The Arkansas banner., 1843-10-21


 Prttcipic of .4sSociafion.-Thc principle of association is not new in the world, but It has heretofore been applied only in partidfl and tragmentd manner, not i'll a comPfefe and inlegral manner. The principle is as old as society itself; it IS coeyal with the eX- istence of the human race; 1t was first app piled when man united with his ieliow-man, for mutual aid, or for protection and safety. ! Society. as 1t now exists, is sustained only by the principle of association; 1t is the vital principle which binds is members together, preserves it's existence, and gives It power; but the principle is so lmferiectly and par tially applied, that society, al present, IS but all dggregaii6R of individuals, between whom there exist strife, conflict, and antagonishc interests; and not regatarly organized sy$- lem of association, with perfect concert of ac- ton, and unity of interests. All the advan- tages that civilized society possesses, how ever, oyer the savage or nomadic stale, are derived from the application of the principle of association.
 We find the first germs of association ill the savage state, though in the rudest and simplest form The horde or tribe is an as sociation, formed for the purpose of hunting and fishing in concert, and for defence against the incursions of neighboring sayages. Man, in d savage state, without union or associa- ton with his fellow-man, for purposes of in- dustry, education, &c., is poor, weak, help less, ignorant, and degraded; and it is only as he applies the principle of association, and unites with his lellow-man, that he gains power, security, intelligence, and refinement.
 As society progresses from the savage to the civilized state, the great principle of asso- ciaton receives a constantly Increasing dere- lopment Men first unite for protection against aggression from without; subsc- quently they organize 10 maintain order, and to prevent depreciation and lawless plunder within They combine at later periods, as society grows and becomes more developed, to make public Improvements, to prosecute industrial operations and commercial enter prises, to build common roads and bridges, erect churches, school-houses, &c People unite their means and their labor, to effect these objects; and so far as they have a com mon end in view when they undertake them, there is association; and without this asso- citation, and combination of effortq no im- provements of the kind could be made- Without association, we should be like the sayages, having neither roads nor bridges, nor school-houses, nor churches, nor any of the public improvements, which now exist. All our charitable institutions, such as hospitals, asylums for the blind, the deaf and the dumb, and the insane, are established by means of association and combination. If they are founded by the State, the community is tax ed, so that the means of the different indiyi- duals who compose it, shall be united. If they are founded by phiIanthropic individu- als, their voluntary subscriptions must be united but without this combined actions and association of means, these institutions could not be established and maintained.
 All other institutions in society are partial associations, as indeed many of them are so called. The State or Government itself Is but an association of the whole body of the people; great political association; union or compact among men, for protection against aggression, and the preservation of law and order But all taese forms of associaten are extremelyaimperlect and defective, as the principle of association is but partially and lragmentally applied, As society derives all the benefits 1t enjoys from the application of the principle, so the evils it suffers are the results of imperfect and incomplete associa- ton, and of isolation and separation. The principle must De applied scientifically and universally, so as to embrace all interests un- der perfect organization. It is by this means only that perfect equilibrium can be maintained, and exact justice done. By this means, that is, by means of a complete and integral system of association, universal in its application, and embracing all interests, all that man desires for his happiness can be se- cured to him fully.