Thus the two parties went on mutually revilmg and abusing each other till the sword, drawn by brother against broth- er, father against son and son against father, decided tlie contest in the slaughter of twenty thousand of their brethren in one day — all occasioned by the restless am- bition of one man. We are not to suppose that all Da- vid's adherents were men of piety, nor that the followers of Absalom, were all equally wicked with himself. The text implies the contrary ; their hearts being stoien by Aim, imports their having been misled and deceived by liis flattery and guile. My hearers, you already anticipate the application of these things to the present state of our own country and nation ; and perhaps some of you may think that a min- i'S ' («. ister ol' rcligiou had better forbear touching upon topicji with reference to which different parties have so deep and quick a sensibility. This is the common language of the dominant party at the present day ; but the time was, when the public voice highly applauded the clergy of the country for their noble exertions in its political concerns. Their influence was universally acknowledg- ed and extolled in bringing about that revolution by which our independence and liberties were obtained. Why are they now desired to be silent ? The reason is obvious. It is known that the character of the present national rulers and the measures which they have adopt- ed, are disapproved by the great body of the clergy throughout the United States. Such men would never have been entrusted with the government and such meas- ures would never have been adopted, could the voice of the clergy have been heard. The prophets of the Lord throughout the land of Israel, with Nathan and Gad at their head $ and the priests and Levites, with the high priests, Zadock and Abiathar at their head, were not more firmly attached to the government of David and more fully opposed to the usurpation and rebellion of Absalom, than the clergy of this country are attached to the character and principles of Washington and opposed to those of Jefferson and his adherents. In the opinion of the clergy, the former bore the image, all the principal features of the man q/ier Ood^s own hearty while the lat- ter was deemed capable of all the guile and dishonesty of an Absalom. As the ministers of religion are known thus to differ from the abettors and supporters of the present rulers, they are desired to abstain from all political discussions Sj 9 III) the pulpit. But should not they who are thus eartiesl I impose silence upon their teachers, reflect whether l^re be not something suspicious in this their desire ? ; is essential to an honest and good hearty always to hold litself open to the evidence of truth from whatever quar- |itr it may be offered ; while it is the nature of prejudice Ld of every ill bias, to hate, at first sight, the appearance of opposition. Have not their religious teachers as much lit stake as themselves, as great an interest in the public Ileal ? Is it possible for them, to prefer one set of rulers lio another from any other motive but a conviction of Ikir being better men or better qualified to serve the Public ? As men of information and learning, the clergy nay be supposed to possess advantages superior to the Ijenerality of their parishioners, for forming a correct Ijydgment of public characters and of public affairs* The lleaders of parties have often a private interest distinct mm that of the public, to promote ; but the clergy can bave no such interest. Thus circumstanced, might it [not be naturally expected that tlicir people would wish I be informed of their judgment upon these complex I |fet interesting concerns? To whom can the farmer, tlie mechanic, or the tradesman apply for information with so much confidence as to his minister ? I remem- ber the time when this was generally practised, and the opinion of the clergy, to a great degree, guided that of their people. If for some years past, it has ceased, ha9 bot been for the same reason that it ceased among the Israelites after Absalom had stolen their hearts ? Infat- uated and blinde.^ by the spirit of party, by the flattery, guile and falsehood of artful, interested and designing politicians, men give themselves up exclusively to the passions and prejudices thus produced. 3 i;i ; I, ' I « I '■I 10 In such a state of things however, whether men hear or whether they forbear, the faithful minister of the gos. pel feels himself under an obligation superior to that oj of any human authority, to testify against all unrighteousi ness in government, as well as in other concerns ; anc against wicked rulers, as well as against wicked subjectsJ The word of God obliges him to cry aloud and not spare! lifting up his voice like a trumpet^ against the crying siiJ of t!ie land ; and calling upon all ranks of men toforsak« their false and evil ways and reform whatever has beeij amiss in their politics, as well as in every other part i theii- conduct. Their political faults and follies, mor frequently perhaps than any others, have been the immej diate cause of prejudice to religion, as well as of detrij ment to their own civil interests. Had the Israelite! hearkened to their prophets and priests, had they pc sessed knowledge and virtue sufficient to resist the cunj ning and subtilty of Ahitophel, the flattery and guile ( Absalom ; what direful calamities might they have es taped !— To my apprehension, similar calamities, bul probably of much longer continuance, are now hanginj over our country, brought on precisely by the same ar which originated Absalom's rebellion. We are hunyl ing on in a career apparently leading to the same conclu sion. Does it not become us as rational reflecting ings, as men, and much more, as christians, to paus and seriously and solemnly inquire whether we are righlj whether we may not be under some wrong bias, whetl er there may not be a lie in our right hand ! Could men be persuaded to 'such a dispassionate in quiry, there would be room for hope ; but when a pa spirit has once taken possession of their hearts, from I '?-:•?* ' .J u moment, their ears are stopped against all the impressions of truth, of reason, and of argument. Nothing which the friends of David could say had the least effect upon the partisans of Absalom. In vain were they told that David was the Lord's anointed, and to rebel against hinif fas to rebel against God. The power of God can over- come the prejudices of men, but his authority avails no- thing against them. Be the divine commands what they jaay, jM^judice always interprets them in favor of itself. iXhe followers of Absalom were confident that Jehovah iwas on their side. His name was boldly introduced as sanctioning all their proceedings, even the very curses of Shimei. No arguments will gain the attention of men greatly prejudiced. When St. Paul apologized for him- self at Jerusalem, the assembly, says the historian, gave \jm audience unto this word ; meaning a word which bore [directly upon their prejudices, when instantly lifting up eir voices, they exclaimed. Away with such a felUyw \^m the earth ; /or it is not Jit that he should live. After tfie same manner they also treated the martyr Stephen— \mjing out and stopping their ears* The nature of prejudice is the same in all ages and I upon every subject, political, as well as religious ; and &ey who are most under its influence, are least sensible of it, and wholly unaware of the absurd lengths to which they may be drawn. Many persons who, during Wash- ington's administration, joined in censuring his measures, explicitly approbate them now ; but they still confide in the very men by whom they were then deceived. Is k not wonderful that they are not sensible of the inconsbt- cncy — that they do not blush to remember the many lu- dicrous follies into which they have been betrayed by their ■^m rip,' f. ft'. 