Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-09-27

need 10 defend themselves against the
weak If they treat them kindly they
will not be attacked by them. And they
have no right to provide a justification for
themselves in their own wrong doing, in
the case they treat The weak unkindly.
But is it intended for the weak, in dis.
tinction from the strong2 If so, it fails.
for want of power on the part of the at
tackled. An attempt at defense is only sui
cida, on the part Of the weak. Concilla-
ttion is far better, and will be found far
more effectual. And besides, when we
come 10 examine The facts in the case, we
shall find them oveEthrowing the dogma,
so long and so widely adopted as self
evident truth. say the facts in the case,
as they exist in connection with the weak,
who have need OF defense, show the dec
Iaralion, that self-defense is the first law
of nature, TO be falsehood. For the
weak, as general thing, do not make de-
tense, in the animal kingdom, bot flee un-
resistingly. How is it among the domes-
lice animals, under our notice. Dothose
W no have found and felt their weakness,
Withstand their superiors and make de.
fense2 No. The COW which is mistress
of The yard ro5s the others oflhe best Of
the hay, and they do not resist her. The
rule will hold good, in general, through
out the brute creation.
I But is it rather intended for equals
And what is the result, but determination!
But it may bo said, after all, that the
equality or inequality may not be known
until there is trial. Well, il the Trial be
10 know who shall rule and who be rul-
i ed, or who shall rob and who be robbed,
it is an effort unworthy of rational beings.
If there be an attack for any other pur-
pose, and the one attacked goes to work
madly for no other purpose but for de-
tense, the right TO begin the strife and
war, is The right to carry i: on, and carry
it through, to the destruction of the one
party or the other, and, if they be equals,
20 the destruction of both.
Now taking the whole matter of attack
and defense together, as it goes on thro' out
the animal kingdom, from man down
ward, or from the lower order of brules
upward, | see not why attack is not as
natural as defense. How IS 1t among the
cattle? Do those which attack act less
maturalLg than those which defend
Who will say that they do2 If none
will, then why should We not say that 1t
is the first law of nature to attack as well
as TO say it is the first law OF nature 10 de-
fend?
Let US now use language that can be
better defined and understood. Instead
then Of saying, or undertaking TO say,
what is natural or what is unnatural,
let us talk of things coming from man $
baser nature and things coming from
his better nature-in other words, his
lower nature and his higher nature-or
in other words still man as an animal
being and man as an intellectual being.
1t is my own view that the whole mat
ter Of violence, offensive and defensive
is brutish-in other words, it comes
from that part of our nature in alliance
with the brutes. 1t does not come from
man as an intellectual being. 1t may
have been worthy of men in the infancy
and childhood Of the race. 1t is better
worthy Of children now than men. The
time has come for it to be known that
man is susceptible Of something better,
to which he should be directed attracted,
and encouraged on, as a progressive
being. There is higher and better
philosophy for man to attain to than to
butcher his brother.
j My correspondent has undertaken TO
lay down rules, or toesla blish permissions
for killing. Why would it not be better
to leave that matter to regulate itself, ac-
cording TO circumstances when they come,
and 60 about inducing men TO overcome
their killing propensities which yet re-
J main Of their ignorance and perversenSss,
: to lamcntable extent! Do oil we can
for mans regeneration, and there will still
: remain too much killing under unjusti.
!. fable circumstances, for long time YET
: TO come. 1t is not for me, in my view o