The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1846-03-21

laws-substitutiug an artificial legal obligation
Tor that high and noble moral principle Of ius-
tee implanted in the organization Of every hui
man being, By the Great Author or his exist
ence.
Your committee are Of opinion that thisl in
reference Of government with the contract Of
citizens, was first introduced for selfish, SIMS
Ter and unfair purposes, when the few ruled the
gIeat mass Of mankind, and that it as we'll an
swerod the ends of its creation. If man is 50
constituted and organized as 20 possess a sense
of justice and bepeyolence-a natural DISPOSE
ton TO do unto others as he would they should
under similar circumstances, do unto him,--it
must be very evident that the conduct resulting
from such natural organization, would be more
correct, and the obligation fell, more bindinE
and certain, than any artificial and u%nnatat
obligation-ths mere invention Of man. To
suppose otherwise would be to impiously as
sunie that the creature, man, is superior to his
creator, God. If, however, we arrive at the
conclusion, that man does not possess this con-
s%titution and organization, we are placed in a
worse dilemma, by assuming that without it he
can exact laws for his government, right, Just,
or benevolent.
Your committed elucidatlon Of this view
of the subject, would state such facts in rela.
ton to it, as are familiar to most men. First,
that the only kind of PUBLICATIONS in this country
which can be called strictly moral, are those
incurred by gambling. Gambling debts are
not recognized as legal, by our laws hence
there is no legal obligation to pay them nor is
there any obligation on mankind TO pay such
debts, save that dictated or imposed by the
moral principle in his nature already referred
to. Now what are the facts in relation to the
fulflment of such obligations! In comparison
with the fulfilment OF those obligations recog-
nized by the laws Of the country, the advantage
is VIGOROUSLY onrthe side of gam bling obliga.
tions, which proves to demonstration, the cor
r%ectness Of our position. It will be of no avail
to argue that gamblers pay their debts prompt
ly, as q matter Of policy, because there being NJ
law to make them pay, they would lose all
credit and confidence among their friends wert
they to fail to pay, &c.-for if this is the fact
it only tends to strengthen our argument. lie
us then make it the policy of all men to be hon
est and punctual in their engageln ents-let thu
penalty for failure to perform which, be loss o.
credit and confidence among their friends, BY
those who violate their contracts--as in gam
bling transactions-and as a matter Of course
the same results must be produced. Secondly
in many Of the early settlements Of our frontieI
country, years elapsed before the introduction
of law lawyers, and officers Of the law and SC
far as your committee have been able to learn
from persons Of observation, information ant
experience, acquainted with the business
transactions Of those settlements in. their in
fancy, there was then greater Punetuality OBJ
served by men in all their dealings--more SO
cip lharmony and concord, and less ayarice and
cupidity-than after the introduction Of law
lawyers, &c. to coerco . compliance with con
tracts.
In the third place, we would instance the so
cial condition OF the Quakers-a numerous
intelligent, prosperous, enterprising and highly
respectable class Of our population; who havr
always refused to resort to law for the settle
ment Of their transactions with one another
Asa consequence Of this abstinence from Iii
CATION, there is no such thing as extreme wan
or poverty among them. All their children ar
educated, and the salutary principles Of man
social organization more fully developed anC
p~ractised upon, than by any other class Of GU
population. What the Quakers have effect
can be accomplished by others, if they will bu
act upon the same principles. If a man is
social and moral being, a high moral and SO
oial, not political destiny, awaits him, AM
must develope the greatsnd of his existence
health and content ment, If man, untramelle,
by the artificial errors in laws, government AMI
society, does not possess principle prompting
him to do right, (which is not here admitted,
then let us make il his policy to do right
There is an old adage, that 1honosty is the bes
policy" and some wit has remarked that 81
rogues could appreciate its truth, they woul'
be honest, If from policy alone Now if hohest
andpunctuality are the great objects to be al
tanned among the citizens Of the State, you
committee are Of opinion that theirtransaction
ola virtuous and useful character, should 0
/, least be placed on as favorable a5basis as tn
gambling transactions Of the country.
From the best calculations your committe
have been able to make on the subject the
have arrived al the conclusion that the anhua
expense tothe people Of the United States, Q
account Of the legal credit system alone, inth
T pay of judges, clerks, shetifs, marshals, mug
4strates, constabIes, deputies, jurors, witnessei
lawyers, lossr Of time in litigation, &C., &c
cannot be short Of the immense sum Of tw
hundred milliops Of dollars! to say nothing {
the vice. corruption, pefjOries, strife, discorc
N- 49,