5.!.:" -T ■-*: r^- f=*. .^^^"■4';' ■'is f ■ -Pi 12 artful leaders ? Amidst the universal clamour which these leaders had the address to excite against Mr. Jay's trea^ with Britain, how many of our country towns exposed their ignorance and folly by publishing strictures and re. solves upon that subject ? In some places, the matter was carried to a much greater extravagance. In one of the counties of the state of New York, nearly a whole con- gregation of professed christians became so agitated tllat they committed great disturbances. They paraded the streets, burned Mr. Jay in effigy, and erected liberty-poles with a French red cap on their tops and absurd devices on their bottoms ; which liberty-poles, a few months since, were still rtanding, the monuments of the knavery and wickedness of the men who are now our national nilers. Those honest christians who were worked up to such a phrenzy, knew no more about treaties, than they did about Sir Isaac Newton's Principia ; but tlie Absaloms and Ahitophels of the day, who were then attempting to de. throne Washington, had stolen their hearts and tfafinrun. derstandings. On a Lord's day during these their riot* ous proceedings, their minister read for their edificati<»i, the thirteenth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, the seven first verses of which are so many precepts enjoin* ing civil order and government. A great proportion of the congregation grew very angry ; and the chapter being read, they declared, *' The New Testament was 1VRITTEN ONLY FOR SLAVES UNDER A MONARCHY, AND WAS NEVER INTENDED FOR INDEPENDENT RE- PUBLICANS.^* — Thus the word of God itself is renoun* ced by professed believers when it stands in the way of | their party -prejudices and passions. * **ii ^ What then shall be done ? When we sec and know ^ 13 that our fnends and fellow-citizens, deluded and blinded by the sophistry and guile of wicked ^ saloms, are hur- lying on in the career to ruin, and arc j;*rrying ourselves dong with them ; are we to be silent ? are we to forbear every attempt to open their eyes and disabuse them ? — My hearers, I enter upon this attempt with the feelings of one going upon a forlorn hope. God is my witness that I would not upon any consideration, willingly or un- necessarily wound the feelings of, or give offence to, an individual in this assembly. My aim is to address you in the words of truth and soberness. If a single assertion should escape me which is not true, I pledge myself on conviction, to recall it as publicly as it may be made. Will you not then give me your candid hearing while I open to you what appears to me the true state of pur na- tional aflairs ? The cloud which now darkens our horizon, began to appear at the period when the first embassador from the French republic, unfortunately reached our shores. As die object of his mission was, to unite this nation with his own in war against England ; the men who are now our rulers, were well disposed to comply with his wishes. Immediately French emissaries spread themselves from one extremity of the continent to the other, many news- papers were engaged to aid their cause, and many parti- sans in all the states, especially in the southern ones, ap- peared clamouring for war. So great was their influence m congress, that one of its members, in a letter dated more than sixteen years ago, expressed himself to this ef- fect, " I shall congratulate my country if we can get through the session without a declaration of war." The wise and upright Washington issued his proclamation of ,r ■;i'. A * ''-: ^''£M l.'Ttm liWR*^! '.wi U neutrality ; but for some tune, it remained doubtful whe. ther he would be able to support it against the influence of the war- party. The leaders of that party have never lost sight of their object* Before they reached the helm of state, their in. fluence was constantly and uniformly exerted in favor of France against England. Washington made a treaty with the latter, in consequence of which a vast property was restored to our citizens, and the commercial prosper. ity of the country through the course of more than ten years, continued rising to an height before unexampled. Yet this treaty, so unspeakably advantageous to the coun- try, brought upon Washington and Jay, the utmost ven- cm of slander and abuse from the men now in power. Such was their influence then in congress that, for a long time, no act of the legislature could be obtained making provision for carrying the treaty into effect. It was, at last, obtained by the petitions and remonstrances of the merchants in our great cities. At the period when this treaty expu^d, the sun of our country's glory had sitten, Washington was no more. His insidious and malignant opponents had burst the » doors of public confidence and seated themselves at the head of our affairs. The commerce of the country and its immense advantages from a good understanding with England, were matters of no consideration with them. The British cabinet offered to renew the treaty, but they spumed the proposal. The philosophical Jefterson had a variety of experiments which he wished to try, the pro. jects of his own fruitful invention ; dry-docks, guu-boats, non-importation acts, embargoes, non-intercourse laws, torpedoes, with, I know not, how many other contrivan* 15 cesfor bringing down the spirit of the nation to a tempe- rament suitibie to the views of those who now guided their counsels. In the pursuit of these projects, the com- merce of the country has been destroyed, its infant navy reduced and neglected, its prosperity blasted, its wealth dissipated, its treasury, what was not first plundered by the creatures of administration, wholly exhausted ; the spirits of parties inflamed and sharpened agsdnst each oth- er, and foreign war provoked by a continued series of insults against the only power which has hitherto stood between us and the great ravager of the human race. Amidst these experiments, permission was, at length, given to our envoys at London, to negotiate a treaty up- on conditions which their instructers had litde reason to expect would be conceded. By a change in the British ministry remarkably favorable to this country,, those con- ditions were essentially obtained. Mr. Jefierson was dis- appointed^ In that treaty he saw the derangement of his favorite schemes, and, what ajffected him still more, the loss of the friendship of France. Bonaparte had just de- creed the destruction of the British commerce, and im- periously demanded the aid of America. Jefferson's heart was with him, but this new treaty stood in his way. What should he do ? The constitution required the trea- ty to be laid before the Senate of the United States. The president knew that if submitted to them, it would cer- tainly be sianctioned. Thus situated, would any man whose heart was not that of an Absalom, of a desperado, have taken upon himself, in contempt of the constitution, the responsibility of rejecting and indignantly sending back, a treaty so essential to the peace and prosperity of his country ? Would he have thus put to ha^rd, the im- -M'."