Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1848-01-29

frequently nreserlt 49,,
[riety and The mol y, Il,
lindit;dnal even ,;,h ,s.s j.
action Is tn vheia ~ - = 49, s....s
liable in proeess ~ Tine 81 s : .,.l
tion ana 4; soma ;nstsnees y y. s,;,
reversed Fro,n f,rts s,,ch a. sI,Is. ~ "a
persons are disposed seriously tooness;;e ~,
the existence Ia. The human mini ~ ,',v
ORIGINAL moral sense Is cor sc;;e,'eg :. III
and are inclined "a atar;bnte 3, e1,,cst;a,,
altogether. the distinction. n obta;n;ng
among mankind. between virtse md VICE
between right and wrong.
The very great influence Of aduration
on our notions of vice and virtud must h
conceded. still II Il not necessary 10
think n order Is Acoount sat;sfsria,::;l,
TOR the ad1.sitsaa. AZ. e,.a.scr ~ -. ~.
cisions Of conscience, to deny it place Is
Il an integrant or original element NJ human
nature. TIE felatioas Of oonkr;euor. y
other portions Of tie mind will sufficient.
ly account for any diversity real or only
4 apparent in its decisions. rs Telation d
ltls inteilsct nav first be taken into view
Experience teaches us that intellections
or acts of the intellect. always nrecede any
activity in the emotise region oflthe soul
We learn from. consciousness that neither
the natural nor moral sensibilities can he
approached at all. BIZ any influence with.
out and beyond the mind. except through
the avenues of the understanding. The
intellectual portion Of thssmind thus ner.
forms. in relation to the conscience. fhnc.
tions analogous to those Of an oraan az
vision. The cause then. of any want Of
uniformity in the finding Of conscience IS
not to be sought, directly in conscience it.
sen, put generally, IN the condition OF the
intellectual powers or IN the acts OF the
understanding or to vary the form of
expresslonl N the degree Of enlighten-
ment IN the intellectual region. Accord
ing TO the KIND and degree of information
aHordea the conscience BY that portion OF
the mind IS the character Of the decision
Wnich u renders ,-its verdict being always
made upiwltl lmmediate reference to the
tesqmony OF the intellect and at the
same time being distinguished from all in
reflections by invariably occurring subses
quentiy 70 them, as well as BY character
totally different from them. let a sub.
| Ject OF moral aspect be presented to the
intellect Of an individual at sundry times,
indeed shut always under the same cir
cumstanoes, and his moral emotions with
respect to that subject will be uniformity
the same, Ills emotions may or may not
De the same IN degree, for yprious causes
may, during the intervals representation,
have operated either an increase or a di-
intuition Of emotional susceptibility; but,
notwithstanding If any moral emotions at
az are awakened they will ~ the same in
4 to his mind. 40 flat n viii IL ;mnoss;bIA
for him to regard With moral annrohation
at one time. and with moral d;sannroha.
/ ton at another time. the same object will,
ont any ebanee whatever either n nv
moral Qualities ofl the object itself.or -
the circum stances of ;ts nrescptat;o1 "a,
his consideration. let = o,,ast;sola !. az !
. moral comnlexionso distinct and. 8 81 al.
/ fined as to present no material ditcfsity
Of moral properties ii tic intelleets 81
different men of the same community be
brought before any number Of tbcml.and
lean there be any donbt.witb respeet "A tbe
unanimitv Of their terdict2 Let the n.
telIects Of Pagan. d Mohammedan. !
4 Jew. and. Christian contemplate any
i question in morals under the same points
4 of observation, and must not their moral
emotions be the very same in Kind though
/ certainly not in degree?
The relation Of conscience to the intel
/ lect is not alone sufficient to account for
the alterations Of the formerpowcr. The
4 reconsideration Of that relation would indeed
be sufficient, provided fair play were al
lowed the conscience, so that she might
kcalmly attend to the intimations Of the
intellect, and then proceed without inter
Eruption from the natural sensibilities OF
the heart, to the right discharge of her
thigh Office BUTT can scarcely be neces-
sary to say that, in point Of fact, conscience
/ is seldom accorded uninterrupted per-
formance Of her function. The intelli-
gence transmitted BY the understanding
Is often intercepted and seriously modified
and misrepresented BY various affections
tof the heart before reaching the con-
science Or, if the intellects testimony
| be allowed free access to the tribunal Of
conscience, her judgment, with whatsocv-
er distinctness and Authoritativeness pro-
nounced, is cftentimes silently suppressed,
or else is, of set purpose, altogether mis-
STATED by the lip or pen Of an individual,
For proof Of this assertion let every man
question his own bosom. Conscience may
indeed declare her sentence, but for the
execution thereof She is entirely indebted
to other and Of times opposing powers Of