Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-12-06

place with viii equally free to make It's own
laws and contracts. These are axioms so self
evident that no explanation can make them
palmer For he IS not to be reasoned with,
who says that non-eXistence can control exis-
tenoe, or that nothing can move something.
They are aXioms, too, pregnant ycih Saluta1y
consequences. The laws of civil society, indeed,
tor the encouragement of industry, give the
property of parent to his family on hrs death,
and in most civilized countries permit him
even TO give il by testament to whom he pleas
cs. And It is also found more convenient to
suffer the laws -four predecessors TO stand on
our implied assent, as if positively re-enacted,
until the existing majority positively repeats
them. But this does MT lessen the right OF
that majority to repeal, whenever a change OF
circumstances, or of will calls for it. Habit
alone confounds civil practice with natural
right.
of the merits of the pamphlet say nothing
of course; having found it necessary to de.
cline giving opinions on books, even when de.
sired.
With ~ thanks for the pamphlet, be pleas
ed to accept the assurances Of my great re-
spect. III. JEFFERsON."
Every legislative act, and every pri-
vate or public contract, is provision
tor the future; but the PRESENT will BE-
a nonentity when this future shall ar
rive; and, as " non-existenee Cannot con-
rrol existence, and nothing cannot move
something's" the inference that there can
be no validity in contracts, is nlain and
ncontrovertibIe. If zpe oUetiook t7ro ea-
senfia( particulars in the nature Of man,
VIZ. that he IS hr2pideHt being, and, IN
society, moral agent
Man, as an individual. prior 10 his So
cial existence, (if he can be imagined In
thai condition. may have religious, but
not moral duties Morality IS the crea.
ion of society; it is the duly Of man to
man. Hence, TO social man, there is no
right but that which goes hand in hand
With moral dNty, as defined in his euua
law, " Do as thou wouidst be done by. :"
A community Of these moral agen,s can
have no rights inconsistent with this
principle, for if an individual has no
such rights, no more can combinAtio
OF individuals. Hence political power
must correspond vita moral right, or II
is tyranny.
The other essential character of the
human being, which gives validity To
contracts, is, the faculty and the desire
OF providing for the future Il is on the
sanclV OF contracts, as they exist be
tween individual! and individual, between
individuals and the community of which
they are members, and between distant
communities, extending even to future
generations, thai man relies, when he
builds and plants, for bis own fu.ure en-
loymen' and for the good of his y steri-
". Without this security (imperfec, a,
1t too often is III praclice) he ould have
remained an isolated savage, feeding on
roots and wild animals, and dwelling in
csverns.
There have been in the history of all
nations, revolutionary periods, when, to
destroy abuses, sanctioned by unius
laws. society has been compelled 10
break it's bonds, and revert to the frs
and naked principle of individual right !:
10 such periods alone the abstract doc
'rines imputed to MIR. lferson, on The
subject OF contracts, are applicable. On
these stormy occasions, might is some
times on the side OF right, and some.
times opposed to 1t; but they arc always
seasons Of calamity.
Those persons, who, through the me-
dium of Convention, are hoping to
bring slavery into Illinois, are not, pre-
sumo, disposed to proceed to this ex-
tremi'y ut not, LEI them not conlen-
plate the abrogation Of contracts.
NJ. BIRKBECK.