Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-12-25

would require but little skill in the last
speaker TO mystify and distort so as to de-
| siroy the force OF the best arguments which
could be adduce6, and thus he would close
each interview with the general impression
| rather favorable to his cause than otherwise,
however bad it might be.
| Your readers will recollect that last win
ter | merely reconnoitered the subject
little, TO ascertain its boundaries and appur
tenances. showed that no consistent non
resistant can pay td.res to any human
goreTnment-nor aid an drreSting or
guarding dny-euen the most abandoned |
or malicious criminal-nor gire testimony
an any suit at Ian, criminal or otheraDise
nor gire or take deeds, notes or receipts,
an any pecuniary transaction And that
this new doctrine was aimed not at the |
abuses of government, but at government
itsetf! That its design is not to reform but
10 sap and destroy all human governments
an the family and the school as qoeU as in
The State-I wish these points to be dis
tinctly remembered, as it will save some
repetition-and we shall be able to have
some definite ideas as we go along in re-
spect to the meaning of the term Non Re
sistGnce.
! While going over these preliminary steps,
| was frequently called upon for my scrip
ture proof. The time had not then arrived
for its introduction. We are now come to
the discussion of the main question, and
now appeal TO the la10 and to The testi
mony'
My first position is this: God DESIGNED
the establishment, and has manifested his
approval Of human Government. By hu-
man government l mean rightfuI power
vested in one person to require or prohibit
another person, or other persons to do GER
tain things; and the corresponding obliga.
ton of that other person or those other per-
sons to do or refrain from these things. be-
cause thus required. Such authority in or
der to be rightfuL must be exercised under
certain limitations and restrictions. But
such authority shall attempt TO prove is
T'ghyut-that God designed it should be
exercised among men and that he has often
: and IN various ways manifested his approy
:, al OF its exercise. The proper Limitations
OF this authority, and the extent to which
obedience is obligatory will be points for fu-
ture consideration. My present object is to
prove simply that there is rightfxL author
ity vested in man over his fellow man and
. corresponding obligation, God has
y recognized such authority and approved the
u corresponding duty. This Fundamental
~ principle the Non-Resistance society re.
- Jects. BY denying TO man any rightful
power to compel obedience, it at one fell
swoop would annihiiate all human au.
thority and government of whatever kind
!, For commands without ri2htful power &c
!. enforce obedience and authority which can
only persuade, are contradictions in terms
In support of my position adduce / The
~ domestic constitution. What the mutua
AZ relations and duties of husbands and wiye,
10 parents and children to each other woule
have been if man had not sinned we can
. not know. But after the fall, the first dec
: laratlon of Gods will to the human pair
: was directed to the very point in question
= as of essential importance IN their fallen
: state. Gen. iii. 16: Unto the woman he
said, thy desire shall be 10 thv
husband'-or rather thy qoishes and qcil
shdH be subject TO thy husband-s and he
snail rule over thee Here God interposes
at once to settle the question of authority r
:, the family. Families must exist, and in
:" those families there must be goUernmeat-
~ There must be some one in each family
- whose judgment and will must be para
~ mount, and who must have power, rightfu
l power, acthoritatively to decide question:
. in the last resort. God has seen fil to de
4 eide where this authority shall rest and by
n. deciding it thus early and in this particula
'e case he has most expressively taught thu
y necessity of human government. For i
y there must be depositary of authority thu
70 early constituted in the family and if tn,
question of pre-eminence in authority mus
Us be setlled even between the husband AM
oil wife, whose hearts knit together by affec
cd ton would seem to render the exercise O
authority forever unnecessary if even her
is there must be government and an authori
Ter tative head--how much more necessa
if ry must it be in other and more distant rela
his lions in life where natural affection and uni
Of ~ of interest exert less force. The senti