!' x^ .ru, M.... ^*.?^ » '■; jksi:-;' Id I mense property of his fellow-citizens at that moment floating upon the ocean^ a tempting prey to more than a thousand British cruizers ? But this was the desired opportunity for JefTerson's experiments. Of course, they were put in immediate operation ; but as they consisted in a most flagrant vio- lation, not of the federal constitution only, but of those first principles which unite men in society, and were a stretch of despotism unparalleled and unexampled in the history of the world ; nO circumstance attending them, occasioned to my mind more gloomy apprehensions, than to see my fellow-citizens so humbled and lost to a sense of their civil rights, the rules of morality, and the laws of God as to be capable of yielding their necks one moment to such horrible impositions. Their infatuation upon this subject, exceeded in absurdity, the stupidity of the Israelites in suffering their hearts to be stolen by Absa* lom. The utter futility of those experiments to answer their pretended purposes, had been demonstrated by their opponents both in and out of congress with a light clear as the noon-tide sun ; yet the whole party shut their eyes agunst this light, and one of our great men, whose influ- ence in favor of the embargo-laws, had more weight than that of any other individual in New England, said tome, doubting of their efficacy, " I knanv they will be effectu- al." This he repeated in the same peremptory tone over and over again. — Notwithstanding this high confidence, after they had been in force eight months, our minister at Paris, wrote to his employers, " That in France the em. bargo was not felt and in England forgotten." By our wise rulers however, it was continued ten months longer to the gratification and applause of the French govern- 'U 17 ment, the increased profit of British commerce, and the distress of oui own citizens. At last, it was given up by its very autliors and abettors ; but were they ashamed of their sin and folly ? No ; they were not ashamed i They immediately had recourse to other ex- periments of the same general nature ; and to this day, their theory is not exhausted; they have still further projects in contemplation. But, as a preacher of righteousness, authorized by the word of God, I announce to them, that from what they have done already, a load of guilt and a long train of evils both natural and moral, have been produced which will one day, whatever may be their present in- sensibility and stupefaction, gnaw their souls to the quick and pierce their very joints and marrow. Besides die misery and mischief to the multitudes immediately oppressed ; in the sight of that Being whose eyes are every where beholding the evil and the good, many per- sons, either in evading or executing the embargo-laws were, from first to last, slaughtered ; divers murders and perjuries were committed, innumerable false oaths taken, crimes of blackest dye perpetrated, and scenes of violence and guilt acted along the whole extent of our frontier, as well as in every port and harbour on the coast All these atrocious enormities are still crying to Heaven for ven- geance upon those evil counsels and unrighteous de- crees which, in their effects, were 1.0 many snares of hell for the consciences and souls of men. Hardened infi- dels may sneer at these denunciations, but though men may mock, God is not mocked. In the issue of thingsin it will be found tliat, as there is a reward for the right- eous, so a strange punishment is in reserve for the workr 3 iv.. ' ^m. 'iifi^ iJ H II S" 18 crs of iniquity. The heaviest woes hang over those who decree unrighteous decrees— ^nd^ attempt to establish a city or & government b^ iniquiti/, O that I were madejuc^e in the land ! was among the arts of Absalom. The same insidious arts covered the march of our present rulers to the helm of State. Nothing answered their purpose better, than repraiches against their predecessors for their want of oeconomy, for the enormous salaries which they had appropriated to themselves, and for their general profusion of the peo- ple's money. Upon this string all the newspapers de- voted to their interest, were constantly playing. In a letter to a citizen during Washington's administration, Mr. Jefferson expressed his dread of tiie patronage of j the Executive, " because it enlisted on his side all those whom he could interest, and doomed the laboring citi- zens to toil and sweat for useless pageantry." With such professions previously made, he and his i coadjutors gained possession of the public chest. What has been their ceconomy ? During the eight years pre- ceding his administration, the average appropriation for the civil list, aimually fell short of half a million of dol- i iars. During the same term of his and Madison's ad- ministration, it exceeded the double of that sum. Mr. i Hamilton whose labors and talents originated the whole I system of rev^ue, received a salary of thirty five hun- dred dollars. His present successor in the same office, receives five thousand dollars.-t.It is well known that all the sulxxtUnate officers in ^e government were dis* |daced by Mr. Jefferson to make room for his friends, the true republi(»a)S) as they are called, men of oeconomj | who are willing to btraiten themselves to spare the mouth j 19 of labor. Among these . ; ublicans, General Wilkin* son makes a most conspicuous figure. The expenses of this man's table for the space of about four months only, cost the United States six thousand six hundred nineteen dollars. When I read the particulars, of this and his other accounts in the public papers, I could not conceive, that such charges would be allowed. Ex* travagant as they were, they were paid by Mr. Jefferson's order in violation of the law. Is the suspicion unfound- ed that he feared to provoke Wilkinson, lest he should betray secrets prejudicial to the party ? Among the ca- pable and honest republicans introduced by Jefferson to ]^ces of public trust, one at New Orleans has lately ab- sconded with one hundred thousand dollars of the public money ; another at the Eastward, with thirty thousand ; " a secretary of