and shall, I trust, prove to the satisfaction of every unbiassed mind, that it is binding on the House as a constitutional, moral and religious duty, to appoint them; all the constitutional or rather unconstitutional scare-crows, and all the penny-wise or two and sixpenny considerations, set up by weak or wicked men, as well as by some very honest, and perhaps not very weak ones, to the contrary notwithstanding.

In some cases, and this is one of them, the truth is the more readily discovered by resorting to first principles.

That this Planet, which we inhabit, be it plain or spherical, and the universal frame of Nature, with which it is connected as a component part, were created by the only ever-living, true and immutable God, none but the FOOL who hath said in his heart THERE IS NO GOD, will have the hardihood to doubt, much less to deny.

That this Creator of all things, and Father of mankind, is necessarily the supreme and absolute governor of his own creation; and as such, not only merits the homage and devotion of his rational creatures, his favorite children; but has express ly commanded them to reverence and worship him, is another fundamental principle, in the Divine Economy; and acknowledged as such by all sound Philosophers, Law-Givers, and Reformers, from Moses down to Jesus Christ; and from HIM, the second Messenger of Heaven, down to those mere

earthly, but still heaven-directed agents, LUTHER, PENN, WESLEY, and WASHINGTON.[O.]

But without any express law, or commandment from Heaven, nothing would or could be more natural and proper for the creature, than to do ho mage, by prayer and praise, and thanksgiving to the Creator. Savage tribes, who never knew Moses and the Prophets, never beheld the star of Bethlehem, the divine light of the gospel, have still felt the propriety and the necessity of such homage ; and have yielded to that sentiment in practice, so far as they have been able by the dim light afforded them, to recognize a Supreme Being, whether in the Sun, Moon or Morning or Evening Star, or in any other natural or artificial form or appearance. We are prone to laugh, it is true, at the painted block of marble, or whatever it may be, which constitutes the JUGGERNAUT of the Hindoos; but even the granite, or marble, or brass or iron JuggerNAUT, laughable as he may seem to be, is still, in the eye of reason and philosophy, far better than the No-GoD of the atheist or the infidel, or materialist, The Idol has at least some small restraining influence, according to circumstances, in preserving moral and legal justice among his followers; whilst the No-GOD, on the other side, has of course no influence, but leaves both the mind and the heart blank and cheerless under all circumstances, and liable to all sorts of depravity and wickedness. [P.] It leaves the mind without that object, or guiding star, which of all others is pre-eminently calculated

to lead, enlarge and supply it with food for contemplation; and the heart destitute of those pure, undefiled and unadulterated affections, which, in connection with the grand attraction of the mind, just alluded to, and the innocent pursuits and legitimate affections of humanity, constitute the true happiness, perfection and glory of mankind. How contracted is the mind, then, which stops short of the contemplation of God! and how desolate is the heart which has not something to love, something to cling to, beyond the boundaries of time! The very idolatry, which bows the knee to JUGGERNAUT, is one proof, so far as it goes, but there are many others like it, of the universal principle in animated and rational Nature, which leads her to acknowledge that she is the production of an all-wise and almighty BEING; although she may not always see clearly the TRUE from the FALSE DEITY; may not always distinguish the star of Bethlehem from "Lucifer, son of the morning;" the chariot of Jesus from the car of Juggernaut; the sanctuaries of Zion, from the bowers or caverns of Odin; or the holy place in which Jacob found himself overwhelmed by the Sacred Presence, from the Temple of Diana, or the Mosque of Mahomet.

It is, then, Mr. Herttell, a universal law, whether derived from God himself—(I say, from God alone) or the nature and fitness of things, that man should do homage to his real or supposed Creator: nor is the partial revelation of that law, as existing at present, any argument against it as an

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express law of God; since HE alone is to be the judge of the time, place and manner, in which he will give to that revelation or law, a uniform and universal direction and authority. It is sufficient for us that we have it; and we cannot be too thankful that He has graciously bestowed it upon us. We shall, or at least ought to rejoice too, as we find it spread and take effect among those who have been or now are destitute of its benign influence.

It is true, that laws, founded on the supposed nature and fitness of things, may vary according to the fluctuating opinions of men and nations, as to what constitutes that nature and fitness-that perfection, which shines in the UTOPIA of Sir Thomas More-that mixture of good and evil, involved in the paradox of Pope

"All partial evil, universal good,

"All discord, harmony well understood;"

or that principle of the common welfare, founded on experience and common sense, liberal compromise and common consent, as exhibited in the social compact of Rousseau, the political Philosophy · of Adams, Paine and Jefferson, and which many believe has found its climax in the American Constitutions.

But there is no fluctuation, no variableness nor shadow of turning, in the Eternal Laws of Jehovah; and hence it is clear, that MAN is bound to love and to adore, or worship HIM; to PRAISE HIM for his wisdom, goodness and glory; to THANK him for the blessings and bounties of existence, which HE

and HE alone bestows-and to PRAY to HIM for the continuance of those blessings and bounties. It was from his deep sense of this universal law, and the obligations which flow from it, that David exclaimed-"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, 0· Most High: to show forth thy loving kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. A BRUtish man knoweth not; neither doth a FOOL understand this." Ps. 92. 1, 2, 6.

In the same heart-felt sense of love and duty, does Milton exclaim, in relation both to God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ:

"Hail Son of God! Saviour of men! Thy name
"Shall be the copious matter of my song
"Henceforth; and never shall my heart thy praise
"Forget, nor from thy Father's praise disjoin!"

These are some, if not all, of the first principles of our relationship and duty to God: And if man, individually, is bound by them to do homage to that Eternal Being, it follows that Society is bound to do the same homage. If no man ought to undertake any measure or enterprise, without praying to God for the success of it; so no set of men, no society, whether public or private, ought to do so, without the same petition for the divine sanction and favor, however pure and proper in itself the measure or the enterprise may be.

These premises granted, and certain I am, that they will be granted, by every reflecting man, possessed of a heart as well as a head, and who will duly and properly discuss them in his own mind;