Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker volume 6.djvu/217

204 perty and life of other nations. You may take the whole history of the present national administration. Look at the conduct of this government for the last two years of its unhappy and disgraceful life ; at the perpetual fillibustering of the government, now against Mexico, then against Hayti, then against Cuba; at that murderous attack on Greytown, not only wicked, hut mean, cowardly, and sneaking! not a Narragansett Indian but would have been ashamed of such unbarbarous conduct! But it has been commended, I know not in how many journals; and one in this city declares it had "the entire approbation of the whole community." See how steadily the administration seeks to tighten the chains on the working class of the South: no Italian pope, no king, nor priest, was ever more oppressive towards his subjects than the American industrial democracy towards the three and a quarter millions of men who do the work of the South.

These three classes of cases are exceptions to the progressive diminution of abnormal action, and to the advancing moralization of the people. They are not to be explained by the common causes of vice.

Look back a little, and you will see the root out of which all this monstrous crop of wickedness has grown so swiftly up. I will omit all reference to individuals, and speak impersonally. A few years ago three axioms were published to the world as embodying the fundamentals of the party then in power. They were laid down as a programme of principles for the nation's future politics. Let it be remembered that this political party has more literary education, and more hoarded money, than any other whatsoever in the land. But the rival party affirmed the same principles, having therewith unity of idea.

Here are the maxims—

The first, which I give in my own language, is this: There is no law of God above any statutes, however wicked, which politicians make.

The next, which is not in my words, is, "Religion has nothing to do with politics; there it makes men mad."

The third is, "The great object of government is the protection of property at home, and respect and renown abroad."