The American Union SpeakerPhilbrick, John D. (John Dudley)
General
The American Union Speaker
Philbrick, John D. (John Dudley)
Recitations
Meantime, the guilty soul cannot keep its own secret. It is false to
itself; or rather it feels an irresistible impulse of conscience to be true
to itself. It labors under its guilty possession, and knows not what to do
with it. The human heart was not made for the residence of such an
inhabitant. It finds itself preyed on by a torment, which it dares not
acknowledge to God or man. A vulture is devouring it, and it asks no
sympathy or assistance, either from heaven or earth. The secret which the
murderer possesses, soon comes to possess him; and, like the evil spirits
of which we read, it overcomes him, and leads him whithersoever it will. He
feels it beating at his heart, rising to his throat, and demanding
disclosure. He thinks the whole world sees it in his face, reads it in his
eyes, and almost hears its workings in the very silence of his thoughts. It
has become his master. It betrays his discretion, it breaks down his
courage, it conquers his prudence. When suspicions from without begin to
embarrass him, and the net of circumstances to entangle him, the fatal
secret struggles with still greater violence to burst forth. It must be
confessed; it will be confessed; there is no refuge from confession but
suicide; and suicide is confession.
D. Webster.
CXVI.
DEFENCE OF AMERICAN CLERGYMEN.
By this Will, no minister of the Gospel of any sect or denomination
whatever can be authorized or allowed to hold any office within the
college; and not only that, but no minister or clergyman of any sect can,
for any purpose whatever, enter within the walls that are to surround this
college.
Now I will not arraign the founder of this institution or his motives for
this. I will not inquire into his opinions upon religion. But I feel bound
to say, the occasion demands that I should say that this is the most
opprobrious, the most insulting and unmerited stigma, that ever was cast,
or attempted to be cast, upon the preachers of Christianity, from north to
south, from east to west, through the length and breadth of the land, in
the history of the country. When have they deserved it? Where have they
deserved it? How have they deserved it? They are not to be allowed even the
ordinary rights of hospitality; not even to be permitted to put their foot
over the threshold of this college!
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