state, an attorney-general, a collector of our first sea-port) and a clerk, of the house of representa« tives are on the list of defaulters." A report of the comptroller of the treasury brings in Mr. Jefferson's of- ficers delmquent to the amount of half a million of dol- lars, exclusive of the defalcations during the three kist years, as yet unknown. Besides these absolute losses, the sums are immense and incalculable which Mr. Jef- ferson's experiments have cost the country. I know not how many millions were expended in building and equipping his fleet of one hundred and three gun-boats which, when finished, he himself acknowledged to bo useless. Was there ever before, under the name of de- fence, so cruel a mockery practised upon any people ^^-^ In short, Mr. Jefferson, throughout his administration^ treated the people as though they were less than children, more easily deceived and destitute of all intellect. In »"• I ■•J if ■■: ■ ti li Ft i' li :i I,. JBV:U m Hi; W (hi ll fir r;! t ■ 5 90 his very last message to congress he affected to be at « loss how to dispose of the surplusage of revenue, and to solicit advice whether it should be laid out in roads canals, &c — when he knew that, in consequence of his measures, the wheels of government must stop within a twelvemonth unless there should be a loan of four millions of dollars. Such shameless effrontery is hardly paralleled in the history of tyrants. — Mr. Jofm Randolph, a Vir. ginia member of congress and formerly a zealous friend of the late President, has become so thoroughly convinc* ed of his dishonesty that, in one of his publications, after observing that he returned fix>m his mission to France, '* in dress, taste, politics, philosophy, and religion, a finished Frenchman" — he goes on to compare him in his nies< sages to congress and public documents, to the insidious and dark minded Tiberius, and says of him, ** that he died politically with a lie in his mouth." My brethren, when the people of these United States, chose this man for their chief ruler, I did at the time and do still, firmly believe that they sinned against Heaven in a grievous and aggravated manner. By that sin they have brought upon themselves the displeasure of Al- mighty God, the effects of which they are now suffering, being given up to eat of the fruit of their own ways, and to be filled with their own devices, their public counsels being turned into foolishness, their transgressions made to correct them, and their backslidings to reprove them. We call ourselves a Christian nation. God has dis- tinguished us from many other nations by giving us the Inestimable treasure of his word to direct us in all our conduct, and cspeciaUy in our political concerns. This IKord enjoins it upon us, in the choice of rul^s, to giv^ 21 our suffrages for such and such only as fear Him, men of truths as well as of ability, eminent for religion and probity, as well as for knowledge and wisdom. These commands are, not only abundantly repeated both in the Old Testament and in the New, but are illustrated in many striking examples of good and bad statesmen and rulers, of Davids and Absaloms, of Samuels and Ahito- phels, of Gideons and Abimelechs throughout the whole inspired history. This nation, when their religious teach* ers set before them the revealed will of God upon this subject, and admonished them not to act in contradiction to their christian principles and profession — ^this nation turned a deaf ear, declared against being priest-ridden, imposed silence upon their pastors at the peril of being deserted by their flocks and turned out of their livings : The answer was, " whether he believe in one God or in twenty, whether he be a believer or a deist, the friend of Jesus Christ or of Thomas Paine ; — it is sufficient for us that he is a true republican, and for that reason, the man of our choice." The sentence of Heaven was passed up- on them : Epkraim is joined to idols^ let him alone. The Lord gave them their request ; but sent leanness into their souls. ■' •■' ••■■ ' ♦ •■ ^ • ...-•• Many people seem to think that though a man should not be a believer in Christianity, he may notwithstanding be a man of good morals and a wise and good ruler ; — there having been many such among the ancient Greeks and Romans before the publication of Christianity. But they who thus argue, forget that there is a wide difference between deists in a pagan, and deists in a christian, coun- tiy. Pagan deists upon whom the light of revelation ne- vrr shone, were never ^ilty of hating nnd rejecting this 'i'.' Ilii^ki 29 divine light. For this reason, they may be supported to retain a much deeper sentte of moral obligation, thuu those men wlio have apostatized from the gospel. The latter, though professing belief in God, are practicul aUie- ists. Robespierre, as also Thomas Paine, professed be. lief in a supreme Being ; but they were both practicul atheists. They left their supreme Being to slumber in supine apathy and indifference, while they pursued the career, the one of his passions, the other of his appetites, insensible of and careless about all future consequences. I do not say that all deists are equally unrestrained in vice with these two most profligate characters. Many, no doubt, are held back by natural afiection, by a sense of decency, by public opinion, by a regard to reputation, and by other similar considerations ; but not by principle, not by any deep governing sense of their accountableness to God. Never in my life did I meet with a deist who appeared in his actions or conversation, to be influenced by a reverential awe of God ; nor do I imagine such an one to be found in all Christendom. The seed of the gospel never falls upon an honest and gorjd heart without being received and takuig root. Its light never shines upon those whose deeds are not evil, without being wel- comed as pleasant and delightful. But those men whose minds, after being enlightened by education and science, are yet so blinded by their passions and lusts as to hate the light of revelation, are never in their practice after- wards guided by the light of nature and reason. Divine providence suflers this inferior light to be extinguished j|j| in those who wilfully reject the superior and greater Ught of revelation. Such men are usually given over to a rep- robate iiiind i 'id teared conscience. As temptations oc- cur, tliey o desperate ir such men ii not named than those o er the criin the whole e magnitude the commc But to bcr to have ing Washiii strict and sc but by thi«* sure (ifJeffe Jererson sai of England of congress national cou adiscrimina spirit of this ted States tr • diet, I m jtm past, Kenr til, those measu the nation. Tb( ing them. Fiftc monweahh, gari kte Vifginia pul ■^../tof Aluto wkest pe. " noihirig could power which ha What arc we ta such a leader ? 