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

render her edicts utterly null and void.
Patriotism, false 10 its lofty mission, may
Ind utifrancef for the m0nstrous sentiment,
s1Iy Country right; but flEht or wrong,
M Country Mistaken fricndship may
siIently suppress her sentence With be-
uildering power lore may lit I'D is be-
Nitehing voice against her claims. Vani-
y for s'the honor that c0meth 81 mani
may submit to her sentence of couacmna.
|ti0n and degradation; and pride may
brave to the last her most terrific nnathe-
mas Il is thus, By taking into view the
relations Of the conscience u the intellec-
tual powers and 70 the heart, that any
want Of uniformity in its decisions may
be satisfactorily accounted for
We now resume our outline Of the mo-
RAJ feelings. lin the processes 81 the con-
science there may be emotionK either 81
approval or disapproyal without the 4
wakenBaent Of the feeling If moral obi
cation; but il II all important 10 observe
that the feeling u obligation Is never *,
peEanced unless tie mere sAotions b
first aroused. That feeling has Cor its r.
climate objects our own voluntary actions
and mental states, and not those of other
linen; for It is manifest that We never feel
obligated either to do or not to doythat
which is exclusively within the power Of
others to accomplish; although at the
same time, we may approve or aisapprove
of their performances, as we'll is Of their
neglects. Immediately upon the arising
of emotions Of moral approval feeling Of
obligation is experienced to perform d
certain action, or to entertain or manifest
q certain sentiment provided always that
the individual conscious Of such emotions
i in circumstances admitting Of such per-
formance or manifestation, otherwise, how
ever strong the emotions, no feeling 81
obligation is awakened. And. on the
other hand, whenever emotions of moral
disapproyal arise in the breast. q feeling Of
obligation is instantly experienced either
to refrain from the performance Of GER
tain action, or to repress a certain senti.
ment, or restrain its utterance, or to re-
fuse qualification to some desire.
From the relation Of the feeling Of mo-
raj obligation to the moral emotions. it ap-
pears that the degree or intensity Of that
feeling is always proportionate to the de-
gree OF previous or co-existent excitement
in the region Of the moral emotions !; So
that, if the emotions Of approval, with re-
ference to something practicable, be very
intense, the feeling of obligation will be
correspondingE intense, and rice rcrsa !:
while on the other hnnd, If tho emotions
Of disapproyal be very intense, the feeling
Of obligation to door not I'd do las the case
may be) win be proportionabiy intense.
and t'icc rersa provided that the object
of these different emotions be within she
reach of the individuals power.
From the relation Of the moral emotions
to the feeling Of obligation we may also
learn a truth of the greatest practical i'm
Iportance, as will hereafter more fully an
peal, VIZ that the aofaI cpiotiions, and
immediate subject of educationaT mtiu-
enees in this portion Of our nature.
Our next number will be devoted to a
brief consideration of the Will after
which we shall enter directly on the dis
cussion Of the proper manner Of conduct
ing the great and grave process Of tho
rough self-education--a process whose
manifold difficulties, rightly interpreted,
constitute, not obstacles Of insurmounta.
bic altitude, but only urgent challenges OF
daring defances to all the combined facul.
ties Of ourlwonderful nature challenges
and defances which, instead Of damping
our ardor, should but raise it to an in.
tensor fame, and elicit tile nlagnanimous
resolve Of Victory Or unceasing war.
W.