Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-10-02
From he National Intelligence.
IL NDES-No. V.
THE THEORY OF INTELLECT.

Will YOU say that Socrates was not active, as he was
mt n Rulerp On the contrary, I maintain that Socrates
nerEorned greater actions than >lcNander: Tor TO HIM
attribute the military skill OF Xenophon.
Julian tile Emperor
The dangerous tendency ofan erroneous prln-
ciple in Morals, Theology, and Politics, Is %e-
n.ral,v in propnrtion TO is absurdity. What
Drinciple in mocaiS is more deIestahie, Than tina,
n,u il fair in polltics,' and shat the end VIII
;r,,iru the mcans?" And vet, under the intiu
snce Of This principle, we See some men rra.
Nv 10 uisreprcsent Intentionally, the political
on;nions of an opponrnt; and from Tins source,
too. have arisen plots. assassina'ionS, couSpira
cies. and wars. What error in heoteSyi IS more
ol,rinc than 'tha, one mans conscience, IN
matters concerning a future state, should De
lander the dominion Of ano,her!" Yet tins
Drin5 lple has led martyrs to the st"Ee, ana a.
iuspd nations in blood. What principle in pc
Etirs is more absurd than the exploded doctrlnr
Of the ''diyme right Of Kings" by which The"
right to the Khgg office was founded not on
the original con>eUl Of lhe People, out on an al
legged don .rion from Heaven; by which Kings
were invt s,rd with an indtfeasih!e estate of in
heritance in the kingdoms and Inhabitants ~
the earth; which made them the trustees, not
NJ men. but 1T God, ard raised them above all
human responsibility and control! And yet
the reason Of man has been employed IN defence
Of A doctrine thai converts man himself INTO
something wo; 81, If possible, than a slave-in-
u a beast; aud I t blood OF ma has been lavish
ed In its support.
The theory of intellect, proposed by Mr. Nc
Duff, is not only analogous, IN It's a5surdity,
10 the exploited doctr. ne Of the DIVINE right OF
Kings, but IN its practical consequences. The
doctrine Of the divine rlght prescrIbsa QEutso ~
-kfSSsr5ryT NJ fndgrtasf0is STcteSS.nH UT i"ne
$500 L., J.,1aa 2ptntnlmPut, trlfhONl me exc
no. n, concurrence Of he People. What Is VIZ
On itte most competent
Who is the most competen'? The man rx,i
biting the "brigh'es, order Of human Intellect"
Who exhibits the 5rlgatcs; order Of human in
,cllcCl? In the opjrion Of MIR McDufie, The
man Of military action, only-rol ,hr Writer OF
the Speaker: General Andrew Jackson. at the
present time, and military men, alone ia time
TO come. Thus, according To Mr.. McOufi s
principle, choice IS 10 be prcc!U1cd, or coz fined 10 a
polc sphere, viz: To men distinguished BY
military exploits: q ruie is given by which our
Presidents are 10 be- designated and appnIn,eG:
on election roufned TO military men, tt7H becom.
a mere matter Of 6,ns: and the people Will be
called on uUiy 10 rahIy the elevation Of on indl.
Vidual who has been designated, not by a divine
decree, but by the laws oil nature, demanding
the most worthy, ard pr ,cribing, according to
Mr.. McDufie, military action as the test of
worth.
Thus, Mr.. McDnfir's theory is nothing more
than the doctrine of Divine Right, modified 10
sui, existing circumstances. Like those mu,a.
tons in fAshion, viii II. substituting ore ah>ur-
dity for another, and rrproachine the Create,
with defective Workmanship, seek to new mo
del the human form, by giving to it dis,rnIion
or cOmprcssion-at one time by laced stays end
hooped peiueoats-at aoofher by ~coJseIs, hig =
pads, and rumpeIs.
The mounstrous doctrine OF divine right WAS
not dreamt oil al III, s II institut,pn Of ;ae king
ly office, 1t grew ouI OF gradual. aud almost
imperccptihle encraachmrnt,: and. probabh. /
his spr"ng from a principle, h,zerded by some
obsequlous wo'shYpr Of mihHnry sup, smacy,
deemed bv many, ike this of Mr.. fife. too
absurd f1i serious rcfutation But no princi-
PIE ougnt 10 he conside,e ed unimporlant which
touches the springs of government; much less
q Srirciple which covertly TAKES FROM rKs PEo-
PIE THEIR MOST VALUED FRANCHISE and aims a
de ad blow 1T lihsrjy iIstif. ! shall, therefore.
proceed in my examination IF Mr. McDuhic's
theory, content, II every one shall thi K lis alb
surdlly TOO nianlies, tn gn along wlth me.
10 determine whether III" brightest order of
human NEGLECT has be N EXHIBITED in actor, a
distinct idea should be formed OF what consti-
tutes the brightest order :
Ihe brightest ord, r of human intellect is on
ly another name for original genus: and an or
iginal genius in ~sclerce, literature or the ar
has always been considered one who possesses
memory imag nation, Judgment, aud taste, in F..
slch p rte ion, and just proportion, as will ,
enable MIN 10 contribute to the sock Of human =
extend the boundaries of science a
and literature, and promote useful discoveries q
N the arts: thus Socrates, in exploding error @
md Incuicatiog a system Of morals, by which i
mn were rendered wiser and better; Euclid, in v
Mathematics, Archimedes, in applying science \
o the arts; Pythagoras, who taugn, the true il
ys'em of he Uniye' sc; CoPernirus, Calico, !,
nd Newton,s who revived the system, and de- Il
nonstra,ed its truth; Lycurgus, Scion Aristo- h
le, Locke, in the sience of Government and ii