The Moral Condition of our Country.
The following from a pamphlet by S. D. Fulton, entitled “Human Governments,” gives the author’s view of the present condition of this nation. Who can say that it is not a correct picture; and if it is, what plainer picture could we have of the condition of society as it was to exist according to the prophecies in the last days, or what more striking indications that this, the last nation to arise in the history of the world, has about reached the end of its career. Corruption is always the prelude to dissolution. We are on the eve of stirring events. Let us be awake to the signs of this time. Let us look at this same Republic now as it approaches its first centenary anniversary, and see how it answers the promise of its beginning so auspiciously inaugurated and so gallantly carrying itself for awhile. We appeal to the press and to public opinion if the following is not a correct statement of the situation of affairs at present: That the capital of the nation is a most wicked city, few, if any, on the globe, being its equal in positive, aggressive, shameless wickedness. That the National Assembly—Congress—is a partisan body, controlled in its legislation by the personal interests of its members; by prejudice and by bribery through rings in the interest of rich monopolies that are oppressive on the people; many of its members living extravagantly, far beyond their means and salary, without being engaged in business, thus proving their bribery; which, in fact, is so notorious that the position is sought with that in view. That these in almost every department of government, National, State, or municipal, are venal, taking bribes, accepting presents, or retaining what is not their dues and fees to an amount far in excess of their legal demands; and further, that these offices are sought with these ill-gotten perquisites as the notorious object inciting the canvass, which often costs a candidate more than the legal pay for his whole term of office would be. That the Supreme Court of the nation has both made, and withheld from making, decisions on political grounds, and has been specially re-organized with the intent to control its action politically. That the State Legislatures are notoriously corrupt, the Courts in general swayed by public opinion, political sentiment and often bribery, while the trial by jury is almost a farce. That false ideas and the influence of those in power have engendered wide-spread corruption among the people; who, instead of condemning the public corruption and profligacy, are filled with envy of the so-called fortunate ones and are ready to rush into anything that will pay them in the same way. That immense sums of money are extorted as taxes, absorbing the product of labor, and squandered among office holders and money kings. That enormous debts are owed by the nation, by States, by almost every county and city of the Republic that require heavy taxes simply to pay the interest annually accruing; while huge swindles are constantly being carried through Congress, State Legislatures and City Councils for the benefit of railroad or other corporations, fastening an immense amount of interest bearing bonds on the people and their posterity, thus mortgaging the property and industry of the country for generations to come. That the great cities abound in every variety of wickedness and folly, filled with vice, crime and abject misery which is seen in close proximity to callous affluence; wealth and poverty hand in hand, each despising the other; while the moral corruption in these centers of trade, in all classes of society is something fearful to think of; the government of the cities generally in the hands of irresponsible men put into power by whisky and bribery. That demagogues are in power all over the land, and fanatics, teaching the people. That there is a universal unrest and uncertainty, and a general lack of confidence in everybody and everything; while the increase of crime in every variety is constantly being adverted to, until people are getting callous to the daily occurrence of the most shocking tragedies; and we have suicides in numbers beyond precedent. There are great political parties of different names quarreling as to who shall get the offices, and using every kind of trickery and chicanery to defeat one another, while intemperance, bribery for votes, and false swearing are fostered under the auspices of all factions; each party charging the other with being the cause of the troubles, and accusing each the other with reckless extravagance and fraud in office. There is restlessness and discontent on the part of the laboring classes that finds vent in associations for mutual protection, and trades union, keeping up a constant quarrel between capital and labor, often ending in oppression on the one hand or mob violence on the other. One thing is plain—the majesty and dignity formerly attending office is gone; there is no respect for authority, and the moral effect of government also has been swept away before the contemptuous familiarity that popular elections and their machinery have brought about. ONLY FORCE KEEPS GOVERNMENT IN EXISTENCE! The most wasteful extravagance is exhibited in the administration of government, and frauds and false statements are resorted to in order to deceive the people on the subject. The establishment of Republics has not done away with wars, and three conflicts of no small moment have been conducted by this Republic. There is no brighter picture if we turn to the so-called CHURCH of the day in the Republic. The peaceful and ennobling principles of the pure gospel of JESUS are buried beneath the haughty assumptions of corrupt and powerful ecclesiastics, made up of persons foremost in the ranks of scrabblers for place, power and money, thoroughly imbued with the false ideas of Republicanism. While the poor, whom CHRIST delighted to teach, are as a mass without the pale of Christian influence and without the gospel. The ecclesiast, calling himself a Christian, panders to the rabble for votes and influence, and is found presiding over political clubs in beer saloons, and dispensing money to be used in electioneering purposes—that is, in encouraging intemperance, bribery and false swearing; others trying to serve God and Mammon, attend only the more respectable club meetings, and allow their names to be placed on party tickets for office, thus lending their influence and Christian name to assist in the canvass, which at first they decline to enter, but finally drift into the whirlpool, becoming the most insatiable and proscriptive partizans and unblushingly corrupt in office, thus dragging the sacred cross through the mire of modern politics. The ecclesiastical bodies, calling themselves the church, have adopted the ideas of the age, are in league with human government, and in return for its protection (as if the true church needs human protection) offer their allegiance to the BEAST; thus the leaven of unrighteousness has nearly leavened the whole lump of the visible kingdom of Heaven, as Christ foretold in his parable it would do, before he came again. So much for the Church. That money rules in all circles, and in the mad rush for it, every evil passion of human nature is turned loose. Human society seems loosening from its moorings and drifting out into a sea of dire confusion. All this is traceable to the legitimate effects of the ideas upon which the Government is founded. Nor has the influence of the ideas been confined at home. Let FRANCE, MEXICO and SOUTH AMERICA tell the tale of REPUBLICS begun in treason and infidelity and ended in anarchy and seas of human blood. What legitimate hope is there for an improvement in the workings of government and society? We answer NONE. What hope is there for the elevation of the human race upon such a basis? NONE. Is this true civilization? Or are Republics a delusion and a snare? Is there a shadow of hope that under them a reign of universal peace, prosperity and confident safety for each individual can possibly be established? Instead of such unity and harmony are not divisions the patent result and constantly increasing effect of the system? Divisions of States against States, section against section, divisions into classes and parties, jealousies between rival cities and counties and even between portions of the same city or county, causing feuds that end in heart burning and bloodshed? And it even descends to individuals and families, dividing friends and sundering the most sacred ties of society, as the ambition of men seeking office stirs the community with the ungodly machinery of elections. The very children take sides in the canvass, and the insidious poison is instilled into their young minds as they are taught that each one of them may aspire to the position of highest ruler in the land. Talk of unity and peace under such a system! Such is the picture of the Model Republic!