The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1833-02-23
Selected for The Star-by a Correspondent.
POWER -

POWER.
The passion for power is one Of the
most universal nor 10 Il 10 be regarded as
a crime in all its forws. Sweeping GEN.
sures on a natural sentiment cast blame
on the Creator. This principle shows it
selfin the very dawn Of existence. The
child never exuks and reJoiccs more than
when il becomes conscious OF power by
overcoming difficulties, or comprising
new ends. Power is chief element lin
all the commanding qualities Of our ma
ture. II enters into all tho higher vir-
tues, and into Intellectual eminence, 1t is
power of thought and utterance which
imnoi ,aiizes the prodxcts of genius. Is
it strange then, that an attribute, through
which all our passions reach their objects,
and which aracterizes all that is great
or admirable IN man, should awaken in
tense desire, and be sought as one of the
chief goods OF life ? SO far from this
principle being crime in all it's forms,
there are various kinds Of power which il
is our duty to covet, accumulate and hold
fast. First, there is inward power, the
most precious Of all possessions, power
over ourselves power to Withstand trial,
to bear suffering, to front danger ; power
over pleasure and pain power to follow
our convictions, however resisted by men
ace or scorn the power Of calm reliance
in seasons of darkness and storms. IA.
gain, there is power over outward things );
the power by which the mind triumphs o.
yer tmatter, presses into its service the
subtiest and strongest elements, makes
the winds, fire, and steam its ministers,
rcars the city, opens a path through the
ocean, and makes the wilderness blossom
as the rose.
These forms Of power, especially the
first, are glorious distinctions ofour race,
nor can we prize them too highly. There
is another power which we propose more
fully to notice. We mean power over
our fellow creatures; not that power which
quickens and elevates, but which crush
es and subdues. The power which robs
men OF the free use of their nature, tax es
from them their dearest rights, and COM
pels them to bend to anothers will this is
the sway that men grasp at most eager
ly, and which it is our present purpose to
expose. To reign, to give laws, to clothe
their own wills with omnipotence, to an
nihilate all other wills, to spoil the indi-
vidual of that sel(-direction which is his
most precious rght--this has ever beeh
deemed by mullitudes the highest prize
for competition and conflict. 1t is the
love Of this power, in all its forms, which
we are anxious to hold up to reprobation.
Ii any crime should be placed by society
beyond pardon, it is this.
This power has been exerted most con-
spicuously by two classes of men the
priest, or minister Of religion, and the civil
ruler. Both rely on the same instrument
that is, pain or terror the first calling TO
his aid the fires and torments Of the fu-
ture world, and practicing on the natural
dread ofinvisible powers and the latter
availing himself Of chains, dungeons, and
gibbets in the present life. Through
these terrible applications, man has in all
ages and in almost every country, been
made, in greater or less degree, a sla, e
and machine been shackled in all his fac
ulties, and degraded into tool Of others
wills and passions. We know not stron
ger proof of the intensity and nefarious-
ness ofthis love Of power than the fact Of
its having virtually abrogated Christiani-
ty, and even turned into an engine of do
minion, revelation which breathes
the spirit of freedom, pro-
claims the essential equality of the human
race, and directs its most solemn denun-
Citations against the passions for rule and
empire. We should rejoice if we could
convey some just idea Of the moral tur-
pitudc Of this dominion over others. or
all injuries and crimes, the most fragrant
is clargeable on him, who aims TO estab-
lish dominion over his brethren. He wars
with what is more precious than life. He
would rob men of their chief prerogative
and glory we mean of self dominion, of
that empire which is given to rational
and moral'beiHg over his own soul and
his own life.
Such being is framed to find honor
and happiness in forming and swaying
himself, in adopting as his supreme stand
ard his convictions of truth and duty, in
his powers by free exertion, in
acting from principle within, from his
growing conscience. His proper and
noblest attributes are self-government
energy Of thought, energy
in choosing the right and the good, ener-
gy in casting off all other dominion. He
was created for empire in his own breast,
and we,wo to them who would pluck from
him this sceptre
A mind, inspired by God with reason
and conscience, and capable through these
endowments, ofprogress in truth s. duty,
Is sacred thing more sacred than tenn
pies made with hands, or even than this