Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-04-27

of a resort to arms for redress of their
grievances They had not attained to the
true philosophy which teaches that the
rights of one man, or of many men, can
never be secured by the destruction of
those of another-but, on the Contrary,
that they must be weakened and endang.
cred by every example of disregard for .
the least ofthe rights of others--that the
rights of men are SO closely bound up to-
gether, that an injury to one is an injury
to all, and is sure to be felt by all. But
the history of the country is fast demon.
strating thetruth of this philosophy Men
will learn at last, by sad experience, thar
the real source of the misrule and miscon-
duct, public and private. under which the
land groans, is the contempt of the rights
OF others which is interviewer with the
very texture of the false State of society
which prevails. Why should the rights
of opinion, of utterance, Of properly, oflo-
comotion, be safe from mobs, from bank
directors, from shareholders and their
lynching abettors, when the inalienable
nature of the right to life is denied by all,
asthe fundamental principle of their So
cial compact9 If the right which con-
tains all others be disregarded. why should
the lesser ones be respected We dis
guise our barbarisms, and then boast of
them as proofs Of civilization. We pierce
the skies with granite obelisk to CON-
memorate murderous inroad upon the
rights OF others, while we regard with
disgust the string of seal ps which repre-
sent precisely the same idea in the mind
of the Indian. We build and equip
ships OF war, and erect Notifications, by
the aid of the highest science and skill,
while we look with contempt upon the
tomahawk and knife. We 5edizen our
heroes with gold lace and coats of many
colors, while we disdain the painted skin,
the string of bears teeth, the medicine
| bag and tinkliEg rings which Distinguish
| for the very same purpose the Pawnee
brave. This is about the amount Of
modern civilization. Civilization de-
stroys men by thousands with artillery
and congreve rockets. Barbarism kills
them by paltry scores with Ratchet and
bow and arrows. The principle of both
conditions is the same-lhe attainment or
defence of our own rights by the deslrnc.
ton of the right of others,
! Civilization dawned when men first be.
! gan TO perceive that the enjoyment of their
own rights depended upon their showing
some respect to those of others. AS this
idea has been developed and lived out, has
civilization advanced. Thus stales arose
for the purpose of mutual protection
Thus laws were established for the secu-
rity of life, liberty and property. From
this partial civilization have sprung sci
ence, literature, art-the refnements that
adorn and sweeten life. This degree of
civilization, however, is proved by the
history of the world to be compatible with
a very small degree of theoretical respect
for rights, and very great degee OF prac-
teal disregard for them. For proof, read
the history of the most civilized nations of
ancient & modern times-not forgetting our
own. The cause of this imperfect triumph
ofcivllization is to be found in the fact that
sel6shness has ever been, and still is, the
central, vivifying principle Of what is calf
ed civilization. AS the most refined and
polished nation ofantiquity branded as bar
barians all who lived beyond the borders
of Greece, so modern civilization begins
and ends with self. Ii has no active prin-
cipIe that embraces all mankind, and re-
cognizes the equal rights of all. There
fore it is that scarce any real advance has
] been made in civilization, none az all in
the advancement of arts and literature
for more than two thousand years. There
8 fore it is that Christianity has so slightly
improved the condition humankind. The
great Reformer. whose mission was to
civilize mankind and deliver them from
the tyranny of their lusts and passions ,aLd
to make them free indeed, is but Just be-
ginning to be understood. He was indeed
a civilized man-who taught and practis-
ed the most reverent regard for rights
and who showed by his example that the
rights of others are to be respected even
at the expense Of our own. When this
truth shall have pervaded the general mind,
/ it will be manifested by an outward
civlizalion, of which the highest degree
eve. vet attained by man is but the
morning twilight TO the perfect day. Then
Justice will descend from heaven, TO
which she fed of old from the wiekedness
of man. Then Peace and Abundance
will make all the borders of tie earth to
rejoice. Then Elegance and Refinement
will be the blessings of all, instead of the
ornaments of the few. Health of body
and of mind will spring from temperance
and virtue. Armies. nayies, giboets, pen
itentiaries, and all the complicated ma
chinery OF government, will be regarded as
The signs of as unsound state of public
sentiment as was shown TO exist by the
faggots ofthe martyr or the gallows ofthe
witch. The great truths of the brother
hood Of the human race, and of the duty
of regarding the rights of others as our