23 cur, Uiey ottcn go on from bad to worse till they become desperate in wickedness. Hence it comes to pass that such men in christian countries, ore often guilty ot rrimes iiot named among the ' ithcns, moa> vile and itnKiiou'i than those of p^ii^in idolaters. It may be doubted wi.. th- er the crime? of the latter, of all the pagan nati( ns over the whole earth during the lapse of uges, have equalled in magnitude and horror, those of the infidel French since the commencement of their revolutionary career. But to go on with oiu- p. >Utical discussion. I remem- ber to have read in Ua i' ' m. '^'y Reviews of London dur- ing Washington'^ ddministntion, a panegyric upon his strict and scrupulous ci servanceof the rules of neutrality; but by this . irality he drew upon himself, the displea- sure if Jefferson, Gilts, Madison, and their whole party. JeCerson said of him, " that he was attached to the whore of England ;" Giles*^ publicly abused him on the floor of congress *, and Madison exerted all his abilities in the national councils, to defeat his neumility by a law making a discrimination in favor of France against England. The spirit of this proposed law consisted in rendering the Uni- ted States tributary to France by coni{)eUing tliemi against * Giles, 1 mention this man because his influence in cong^ss for some jtan past, seems to have been irresistible, and originated the most, if not ail, those measures which have brouglit reproach, as well as distress, upoo the nation. These fruits are agreeable to tlie nature of tlie tree produc* ing them. Fiileen years ago, a highly respectable senator from tliis com* monweahh, gave me a character of this man whieh is but coniirmad by a kte Virginia publication, representing him in^ heart and iicad as the coun. ci-^.ift of Ahitophel j total^ destitute of ht. or and principle, capable of wkest pc. .J ; " with the mention of whose name," says the writer, " noihirfg eould induce me to rtain my paper or pollute my lips, but the power which ha seems to have acquired uf being hurtful to my country," What arc we to expect from a nationaJ l«gi^ture under the influence of such a leader? '^H' i'i 24 their interest and to a great loss of profit, to trade Math her rather than with England. Thus evidently did Mr. Mad- ison then, prefer the interest oi' France, not only to that of England, but to that of his own country ; and so shame- less was he in this partiality that he openly avowed it in these words : " What must be the feelings of France, between whom and the United States the most friendly relations exist, when she sees not only the balance of trade against her, but that what is obtained from her, flows into the coffers of one of her most jealous rivals." It was in the year 1794 when Mr. Madison thus spoke of the most friendly relations subsisting between France and the United States. At that very time, all tlie agents and engines of French influence were in full operation to rev- olutionize this country and overthrow the government of Washington. So general was their success that we stood tottering on the verge of a rebellion altogether as absurd and criminal as was that of Absalom. Thus circumstan- ced, is it conceivable that Mr. Madison would have made such a speech had he not enlisted himself among the prime agents for France ? Is he not the same man still ? What proofs have we to the contrary ? Did he not uniformly oppose all the precautions of his own government against France up to the very time when he himself became a member of the administration ? How he has conducted since, I will endeavour briefly to state, so far as my knowledge extends. Previous to this period, in a manner the most provoking and outra- geous, France had plundered an immense property from our merchants, no part of which was ever restored. Bo- naparte had usurped the government of that country and had the direction of its afikirs at the time when the last 25 ti«aty was negotiated. It has since appeared that he had no other view in forming it but to gain the opportunity of yet further plunder by alluring our property within his grasp. Whv. n seventeen millions of dollars, according to die statement of our embassador, had thus at unawares, fallen within his reach, he suddenly seized upon the whole. Spuming the obligations of the most solemn treaties, he issued his Berlin, Milan, and Bayonne decress— decrees whose nature outrages every principle of humanity, as well as of reason and morality ; and for capricious feroci- ty and cruelty, are unequalled and unexampled in the an- nals of despotism itself. These decrees are rigidly car- ried into execution upon our citizens. All the power of France and her allies is uninterruptedly employed in depre- dations upon our property and commerce, in capturing, plundering and burning our ships ; and throwing their crews into prison. Hundreds of our seamen are now lingering and perishing in the gaols of France. The hum- ble, meek and submissive remonstrances of our embas- sador, are unnoticed and unanswered, or answered only with haughty contemptuous reflections upon our country, insults upon our government and menaces against us for not taking an active part in the war against England. Bo- naparte has declared to the world, that there shall be no neutrals. To the Portuguese embassador he saidexplicidy, " I will trample under foot all the principles of neutrality ;" and so he has in his whole conduct towards this country. In what manner and with what spirit our rulers have resisted these aggressions and insults, we have but a par- tial and imperfect knowledge, because they have not dar- ed to let us see any thing more than some scattered de- tached fragments of their correspondence with France. From these fragments we can only learn that they have f '\ f' i !■■ ■ * 'ft '"; H- fr 'J fj I ' ' 1 ' |. 1 l"^-|-' 'fi, ) p I f l.^^-J^i 'i '"'l"''' ^m ''1"''m ^'ll ;:1a il"^!^^ 26 expressed their concern at her high tone towards us lest it should prove prejudicial to the French interest and les- sen the number of their friends. Speaking of the French decrees, Mr. Madison seems to regret them as casting " a cloud over the amity between the two countries ;" and directs our embassador to ask for some ** explana- tions," which may serve to soften the spirits of the people here, but at the same time, cautbns him to use his " dis< cretion " in so asking as not to give offence. My hearers, if you mistake the timidity, meanness, servility and abject submission of dependents and slaves for the gospel virtues of humility and meekness ; you may rank our national rulers among the most exemplary saints, who, being smitten on the one cheeky turn the other also i and being robbed of their coat) surrender their cloak also. But real saints are always consistent and show the same good temper towards all parties. Let us then, look upon the other side. Have they shown the satne meek- ness in their language and conduct towards Great Brit- ain ? To her they have said in a questionable case, " The United States cannot for a moment submit to such in- fractions of their rights." Had this language been held towards France, we should have escaped all controversy with Britain. While Mr. Madison affects to see nothing in the French decrees but an empty cloud passing over " the amity between the two countries," he says of the British orders, " that they violated our rights, stabbed out interests, and superadded a blow at our national indepen- dence, and a mockery of our understanding." The sub- mission of our rulers to the decrees of France for a whole twelvemonth, at last compelled the British cabinet in their own defence, to issue those orders of which Mr. Madi- son speaks in such spirited terms. 