ces, if they suffer the fear or favor of man to seduce or awe them into silence. If members of Congress and of the State legislatures, if those who fill the courts of justice, and every class of citizens, would bear their open and united testimony against the public measures, which they verily think have a direct tendency to subject the nation to slavery and ruin, it would open a bright and promising prospect before us. What if an unnecessary, and consequently an unjust and cruel war has been declared? Shall the people silently suffer their property, their liberties, and their lives, to be sacrificed to support it? It is not too late to remonstrate. Saul had pronounced the sentence of death upon Jonathan; but the just and spirited remonstrance of the people finally succeeded, and saved his life. What if our rulers are taking large strides to subvert our free constitution of government, or to throw us into the hands of him, who is attempting to conquer and enslave the whole world? Shall we hold our peace, because it is designed, determined and decreed in the cabinet? No. Let us firmly resolve to discharge our duty to our country, and we may humbly hope that God will disappoint the devices of the crafty, and carry the counsel of the froward headlong.

5. We may fairly infer from what has been said, that our men of eminence, who have uniformly and boldly remonstrated against the ill-concerted measures of government, have acted a noble and patriotic part, and deserve to be highly esteemed and applauded. If we read the farewell address of Washington to the people of the United States; if we read the most enlightened and eloquent speeches made in Congress; if we read the candid and seasonable address of the minority in the House of Representatives, to their constituents, on the subject of the war with Great Britain; or if we read he political writings of many other distinguished statesmen in and out of office; we shall find that they have all spoken the same things, condemned the same measures, and forewarned the nation of their dangerous situation and imperious duty. Among the noble patriots of the present day, our chief magistrate holds a distinguished place. He has absolutely refused to comply with the unconstitutional demands of the supreme executive, and totally declined affording any voluntary aid to the present unnecessary and cruel war. By this bold and faithful discharge of his public trust, he has maintained the independence and safety of the State, and preserved thousands of its inhabitants from the guilt as well as danger, of bearing arms against an unoffending and powerful enemy. All these illustrious characters have deserved well of their country, and ought to be highly respected, for setting the seasonable example of remonstrating against the

conduct of those, who have pursued, and are still pursuing, measures which threaten the ruin of the nation. It is devoutly to be wished that the majority of the people would lay aside their prejudices, and give honor to whom it is due; and in future raise those only to places of power and trust, who are able and disposed to extricate them from the deplorate state into which they have been gradually and insensibly led by their blind or treacherous guides.

Finally, this subject calls upon us to exercise unfeigned gratitude to God for the public and private favors which he has bestowed upon us in this trying and distressing day. We ought to be thankful that he has given us wise and faithful rulers, and by their instrumentality has preserved our rights and liberties, and restrained our powerful enemies from destroying our sea-ports, and spreading misery and destruction among us. We ought to be thankful that he has preserved our lives, and health, and social enjoyments, while so many fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, widows and orphans, have been sorely bereaved by sickness and the sword, of their dearest relatives, connections and friends. We ought to be thankful that amidst all the embarrassments of trade and business, he has not given us our bread by weight nor our water by measure; but caused the earth to bring forth by handfuls, and closed the year with a rich supply of all the necessaries of life. By these great and discriminating favors God has laid us under the most endearing obligations of gratitude and · praise. Let us then fulfil our obligations; let us pay our vows to the Most High; let us present ourselves a living sacrifice to God, which is our reasonable service. This will prepare us to meet him in the future dispensations of Providence. A thick cloud of darkness still hangs over us. We have reason to fear that we have seen and felt only the beginnings of sorrow. If the war should continue, (and every thing threatens its continuance,) we have reason to fear far more distressing times than any we have ever yet seen. We may be called to experience the most fiery trials and to practice the most self-denying duties. It will require peculiar courage, resolution and zeal, to act a proper part under the public calamities brought upon us by those who ought to have sought our peace, our safety, and our prosperity. It may be a great trial to some to speak their minds freely and boldly upon public affairs. It may be a great trial to some to discharge with firmness and fidelity the duties of their important stations. It may be a great trial to some to support the heavy taxes that may be laid upon them. But it may be a much greater trial to others to be compelled to jeopard their lives in the high places of the field,

or to see their children and friends exposed to all the hardships, diseases and dangers of the army. Let us all gird up our minds, and prepare to meet our God. Let us not lean to our own understandings, nor trust in our own hearts, but in the Lord Jehovah, in whom there is everlasting strength. Let us submissively commit ourselves and our country to his wise and holy disposal; and resolve that though he slay us, yet we will trust in him.

SERMON XIX.

THE CHOICE OF THEIR RULERS THE PRIVILEGE OF THE PEOPLE.

NATIONAL THANKSGIVING, APRIL 13, 1815.

AND their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them.-JEREMIAH, XXX. 21.

THE Jews were now in a state of captivity, where they were suffering a just punishment for their abuse of the peculiar favors which they had once enjoyed. Jeremiah, who had often forewarned them of this national calamity, here foretells their happy return to their native land, and to their former privileges, both civil and religious. Among their civil privileges, he mentions that of choosing and enjoying rulers of their own nation. "And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them." This phraseology imports, that they should not only have, but choose their own rulers from among themselves; which must have appeared a very signal favor to a people, who had long been under the dominion of unjust and absolute tyrants. The plain and obvious truth, which the letter and spirit of the text lead us to consider on this occasion, is,

That it is a great privilege to any people to have the power of choosing their own rulers.

To illustrate and apply this single truth, will be the business of the present discourse.

1. The power of choosing their own rulers is a privilege which but very few of mankind have ever enjoyed. It was a privilege peculiar to the Jews, while they dwelt in their own land and continued a free people. The Egyptians and Baby

lonians, the two largest nations then existing, had lost their liberties, and become subject to the most despotic rulers, while the petty states around them were subject to petty tyrants. And from that day to this, usurpation and tyranny have generally prevailed in the world. There is not one nation in all Asia and Africa, which enjoys the power of electing its own rulers; and scarcely one in all Europe, which enjoys this privilege in its full extent. Our civil government is the only one in the world which is completely elective, and which gives the people the right of choosing their own rulers, from the highest to the lowest, without the least restraint. Such a singular privilege is a singular mark of the divine favor, and ought to be considered as the very essence of a free government.

2. The power of choosing their own rulers is a privilege. which all nations who are destitute of it wish to enjoy. Though many of them have been so long under arbitrary government that they have lost much of the knowledge, sensibility and spirit of men, and become almost reconciled to their low and servile condition; yet none have become totally indifferent to the treatment which they receive from their fellow mortals. They have some moral sense of right and wrong, of justice and injustice, of mercy and cruelty, of liberty and oppression, which makes them wish for the privilege of choosing their own rulers from among themselves, who would pity their condition, redress their grievances, and give them the rich blessings of civil liberty. How many oppressed nations have, in the course of a few years past, been enraptured and decoyed, at the mere sound of liberty and equality! This demonstrates, that all nations desire national freedom, and would rejoice in possessing the power of choosing the men, who should manage their public concerns. It is, therefore, the united voice of all nations, that the power of choosing their own rulers is a most precious and important privilege.

3. It must be a great privilege to any people, to have the power of choosing their best men to rule over them. Some men, among every people, are better qualified than others for places of power and trust; and it is a great privilege to have the power of filling every department of government with those whom they deem the best able and best disposed to promote the public good.

In particular, it is a great privilege for a people to have the power of choosing those into public office, who are best acquainted with their peculiar genius and disposition. Every nation has a national character, with which it is highly necessary that those who rule over them should be well acquainted. Whether civil rulers mean to govern well, or ill, they cannot