p. 281 | Untitled article by E. S. W.

Untitled article

E. S. W.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, October 15, 1867

FromThe Advent Review & Sabbath Herald, Vol. XXX, No. 18

support this National religion, a voice proclaimed: “This power shall not always stand, but with this power will I chastise my church until they return to the faithfulness of their forefathers. Thou seest what is coming upon thy native land for their iniquities, and the blood of Africa, the remembrance of which has come up before me.”

The idea of this government ever becoming a monarchy will no doubt appear chimerical to most of my readers, but those who have been intently watching the signs of the times for the last few months will view it in a different light. Our best statesmen apprehend danger, and they look upon our government at this time as being in a more precarious situation than it was at any time during the rebellion. The President will not scruple to use any means promising success to further his insane and ambitious projects, and he is not wanting for advisers and abettors to urge and assist in carrying out his schemes of treason and disloyalty. The South would rejoice to see this government overthrown and a monarchy erected on its ruins, and there is a party in the North ready to unite with them in anything that would put down Congress and the ruling party, even to that of shouting, “Long live King Andy!”

The establishment of a National religion is what we expect and are looking for, and it is quite probable that God will use that power to chastise his church in order to bring them down to the simplicity of the faith. But in order to show that it is not mere conjecture on my part, and that there are grounds for alarm I give a few extracts from the papers of the day.

THE SOUTH PREPARING FOR WAR.

By E. S. W.

“The Washington Chronicle of the 19th says: Letters have been received here from the South, showing that the ex-rebels of that section, including certain newspaper editors, expect a renewal of the late civil war on the reassembling of Congress. The writer argues that the paroles given by the rebel soldiers to General Grant prevent them from fighting against the North again, except under the leadership of some recognized power in the Government, and they expect that President Johnson will furnish that leadership when Congress attempts to impeach him. The canards published in the Administration papers, apparently authorized by the President himself, especially through the columns of the Boston Post and New Orleans Picayune, regarding the intention of the Radicals North and their alleged inclination to forcibly depose Johnson from the White House, have so excited the people of that section that they are actually preparing themselves for a war. With these facts before them, our readers can readily perceive the significance of General Mower’s recent order in Texas and Louisiana prohibiting the establishment of unauthorized military picket guards at night in those States.

“PRESIDENT OR KING.—A Washington correspondent of the Rochester Express says: I have no doubt but Andrew Johnson has had a longing eye on a position that he regards as more permanent than being a republican executive; and that he has studied the chances of a change in our form of government in these perilous and revolutionary times, but there has always stood, and now stands, a lion in the door—the loyal army—grim, firm and defiant. If he only be in reality what he is in name, commander-in-chief, then, with this powerful organization to help him, there would be danger. As long as there stood a war minister like Stanton, backed by the incorruptible Grant, the idol of the army, he knew there was no chance for success, and this idea was abandoned. At the present time the worst possible influences center round this city. They swarm in the hotels and cluster in knots about the executive mansion. Among these are the worst of traitors—men whose venom is discharged with the serpents, and whose counsel would culminate in assassination, or other dark and hellish deeds, if their ends and purposes could thus be carried. Their presence spreads a great cloud black with gloom over the whole city. Their influence is like the upas, withering everything loyal that comes beneath its shadow. It is this influence that, for the present, controls Johnson. He is not yet sufficiently up to their idea of a hero; but if they can have control of him long enough, they hope to use him to further their ends by a great revolution. He promises them enough, but fails to meet all his promises. They ply him with flattering phrases; speak of his ‘Jacksonian decisions;’ tell him that ‘great men lift great responsibilities;’ that the head of the Government should be the judge of the law and the expounder of the constitution. He, poor fool, drinks in their flatteries and believes himself born to a great mission.”

The Cincinnati Commercial, in a lengthy article on the situation of the country says: “Without question, we may congratulate ourselves that General Grant is in possession of the head quarters of the army and of the War Office. He would not hesitate, in a great emergency, to use the military power to execute the laws of Congress to the extent of making the President a prisoner. We hear, though, that it is contemplated by the President to put Steedman in the War Office, and select for the command of the troops in the District of Columbia an officer who could be relied upon in a difficulty, to adjourn Congress at the point of the bayonet, and make the members captives. That these are exceedingly grave matters to talk about, no one need to be told. That the most deadly civil wars have grown out of antagonisms between departments of government, is a matter of history. That it is threatened, on the part of friends of the President that there will be found means to resist impeachment if it is attempted, is a fact of newspaper notoriety.”

It might be objected on the part of some that according to prophecy there never can be a monarchy in this country. We do not think there ever will be a permanent Kingly government established in the territory of the two-horned beast, but there may be an attempt to establish one, as there was an attempt to establish a Southern Confederacy, which existed in name for about four years.

Whether these things occur or not, we are assured that perilous times are upon us. The people of the different governments are like the pent-up fires of a volcano, ready to burst forth at any time. Kings and rulers hold their offices by a very uncertain tenure. The coming of Him whose right it is to reign, draws nigh, when all present rule, power and authority will be put down, and a reign of righteousness inaugurated. Satan’s lease of this world will soon expire by limitation, and the rightful owner will enter upon and possess it for ever, even for ever and ever. We who are looking for these things should act consistently, and instead of using all our powers and energies to procure favor and property in this world, which is so soon to be destroyed, should be making to ourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, so that when we fail they may receive us into everlasting habitations.

E. S. W.