57 Not ggain to mention Mr. Jefferson's haughty rejec- tion of a treaty framed by his own commissioners, and in their judgment, essentially conformable to his instructions ; did our rulers show their pacific temper in that unaccom- modating, sullen and morose behaviour towards the Brit* isli naval officers which provoked their unwarranted at- tack upon our frigate ? Had the same facili^ in recover^ jng deserters, been afforded to the British which was ne- ver denied to the French ; that attack and aU Us subse- quent evils would have been avoided. Did the meekness of our rulers appear in the immediate vengeance inflicted upon the British government while that government was as yet totally ignorant and guiltless of the wrong done by its servants ? Did it appear in their refusal to cease that vengeance as the condition of receiving proffered compen- sation ; and in their insolent rejection of a special and extraordinary envoy sent on purpose to make us all rea- sonable satisfaction ? Did it appear in the irritating and provoking language used in the arrangement with Mr. Erskine ? — language in itself a sufficient and justifying reason for any independent government, sensible of its ovm dignity, to disown and set aside, an arrangement car- rying on its very face such insulting rudeness. Did their meek and pacific temper appear in their treatment of the successor of Mr. Erskine ? — in their first forbidding him to speak in their presence ? and in their refusing after- ward to receive any communication from him whatever either verbal or written, on account of a pretended offence in his writing, which offence no eyes but their own can discern ? — What a glaring contrast do these particulars in the words and actions of our rulers, form to their tame and submissive tone towards France under injuries ini comparably greater and more aggravated ? i w h I: r.i,| -: ■« i 28 While a war with England is thus perseveringly prt. voked, our rulers well know that it is in her power to do us more harm in one month, than we can receive in an age from France — the trident of the ocean continuing with its present possessor. We can account for their conduct upon no other principle but this, that they have persuad* ed themselves that England is now making her last ex* piring efforts, and must soon fall and be lost in the gene* ral wreck and rubbish of the other governments of Eu- rope. Under this persuasion, they wax bold in venting their long cherished hatred of England ; and think it good policy to placate the conqueror by crouching at his feet. At an interview with the minister of Austria pre. ceding the last war with that power, Bonaparte made this declaration — *♦ I have sworn the destruction of England and I will accomplish it," Mr. Jefferson has always doubted of the word of God ; but as a proof of his full faith in the word of Bonaparte, on the eighteenth day of December 1807 he said in a public company, that Brit. AIN WOULD CEASE TO BE A NATION IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS. In such positive language men are not accustomed to predict events unpleasant to their feelings. Instead of contemplating the accomplishment of this pre- diction with the horror which all wise and good men must feel at the bare apprehension of it ; Mr. Jefferson, his cabinet, and whole party at the southward, seem tohavc anticipated it with joy and exultation. It has been often reported that the victories of Bonaparte are celebrated at Washington with as much eclat as at Paris. You would |iot doubt of the truth of these reports, were you to read the government paper printed in that city. In all coun- tries, the pajier under the patronage of the chief rulers, is supposed to echo their sentiments, feelings and views. % .A* m 2d I ther^ore ask your attention to the following extract from such a paper printed at Washington : ** Austria is anni- hilated, forever subjugated beneath the dominion of France. We sincerely rejoice, not only because she cfer- Mf to oppose France ; but because she is now, and long has been, an ally of ^nYam, by whose speedy destruction ahne can the world find repose, and the United States in particular gain wealth and power. Britain, the grand cor- rapter of the world, the common robb:::r, the tyrant of the ocean, the dastardly plunderer of defenceless nations ; — Britain, whose speedy and inevitable destruction is now laid open to the arms of the sagacious conqueror ; of Na- polean, who has always treated these United Spates with the nK>st perfect friendliness and magnanimity. " You will mark these last words, " the most perfect friendliness and magnanimity /" The whole needs no comment, and can- not be more explicit. But are these the sentiments and feelings of a neutral government ? In adulation of die ty- rant and in hostility against the English, they never were nor can be exceeded in any publication at Paris. Will it still be said that there is no French influence, no parti- ality for France at Washington ? My brethren, as we are republicans, and at this junc- ture, the only republican people in the world; does it not belong to our character, might it not be expected from us rather than from any other country, that we should exert ourselves in the cause of general liberty by sympathizing with oppressed communities, by pleading the rights of suifering humanity, by declaiming against all unjust wars undertaken by ambition, or by a thirst for plunder ; and by bearing our indignant testimony against every act of ruffian violence, every form of arbitrary power, every in- vasion of the rights of independent nations ? If partiality .'i*. .d M W\ .It 30 is to be shown upon any side, should it not be on the side of the cases now described ? Permit me to bring before you the case of the Span, ish patriots. You are sensible that all the forces of their country and all its revenues were at the devotion of France from the year 1795 to the year 1808. Whatever France asked, Spain readily gave : No matter of complaint or controversy subsisted. The one commanded — the other submissively obeyed. — All this did not satisfy the ruler of France. He coveted the Spanish throne for one of his family, and the treasures hoarded in their churches and in the coffers of their nobility, to be distributed among his myrmidons. For the attainment of these objects, this bold, cunning, unrelenting conqueror planned the subju- gation and pillage of Spain. His intriguers, as so many pioneers, were sent forward to prepare the way ; or rath- er, they were already upon the ground. For they are planted in every country, our own not excepted, *♦ Inac- cessible as we are at this moment to any other mode of aggression, this engine of subjection is urged against us with redoubled force and adroitness. These agents nev* er loiter in the discharge of their functions, or sleep upon their watch. No means or instruments, however con- temptible in appearance, are neglected in the prosecution of their plans." In Spain they spread themselves eveiy where and min- gled with all the grades of society, putting their various and complicated arts and wiles in operation ; at one time, flattering promises ; at another, ambiguous threatenings ; alternately advancing or retreating, as circumstances seemed to require ; now coming forward with bare-faced unblushing falsehoods ; and anon, using open violence. " Like the lion hunters of old, Bonaparte drew his vie, le side Span* )f their France France laintor le other le ruler le of his sand in ong his cts, this e subju. ,0 many or rath- they are *♦ Inac- ode of inst us nts nev- ep upon er con- cution id min- 1 various le time, ^nings ; istances [•e-faced tolence. his vie, 31 tims oil in the cdufse which he had prepared for them, by cajoling and by irritation ; by soothing their appetites and exciting their spirits, till at last, by trick and by open violence, the royal beasts were driven into his toils, and placed completely at the disposal of their stern and artful pursuer." In the mean while he had, under various pre- texts and the most specious delusions, introduced his le- gions into the heart of the country — its own soldiers hav- ing been previously withdrawn into foreign and far dis- tant regions. Thus he gained peaceable possession of the strong holds, fortified cities, docks, arsenals, maga- zines, and all the treasures of the country. Having com- pletely laid the snare, finished the plot in all its parts, he threw off the mask and openly avowed his perfidy. The whole nation awoke as from a dream, thunder- struck and astonished. They rent the heavens with their cries. Fury and despair prompted them to fight even without arms. They proclaimed their wrongs to the uni- verse. They called upon every people and nation for aid* They even crossed the Atlantic and, knowing that these United States had once been in similar circumstances of distress, they came knocking at our doors, crying for help against their most insidious, cruel and ferocious oppres- sor. — In what manner did our government receive them ? Blush, O ye heavens, at the tale ! So powerful, not to say, infernal, is the French influence among us, that our true republicans, so fai' from sympathizing with this oppressed people, seemed rather to congratulate the success of their invader, and turning a deaf ear to the cries of his victims, frowned upon their agonizing efforts. All honorable men wished the nation to express some sense of their injuries, some feeling for their sufferings ; but when they address- ed the chief magistrate upon the subject, Mr. Jefferson '1.. [■:1t .■•I I'll '''I ', 38 aper at Washington just recited, you may remember, were these words, " by whose speedy destruction alone (meaning that of Biitain) can these U- nited States gain wealth and power." Do our true re- publicans then, expect to share with the conqueror, the plunder of that kingdom ? Aaron Burr who, a few years since was, in their esteem, the second best man in the U- nited States, now a wanderer in Europe and not unlikely to fall into the ranks of Bonaparte ; should he be in at ih',; death of the British lion, may perhaps obtain his part in the spoil ; but for the rest of Bonaparte's friends at Washington, whatever promises he may have made them, the probability is that, in those promises they will real- ize Gallic faith. Seriously their expectations upon this score, cannot be very sanguine. We must oearch deep- er for their motives. The British are a great mercantile nation. Above all the other occupations and pursuits of men, a great and extended commerce spR^ads and circulates general infor- mation, generates habits of liberal and useful research, creates a love of industry and of the arts of peace, fortifies the moral virtues of truth, justice and good faith ; pro- duces a spirit of independence and the love of liberty ; gives a latitude to the discussions of men, and furnishes them with the means and opportunities of comparison ; renders them averse to violence and rapine, jealous of their natural and civil rights, and indignant at every spe- cies of oppression. All these effects of commerce bear I. . :i N 36 hard upon the personal character of Bonaparte, and in their nature and tendency, are calculated to undermine the very foundations of his power, of both his domestic and foreign despotism. For these reasons, commerce is the object of his utmost hatred. To a deputation of mer. chants at Hamburgh some years since, he said, " I detest commerce and all its concerns."* To his own subjects he has often repeated the same language. To a petition of the Bordeaux merchants in the year 1808, this was his reply, ** that it was the emperor's will not to have any commerce, but to restore Europe to the condition of the fourth century." We cannot much wonder if the motives by which Bo- naparte is influenced, have some weight with the slave hoi- ders and slave drivers in our southern states, and lead them, in a degree, to coalesce with him in the hatred of commerce. But neither he nor they can hope for its ex. tirpation while England continues to exhibit to the rest of t!ie world, such an alluring example of its advantages. "^I Bonaparte thought himself not safe while any of the ii^embers of the houfie of Bourbon sat upon a throne in Europe, he has infinitely more to dread from the com- * This it precisely what might be expected from the first bom son of tha malignant author of. all evil : It is perfectly in character for him to wish the nations of the world, to exercise, in tlic accurate language of President Mad' ison, their *' restrictive energies" in standing aloof from one another, having no intercourse either by land or water ; and never visiting only as Bonaparte does, for the pui'poses of violence and rapine. But, to tlie ima^nation of the christian or the philanthropist, no idea can be more delightful, than that of men dispersed over the fape of the whole earth and inhabiting all its differ- *nt re^ons, carrying on a friendly intercourse with one another, recipro- cally accommodating each other witlt whatever is peculiar to their respec. tive climates, geniuses, arts, and invention. When all the tribes of the earth shall be thus employed, thus mutually benefitting each otiier— we may believe that their common Father in heaven, will look down upon them with f deg^e of that complacency which his coiuitenance begins upon i^p va^^ riads of happy beings in the world above. most succ( 37 i-t. merce of such a nation as the British, accompanied, as it is, with the highest improvements in knowledge and in liberty. Hence he has vowed thetr destruciii^u ; and by his intrigues universally extended, has brought his friends in this, and in every other country, lo favor his design* Many, no doubt, in all the neighhom ing countries, envy the astonishing prosperity of Briu.