Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-04-15
dwell in this article mainly upon the true
ends and sighJ@I pO,cers of civil govern

mo human authority can De flgntlutly
unlimited and absolute. The almighty
and ailwise' alone rules with " supreme IL
limitable sway" Each particular form
of human government exists for specific /
purposes more or less limited and its pow
ers are limited by its objects. The school |
must have its government-the family |
must have its government-society must |
have its government. And the rightful |
powers of each of these forms of govern
ment must be sufficient to enable them to
answer the purposes for which they were
instituted. What, then, are; the legtim-
ate ends of civil government Not to
bind the conscience. Not to control the
opinions of men. Not to make men reli-
gious. Not directly to make men do
right, so much as to restrain them from
doing wrong and to restrain from wrong
doing, not universally, but only SO far as
the welfare of society is concerned. 1t is,
if understand it, mainly a defensive in
stitution. lis chief end is the preserva-
ton Of human society by the protection of
tite, person. and property. The family,
the school and the church are the positive
agencies under God for the improvement
of mankind in their moral intellectual and
religious interests. Civil government
takes cognizance of man as social being,
and looks after his social interests. 1t
may properly, and should, protect and
cherish these and any other institutions so
far as they go to improve the social state.
1t may properly, and should establish
those general resolutions which will favor
the diffusion Of knowledge, encourage in
dustry and enlerprise-advance the useful
arts and sciences, and foster general mo-
ra!ity and virtue. But still its chief object
is protection The family-the school
and the church form the man. They mould
his manners, mind and heart. His wants
and native energies impel him TO action.
Of civil government he asks, and needs
only protection against NAL
ice, cupdity, and fraud And such pro-
lection men will ever need 10 society till
all become perfectly holy, or till God
change the principles of his government
and extend miraculous guardianship
over US; and constant divine interpositon
to punish or defend, become the order of
; nature.
Such is the chief end Of civil govern
ment Its other ends are all subordinate
OF auxiliary to this. This leading object,
and indeed all the objects for which civil
governments were ordained are In them
selves righteous ends They are objects
which God approves. He would have
me live in society and live happily and
!, securely. But he has not seen fit to pro-
tect US by miracle any more than to feed.
or clothe, or heal US by miracles. He
would have US employ appropriate means
to secure these ends in the one case as In
the other. Hence, he has ordained hu
man governments as his agents on earth
to be a terror to ecik doors, and p1ais.
, TO them that do q0eLi.' And acting In
this their appropriate sphere they are
:, ministers Of God to us TOR gOOd,-Gt
FINDING continually upon this very thing.
And, of course, they have vested in them
agreeably to the will of God, whatever
powers are necessary to accomplish tht
q objects for which they were ordained
. They may enact laws regulating tht
e modes and forms Of business transactions
. the transfer of property-the collection
OF debts &c, so as mos, efftctually to Sc
cure property from fraud. They may
prohibit, as far as statutes can designate
f them, all classes of acts or specific act
> which 60 TO disturb the peace and vel
!. being of society at large or injure The
E character, or property. or life of any ind
: vldual. And if they have rightful au
/. thorlty to prohibit these crimes, they mus
have rightiul power to enforce their pro
D hibitions with penalties proportioned, no
to the guilt Of the offender, that would b.
to ooenge, which is Gods prero gative
but proportloned 10 the injury likely Il
accrue TO the community from each spe
cles OF crime. Human government;
have not rightful power to take venge
ance. They may act only on the defens
; I've principles above stated. No human
g tribunal Is qualified or authorized to at
e tempt to apporlion punishment to guilt
! Their business is not to punish sin, but t,
protect society. Hence they must attach
q penalties to crimes, proportobed to III,
II injuries inflicted this proportion beins
e modified somewhat; i. e. more or les
y strictly enforced according to the evidence
! of more or less guilt. For one Grim,
ta0y "ie ou'l1oI iH0d' yea more, TeqNtret
to exact life. The wiltul murderer mus
be punished with death; tor in the i'm
age of God made he man Bot all 9th
/, er crimes are TO be punished only so Sc
j, verely as the safety of the community de
Vt mands-oniy SO severely as shall b.
9 found necessary to deter from the com
S mission of crime. In the family, punish
n ment is chiefly. and ever should be re
/ formatory in Its character. But in tn,
r state, whlch'exists for different purpose
n punishment should be protective mainly