Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1843-11-28


MENr OF THE ProrLE.-With the heroes and
sagcs and martyrs of those days. believe in
the capability OF MN for sclfgovernmcnt,-
my whole soul thereto most joyously consent
ing. Nay. if there be any hercsy among
men. or blasphcmy against God. n which
the philosopher might be allowed 10 forget his
cquanimity. and the christian his Charity
il Is hcrcsy and blasphemy OF believing and
avowng. that the infinitely good and all-wisc
Author Of the universe persists in creating
and sustaining race of beings. who. By Il
law of their nature. are forever doomed to
suffer all the atrocities and agonics of misgov-
crnmcnt. either from the hands of others. or
from their own. The doctrine of the inhc
rent and necessary disability Of mankind for
sclfgovcrnmcnt should be regarded, not sim
ply with denial, but with adherence not
with disproof only. bus with cxccration. To
sweep so foul creed from the precincts of
truth, and utterly to consume il, rhetoric
should become a whirlwind. and logic fire
Indeed. have never known Il man who de-
sired the establishment of monarchical and
aristocratical institutions amongst Us. who
Lad not mental reservation. that, in such
case. he and his family should belong to the
privileged orders.
Still. if asked the broad question. whether
man IS capable of sclfgovcrnmcnt, must
answer it conditonally. If BY man. in the
inquiry. is meant the Fceicc Islanders: or
the convicts at Botany Bay; or the people OF
some of the South American Republics. so
called y or those rs a class. In our own coun-
try, who can neither read nor write, and who
possess talents and education by force OF
which they get treasury. or post-oiicc. or
bank appointments and then abscond with
all the money they can steal u answer I'M.
hcsit ,tingly that man, or rather such nlen, arc
not fit for sclfgovcrnmcnt. Faulty and
guilt arc no more certain TO ruin an individu
al, or family over which they preside, than
they are to destroy government, into whose
rule they enter. Politics have been beautiful
" defined to be the art Of making apeoplc hap
Dv Such men have no such art but. will
power in their hands. they would draw dowI
personal. and dispense human misery.
But if. on the other hand. the inquiry be
whether mankind are not endowed with thos
= germs of intelligence and those susceptible
! ties of goodness. nv which, under perfect,
: practicable system of cultivation and train
, inc. they arc able TO avoid the evils of dcspo
ti,m and anarchy; and also. of those fire.
' qucnt charges in national policy which ar
1 but one remove from anarchy and to hol
a stcadlastly on their way in an endless carcc
{ of improvcmcnt.-thcn in The full rapture c
+ that iov and triumph which spring from
n belief in thc goodness of God and The pre-
{ ercSsivc happincs, of man, answer, trey a
5 obh.
: But men arc not barn in nc full posscssio
!. of such IN ability. They do not nccessaril
dcyclopc any such ability. as they grow u
: from infancy TO manhood. Competency
t. fill so high sphere can be acquired only h
II the cultivation Of natural ondowmcnts an
|. the subiugation of inordnatc propcnsiiies-
d We laugh to scorn the idea OF mans bein
n born a ruler or NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. King {
i Peer but men are born capable of m1kin
: laws and being rulers. Just aS mich in T.
Is Old World as in the New. With Us, ever
&c yoier is n ruler and law-ma.,cr. and thcr
A. fore il i, 10 less absurd to say, here, That
G. man is tit % be a voter by right Of nativity
ID naturalization. than ii Is. in the language
'd thc British constitution. TO say. that a m'
Or shall he Sovereign. or Lord. by hereditary d
lr scent. Qualification. in both cases. i som
is thing supcraddcd to birth OF citizenship al
II hence. unless We take adequate means TO 81
~ plv this qualification 20 our voters. the Bish'
IL Of London. or the Duke of Wellington m
.ir ,nccr at US for believing in the hcrcdita
&c RIGHT to ,o'c. with n good grace as we can
ut them. for believing in thc hereditary rsit
4 rqle ."-Hrace Mann.