\in ; but envy is a pas- sion of demons, wholly unfounded in nature and rcaiion. The late Hon. Thomas Russell was for some years, the most successful and eminent mercliant in our neij^hbour- ing capital. Bad men might envy him, but all good men esteemed him an honor and a blessing to his country, the extent of his business furnishing employment to numbers; its profits, in one way and another, benefitting yet greater numbers ; and his skill and industry holding fordi an ex- ample to all, exciting emulation and encouraging enter- prise. What such an individual is to his town and coun- try, a nation highly commercial above others, is to the neighbouring nations and to the whole world. Her com-^ mercial prosperity, so far from injuring any, benefits all. Great Britain is at this moment, the main spring of motion to the great mercantile machine, the whole trading oecon- omy of the world. Were slie destroyed, more than lialf the commerce of this country would perish with her, and all our privileges and happiness would soon be buried in her tomb. Even France herself would suffer incalculable damage, and " the aggregate of the whole world's wealtli, industry, spirit, enterprise, intelligence, morality, religion and every thing which conduces to man's happiness, would be dreadfully diminished." A most frightful void, a hor- rible chasm would be made in the great fund of human excellence and happiness. Pur^ng the Igst seventeen years, though engaged in a % M IV' »i H> ' 'I most expensive war for the preservation of the order and civilization of the world, Britain has expended annually more than twelve nn ill ions of pounds sterling in feeding clothing, and instructing the poor. Nor have her bene- factions and charities been confined to her own subjects. They have been extended in a rich profusion, to thousands of French fugitives, and occasionally spread among the various nations of Italy, Germany, and Spain, suffering under the ravages of war. During this period too, she has abolished the shve trade^ broken many of the old yokes of oppression, and set on foot numerous plans for ex it nd- ing the blessings of civilization and true religion among barbarous and pagan nations dwelling in all quarters of the globe. Societies for these purposes, have been form- ed over the whole British empire, humane, missionar)' and bible societies, more than I can enumerate. Immense sums have been expended in sending the Bible into cot- tages and prisons, among seamen and soldiers, to all de. scriptions of the lower classes of people. They have al- so made editions of it in all the languages of Europe and dispersed it in every country. They are now translating it into the various languages of Asia and Africa, and send- ingthis heavenly light intoall the dark regions of the globe. While England has been bringing forth these fruits of righteousness for the general benefit of the human race, some late accounts from tiiat country state, that a spirit of piety and morality has revived and is now apparently flour- ishing among the various sects of christians composing her own subjects. Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Dissenters, Baptists and Methodists. The Lmd hlesseth the labor of the righteous and es- tablisheth the x>ork of their hands. They shall be recom- pensed in the earth. To what extent the British as a na- 39 ■"..r tion, have entitled themselves to this blessing, is perfect- ly known to God only ; but he has most visibly bestow- ed it upon them by enabling them to stand erect and un- dismayed amidst the fall and ruin of all the other nations and kingdoms around them. He has also wonderfully prospered their industry and enterprise, and given them whatever exalts a nation, whatever contributes to its hon- or and happiness. A native of our own country lately returned from exploring that, says, " there does not ex- ist and never has existed elsewhere so beautiful and per- fect a model of public and private prosperity ; so mag- nificent and, at the same time, so solid a fabric of social happiness and national grandeur." He then adds, " it appears something not less than impious to desirQ the ruin of this people ; and when we recollect that it is from them we derive the principal merit of our own character, the best of oiu* own institutions, the sources of our highest enjoyments and the light of freedom itself — it is worse than ingratitude not to sympathize with them in their present struggle." This however is the people, whose destruction Bona- parte has sworn and Jefferson has predicted. — " We thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast not suffered the oath of the one or the prophe- cy of the other, to be accomplished — that thou hast pour- ed contempt upon the wrath of man, upon the open hos- tility of France and the secret covered grudge and malice of the American government, so over-ruling the French decrees and the American embargoes, devised on pur- pose for the ruin of Britain, as to render them subservi- ent to the increase of her revenue and the extension of her commerce !" Besides the measures and plots already mentioned ; I *;' *l I: ^n. ' im I i St'" I 'If ■• •> : %lj 1) ■>y' U: F til \iw I Ki mM 40 i' through the influence and management of our Ahitophels and Absaloms, half the newspapers of this country, copy- ing after that of the government, of which I have justl given you specimens; have been, for years past, con-f stantly filled with the grossest abuse of England, and with the most impudent unblushing falsehoods in favor of France, studiously and systematically vindicating all her measures, denying or excusing all her atrocities ; | while the whole has been greedily swallowed by their I deluded readers, and all better information wilfully and obstinately rejected. Thus all moral distinctions have been confounded, and darkness put for light and light for darkness in a sense the most criminal and aggravated!/ guilty. These things, as a minister of religion, I sol- emnly denounce as the crying sins of the land, a treading on in the steps of the Father of lies, the Accuser of the brethren, of Apollyon the destroyer. These sins liave | brought reproach and infamy upon the country already ; and if persisted in, will prove its ruin, the loss, not of its I commerce only, but of all its privileges and happiness. They are a manifest siding with the great adversary of God and man. The strong prepossessions of so great a proportion of my fellow-citizens in fyvof of a race of de> mous and against a nation of more rdi^on, virtue, good faith, generosity, and^beneficence, than any other that now is or ever has beejft upon the face of the earth, wring my soul with anguish and fill my heart with apprehen. sion and terror of tiK judgments of Heaven upcm tlus sin* ful people. lelsj py- justl ;on.] and ivor ;aU ies;! heir and lave tfor edly sol. ding 'the :iave idy;| Mtsl liess. of ;ata de. pod that ring! ien>