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


Self defence seems TO be the first lao OF
nature. Il is natural for all animals 10 save
their own lives, and kill or drive away the
enemy. The same natural instinct Is pow
erful in mau. In case Of an assault by man
or beast, the lao If nature prompts him TO
drive away, main or destroy the life, or pow
er OF the assailant This law seems 10 be
universal, and Interchangeable. The God OF
nature has imprinted il so powerfully in the
nature Of all animals, that nothing but oppo-
site education, and habits, partially obscure
il. Ii speaks the language of nature, which
we ought to listen 10 with reverence. But
the intellectual and moral principle in man,
directs him no far be may risk his own life,
without taking the life Of his opponent
When the alternative occurs, that one or the
other must die, then the law Of nature, and
the Intellectual and moral principle, prompts
20 kill rather than be killed. When the in
,ellec.ual faculty can see that by some means
less cruel life can be saved, the moral power
will urge the saving of the lile.- If there IS
no other way but kill or be killed, il is lawful
10 kill in self defence. and Non-Resistance
would be sort Of suicide or self murder 10
such cases.
Again. May life be lawfully taken when
no assaulling or threatening oPponent ap-
pears7 Yes.-Suppose boat, full loaded
with men, and a man swimming get hold
OF The boat and like to sink it, would il not
be better TO shove him off to the mercy Of the
waves, and let him be drowned, than to let
him get in and cause the whole to be drown
ed7 Suppose a physician TO find woman
in travail Of living child, apdevery symP-
tom shows that both must die, 1.-THE mother
frst,) or tie life Of one be taken 10 save the
other-taking the life Of the child and saving
the life OF the mother is obviously the duty
Of the physician. or two inevitable evils
choose the least cit is better that one
member perish than the whole body" IL is
better that an eye, an arm, or leg, be cut
off, than shat the whole body perish" Such
cases mig hi be mentioned in abundance, but
these may suffice TO show when life may
lawfully be taken. Not taking life in such
cases would be tacitly permitting the death
Of the whole body and next TO deliberate and
malicious MURDER
Rsmark.-There is two sorts Of war or
killing. Namely, the killing characters by
words, and killing persons by actions. Al
most all jealous reformers use harsh and
provoking words, and in SO doing, invite re-
taliation, and are often the cause 0ftheir own
persecution.-H Hard thoughts produce hard
words, and hard words produce hard blows.
and blood shedding. A Non Resistant can
no, consistently resist an opponent by words.
The Friend Quakers submit peaceably TO
have their property taken, 10 pay for war and
murder, rather than resist by provoking
words, and epilhets. The tone Of their
words, and the peaceable like actions, shows
generally d kindness, that disarms the tenn
per Of their ASSISTANTS, and Prosecutors
Much, very much, might be gained to stop
suits, harsh and insulting language, and
shedding Of blood, BY using conciliatory, and
kind words, and actions. Kindness TO the
brute animals has much more effect TO soothe
and aoroIize their temper, than most people
imagine. So il is with men.
BARTHOLOMEW SoMMER.
How long it has been said that /" self
defense is the first Jaw of nature" l
know not, and am not curious to inquire.
II is time at least that those who use II
know better than think some of them do,
what they mean by j. My own opinion
is, that, on examination, il will be found,
like many other dogmas. to be different
thing under investigation from what il ap-
pears to be, while let alone unexamined
1 recollect that while I was advocating
Non Resistance in Baptist Association,
some years since, an old man full Of the
spirit Of religion and war, which have al
ways gone so well together, arose and
said, = brother Murray, you need not
think to see you. doctrine prevail while
we revolu.ioners" remain. And he OF
some other one added -" self-defense is
the first law OF nature" AT this, an in.
sane man present replied" self denial is
The FIRST law Of grace" The words ma
ture. and grace. have been abundantly used
by reIigionists who claim % be the teacher.
Of such things as they say others are IN
der obligation to learn and to receive
One of these words is about as well dein
ed and undersloOd.as the other, probably
Those who use them most have not prob