Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-12-25
Cite constitutions! gGsUtg.
DK. COOPER'S CASE.
Cu>cLJDED.

IIuupr's assertion IN the Legislature, that uu-
popuariry was Of itself sui ficient cause oil
from OUIcc.
lie asked who could point out any Reformcr,
against WON the same objection had not been |
made! Ars,idcs was hanishcd, Socrates was
put To death, because their opinions were Of |
fcnsivc and unpopular with the vnpmace aud
the clergy of the day. Jesus Christ cruel
fed NJ the nstigaiiou OF the clergy, on a charge
Of blasphemy; tho apostles accused OF
having turned the world upside down; Wick
life aud the continental reformers were perse-
cuted, because their opinions were uupopulur.
Bddlo was imprisoned, Scrvctus was burnt, |
Calico i.,mured IN "a dungeon, his disciple,
TIC Baron de Luck, was condemned To death
at Turin, Locke was driven into exile. Bufiun
and Laurence were iuterdicted; all, because
their opinions were not untrue, but unpopular.
They were herctical and hc,erodox.
ChrisIendom was once Pagan: Ii is now
what writers are pleased 10 call Christian. lu
the Popish part OF it, Professionalism is uupopu.
lar, and crime; iu the Protestant part of il,
the Roman Catholics arc equally obuo xious-
Englanl was once Pagan, then Papist, then
Pro,estunt then Papist, then Pro,estan, again
Each party, when uppermust committed acts OF
murderous cruelty on their opponents, because
their Opinions were offensive and uupopular.-
England was once Independent. Presbyterian
q Calvin saIc; in a year or two, il became
Episcopaliun aud Arniuiau; il is now in a grea
part UitIiiau. massachusetts, was once Pu-
rInn, CalvlnIsiis and Orthodox; it is now Uni
tartan and tletcrodux. Who can tell what sec
tartan variety will he The predominant aud DO,
pular doctiue III =. CHrOiiun, five years hence;
Popularity at one time believed in ghosts, in
witchcratt, III miracles, i'll separations. tho Sc
cond sight Such was the popular BELLE with lord
1ialc, sr w. Blackstone, Dr. Johnson; who be.
lIcves them nowl The geology of the flutonians,
now universally adopted Europe, was ex-
tromoy unpopular, few years ago, It Ed
Inhurgh, it is now at Yale. The Man
chester rail road had to contend with uu-
popularity for some years. Navigation by steam,
was in has time denounced before the American
Philosophical Society rs chimericil, was the
modern doctrine Ofcombuslion in England.
When l wrote and published CONSOLIDATION,
(said DIR. c. became unpopular, on that ac-
count, that two public proposals made to re-
move me from the Presidency. When i'll my speech
at the Ant-TariH meeting IN Columbia, III June,
1897, asserted, that, if the system SO popular at
tho North, of making the South Il tributary was
persisted in, we should, by and bye, be driven to
calculate the uatuc Of the Union our section of
the country, you all know the torrent of abuse
thrown me, for that prophetic EXPRESSION from
one end of the United States to the other
Look at your own proceedings. Is Notification
even yet a popular measure! Is the abuse
thrown on you, unmcasured and unqualified But
will South Carolina be deferred from what is riUht
through dread OF its being offensive or unuopular
with the ignorant and interested? No: her march
is onward; and the abuse heapcd on her by the
men who vocicrate "Wnpopuiariy," will be unhced.
ed and forgiven; for those who abuse her like the
populacc ut Jerusalem, know not what they do
am not ignorant that cautious and experienced
men of the world, who look exclusively to their
own successful standing with the public, regard as
imprudent, dangerous and unwse, a II those persons
who brave public prejudice, and render themselves
by so doing unpopular. IL is serious misfortune
TO run half century ahead of the knowledpe of
the day; and if man is bent on doing this he
should make up his mind TO meet the consequences
nd he Mcp mfr, ,In
approve, the timid alarmed, foes are excited
and friends stand aoof. a man, so determined to
abide by Truth, through evil report and rood
report, must be content to brave the pity of
some, the of others, and the rancoro,s
hatred of all who live and prosper by existing
error. am not blind to all this; hut the prospect
OF becoming the instrument of good to mankind
and the cheering Of mars own conscience, are
of small value hen honestly earned The
pamphlet entitled CONSOLIDATION, was an act OF
imprudcnce; charge, brought against cvery pro
ceeGing Of the State Rights Party, by their more
cautious opponents. TINS therefore is dart, that
my political fellow !U0Urcrs not entitled 20 cast
at me.
That no one ought TO oppose existing error, but
those who ara able TO aiiord The risk, an cs,db
llshed maxim OF worldly prtIdoncc; most scduous-
Iy Incu!cated by every who profits by existing
error, because 1t w'thdrlYs from opposition nine
tecn.tHcnticths OF their opponents. Is it maxim
for the People to adopt
Let me row suppose case: that you have a i
president OF lUc COllcgc, OF known talents and !
extensive requirements; who possesses the difficult
art Of communicating knowledge to others; whose |
literary reputation estabshcd; whose manners are
conci!Iatory; whose morals unexceptionabIe !
and mis- long tried course of conduct, uuimpeacha-
blc-would you reject these qualifications, because
some of his speculative opinions were unpopular
to portion and that not large one, Of his fellow
cltizensl If he has right to claim popularity
for qualifications useful and substantial, will YOU
reject him account of ''fhe color of his mule |
or tic cut n his craUaR" L should hope the gen. !
tcDen appointed to preside the highest literary
institution of the statc-whosc duty it is, not to |
follow public prejudice, but TO councract the ten.
dUnciCs of ignorance, and to lead public opinion
to enlarged and liberal views of the propect before
uS--wouid hardly condesCcnd to make such sa. |
criiice, the altar OF popularity. Ohcnsiv /
Who has right to be offended at the speculative
opinions of DR.. Cooper? Dr. Copper asks such
man, ''what right sir, have you TO be OF differ
eni opinion from mel BY the same right | differ !
from YOU" Offensive! Are the Constitutions of
the United States and Of our State to be sacr-
feed to tho ignorant prcudicos of men who
mon who know not what sririL they arc of
Dr. Cooper takes offence at their differing from
him; no would feel himself degraded if he did: why
should they be offended because ho does not soc
Eectlridn questions IN the light that thew do7
Is not tie press open TO both sides, and s not the
tribunal OF tic public, the proper court to try these
quesilons2 Those only resort to oboGuy aud abuse
and call in sic and OF the civil power who feel
themselves m the wTong-wbo are angry, because
their Cause weak; aud being unable to conquer
by argument, cal aloud upon the civil authority
for pains and penalties their opponents But
TIC pubic nave learnt at last, that their own inter
est requires discussion, wiICrCyc- there is doubt:
that persecution makes converts; aud that a
cause which tren1les at the slightest breath OF in
iuIfy, may be safely permitted to stand or fall as
of support, IT it cannot support itself
If / (says DR.. O. TO avoid unpopular and
offensive opinions, which change their character
md costume almost every year; give me, if you
,leaso, under the authority oil the Board, an index