The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-03-14
!. HOLCOMB & D. S. MURRAY, PUBL1sHERs.

tant OF his prerogalves. VINO ha
the authority 2') Thus the laws of wa
not only exercise, but unblushing y claim
dominion over civil and religious liberty
The tendencies also of the war system
are directly adverse to the spirit and gen
Jus of liberty. 1t may cultivate the ex
terror, the eAigy OF some virtues, such as
self.denial and devotion to cause, yet
does it, at the expense of every real vir'
tue. 1t palliates, it jostifies, it encourag'
es, it commends, it extols, it grants rellg'
ious sanction, to full exercise of all the
baser passions that rank!e in the human
breas:, restrained only by the laws ofwar.
Ostentation and envy, malice and revenge
are its prime elements. Such is the
character most honored in society Such
the Grecian and Roman glory; such the
Spar,an eminence. And blush, o blush
my country at the thought tina: military
fame is found prominent among the quail
ifcatione for which are offered the first
premium, the highest honors, Of our ma
tion of our world. And what are lis ten
dencies2 A combination ofcauses TO lead
the multitude in captivity 10 the will, and
sacrifice their interest TO the honor of The
aspiran: and at the same time TO render
the aspirant obs quious to the vulgar will.
A tendency to wait the crazy Dark OF So
ciely, driven by tide and tempest and "a
storm oftongues," bearing al the sametime,
the aspirant as a hattcring ensign aloh, at
the mercy of every gale. A combination OF
causes, calculated TO hold the soul fexi-
BILE to the moulding hand Of popular folly,
and the enslaved body ready victim for
the cannon. Such are the elements, the
Influences, the tendencies of war, rada-
ting from, and centering in, one grand
focal point-the battlefield The acme
Of earthly glory.
But mark the contrast.--Tne law of
God is the law Of liberty TO man. Liber-
ty with reference to himself. Holding
each wild passion and every unruy
lust in due restraint he may develope ev-
cry part CT the moral, intellectual and
physical man in due proportion. L'ber-
ty as he stands related 10 God. Not let
tered by bigotry imposed by law, or con-
fined by c:eduIity 10 traditional faith, bu,
raised above the dogma: IGNORANCE is
the mother of devotion;' he derives his
religious faith from all the varied means
the Great Parent of the human family
has been pleased to make himself known
by. Thus ia religion is 10 he found am
pie scope for the best, and ror all the fac
ullies Of The man. Liberty as he stands
related to society,-Under the genial in
Auence of the moral law as we have it
paraphrased for political use, in the aph-
orism: Mankind by nature free aud
equal" The man who sees in his aoth-
ing more valuable than the privilege OF
the people TO change their Statute laws at
pleasure, is ia: from approaching its mer'
its. Its legitimate, though indirect ten
dency is 10 secure TO every member oil
society the proper use of himself And
thus by casting man on his own mental
resources TO bring into requisition the
whole mass Of public mind. This, tho
as an experiment but partially tried, has
wilhn the fourth of century accomplish
ed wonders. 1t has, liz i'm porant parlic-
uars, overcome the Obstacles of nature
aud brought the conflicting elements to
labor at the wheel. What then shall be
lis effect when 10 lis Intellectual shall be
added The realization of its moral effects
When unclaimed from all the influences
of ambition, both direct and inverse, and
all the consequent false approximations oil
little, and Of great; man shall stand, each
individual on his own foundation, wear
his own shape, body and soul; from his
Town good reasons control his own lacul.
ties, and thus possess himself? Such an
individual must be in himself society
and in society host. What then mus
be a society composed of such2 Variety
in unity-activity without monopoly
harmony without discord and without al
, 10y. "Then would the whole human
flmily untedIy worship in one sacred