BISHOP CHARLES B. GALLOWAY
In his great survey of American politics, Bishop Galloway (1849–1909) emphasized that as long as America’s families are strong and its men are good, the nation will survive. The greatness of America was built on the backs of its men and women and its future depends on them.
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From the depths of my soul and in behalf of American citizenship do I repudiate the doctrine of a distinguished politician who said: “The Decalogue and the Golden Rule have no place in a political campaign.” Over against that faithless and blasphemous declaration, which is nothing less than a wanton affront to our national honor, I rejoice to place the eloquent words of the immortal Washington in his farewell address: “Public prosperity has no foundation but morality and religion, and religion is the only security of morality.”
In political as in personal conduct there is a right and wrong, and by that divine and universal standard men and measures must stand or fall. It is an eternal decree from which there is neither exemption nor exception. And no brilliancy of genius nor splendor of achievement nor conspicuousness of position can save a man lacking in moral integrity from the merited and irrepealable condemnation of history. There may be a temporary exaltation of wrong and deceit borne upward by a wave of blind popular passion, but the fall is as certain and merciless as the grinding mills of the gods. On the other hand, right doing, buttressed by principle, approved of God, and guarded by the ceaseless vigilance of truth, commands the increasing admiration of the growing years. The genius of history can never be deceived. There was never a man in our American public life of more godlike genius, or varied accomplishments, or irresistible attractiveness, or superb qualities of leadership than Aaron Burr; but for lack of moral fiber he went down to the uttermost humiliation and to an eternal execration . . .
. . . There is an ethical obligation upon every citizen to take an active part in public affairs. Edmund Burke, whose philosophic and political wisdom commands increasing respect, on one occasion uttered these words, which need special emphasis in America to-day: “He transgresses against the law of duty who sleeps upon his watch as well as he who goes over to the enemy.” In affairs of State, indifference and neglect are national crimes. One as much betrays his country by disregarding her needs as in the desertion of her colors. Activity in public affairs is the present and imperious demand upon every Christian patriot. It is idle even to criminality to deprecate the course of political events and viciously assail the acts and motives of those in responsible positions when we are doing nothing to elevate the standard of character and wisely guide the affairs of government. The criticisms of a slothful citizen are worse than the emptiest cant. At an important election some years ago in New York—an election involving the interests not only of a great city, but of the entire nation—on Fifth Avenue from Fortieth to Sixty-Eighth Streets, the distance of one mile and a half, just twenty-eight votes were cast. And yet the negligent citizens of that district are they who are loudest in their denunciation of corrupt municipal and national politics.
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. . . Our great nation will never lack noble spirits, courageous and unselfish, loving country more than personal gain, who in the hour of trial or peril will point to victory and lead the way. And every such leader becomes an example and inspiration to another generation of patriots. It is wonderful how persuasive and potential is a single act of lofty and heroic service. The midnight ride of Paul Revere from Boston to Lexington at the beginning of the American Revolution, a seemingly unimportant incident in a time of political excitement, will kindle patriotic fires in every brave soul to the latest generation.
That is surely a discouraging picture Lord Byron gives of the rise and fall of nations:
Here is the moral of all human tales—
’Tis but the same rehearsal of the past—
First freedom and then glory; when that fails,
Wealth, vice, corruption, barbarism at last;
And history with all her volumes vast,
Hath but one page.
But I decline to believe that the history of my beloved country will be the rehearsal of such a past. It is built on broad foundations and out of enduring materials, cemented with the richest blood of American freemen. Every living stone has been laid by loving hands and under the blessing of a favoring Providence. It has borne many a wild storm and now seems more solid and majestic than ever before. I ardently believe that it will write a new and brilliant page in history’s “volumes vast.” So long as our flag flying in the open heavens is the real symbol of a genuine personal and religious liberty, so long as our homes are pure and our women are true and our men are brave, the nation will not deteriorate, but will grow stronger and steadier as it moves majestically through the wide-open gates of every coming century.