The New York herald., 1850-04-25
Lecture by DR.. Adams, In the Broonae Stresu
Church, on the Subject OF sociallsm.

TExr.-Acts, chap W. vfEW Whilst Il remained vas it
poweri" 5000 lr rINIl "rr.nl. n
La prep,ssts esst k poln "Pro, ", that Is . rob
bery'-such is the frightful formula In which Proud
hon enuncates the results of his studies and dis
eusions upon the subject Of the right Of possession
His hard shodded style, and the boldness Of his LAM
guage, indicate no common man. He Is communist
dscarding all property as connected with labor sno
he elected component part Of the French govsr-
ment. lie is Of an intellect not to be despieeds
whose style is impressive mixed with many just and
noble sentiments in relation the OF the
Sabbath, the institution Of marriage &c lie gathers
up all the grievances Of the dscontented places them
in portable tangible form, and his may yet be-
come famous than II already is for the conse-
quences which may yet fow from his principles II
may be said, Let such die and pass away for
gottann But what if he aud his principles are like
worms, eating in the common ship In which
floating and silently destroying its timbers ought the
common danger to be despsed! He had power enouyh
in June to keep the cannon roaring in the streets of
Paris for five days, sweeping down the people dsap
pointed Of getting public work in the public workshops.
There no excitement like that which IL produced
by the subject OF possession or property and II Is
question deserving serious thought Chrisanss
and the facilities Of national intercourse in these days
makes that which Is municipal national, and that
which Is national to any people, universal No coun-
try has more at stake this question than own
TO which the crowd Of emigrants come like cloud
darkeDing the skies-some who have property for
curity others to labor and acquire The inequality
of property in civil society has adyerted to
by the ancents as well a. by the moderns Among
the latter DR. Paley says, IL we were TO flock
of hundred pigeons feeding in corn field and in
stead of each taking plenty and what he wanted,
to ninety nine OF them gathering the
up in heap for the benefit Of one pigeon the worst
OF the whole flock and II to all the others
scantily feeding upon husks and straw sitting by and
watching the heap which they had collected for the
single and if one among the ninety nine anxious
to taste the rich food to take away grain or two
the large heap collected by them all for the bene
fit one then all the others fall upon him and
him to pieces for touching the heapif you were
o
is daily done in the world The great mass labor foc
one erhaps the worst one among them all. child
idiot fool madman they gather together rchoi
and objects Of enjoyment for HIM; and II any one o.
them was to lay hands upon his property the other
land, when DR.. Paey wrote. was commonly pun.
ished capitally by hanging SINCE then the severe
code has been somewhat modified and. though severely
punished he would not now be hanged for mere theft
-Rep This was not written by DR. Paley from sour
Of mind bad feeling He, with his rotund face
beneath his broad beaver was the very personhcaou
Of good nature and genial humor. II would require
some better than those adduced by the Dean
of Carlyle to prove that such condition of things
he has pictured is the very best form Of society
People generally take II for granted that il Is tho
best and that greater equality Of property than
dinary exists in civilized society could not exit
sstent with the rights OF individual property The
Doctor then proceeded to discuss the origin of the
right OF property. As understood. in reference to
the state Of society described by Paey, he did not
maintain that it was by any means the best but that
the remedy proposed by the socialist philosophers
would as he clearly proved to our minds render the
evils undoubtedly existing In all human societies in
hnitey worse than the worst state Of society which
has ever existed on the system OF individual pro-
perty. There ought to be modification OF So
ciety in which there would be greater olua-
hty OF property, while at the same time the rights
of each, and individual property, would be liked
and more secure The first rudiments of society arc
based upon Just conception Of the idea Of property.
II is gious truth which forms aud governs society,"
which is in all its conditions and among all people,
reelection Of the religious ideas prevailing among them
The god Of the indoos is represented passing his
time in sleep, hence the character Of the Hindoo mind
and society which is sothul and inactye while tho
Greeks who painted their gods active warriors
energetic and warlike Such the belief Of people,
and such their worship Is, such will be their condi
tion Of society among them IL is empirc'sm there
fore, to be tinkerng at the outside surface must
go to the root and foundation Give us the bass Of re-
hgous truth, and where there is people who obey
truth there will be the best society. The only just
notions OF property both affect ts possession and
the and distribution of IL. are found embodied in
the pure Christian doctrine Proudhon starts from false
premises In the train Of reasoning which led him TO
lay down his famous proposition He commences With
the human whole and does not recognize per-
sonaity or individuality; hence he argues the equal
right OF all and that individual has separate ght
above another The DR. next discussed the origin OF
eeptic a. well a. the right Of Individual property is
implanted naturally In our bosoms by Him who crea-
ted US and Is as natural and just A. any other want
natural feeling which lie has rendered past of
nature Cicero traces the right Of property TO
tion and compares the world to theatre where all the
seats common but the occupant of any obtains
a right to retain his property for the time being
the seat he occupies. GrOtiu-, on the other
hand traces the origin of the right to the common
consent of all people Locke again MAINTAINS that II In
labor and skill applied 20 various objects,
which gave the right Of individual special aapro-
priatons 20 him who has bestowed the labor o.
skill upon them. Then. again, DR. Paley maintains
that the right To individual property originates from
the civil law and is founded altogether upon the ar
bitrary detum Of the law The subject has called
forth great deal Of metaphysical dsluistion and
research; and philosophers have thought u necessary
20 account for the and the justice OF ans
possessing much and another nothing The Doctor,
IN cCntradistuction to all these authorities main
tanned that the desire Of property original desire
ex in Il : bel We AR
oft properly. therefore. IL Ia feeling and not re-
suit ofustice IL owes it, origin 10 tbs same source
all OF her appctitcs. We have "A Of pro-
perty before are. able to appreciate the eonsc-
quenees of our appropriation IL Is no arrangement Of
Here the Doctor introduced happy aud strik-
ing illustration Of the manner in which childrvn at
the earliest eynce Of the right Of prorsrt
and submit TO claims from other children, showing
inward foundation of the sense OF the right Thus
the sense of the right Of property anterior 90 pos
scssory claims and the sense Of property Is not In
consequence OF human laws, but l. written ON tho
hesbly tables vf the heart. Tho Scripture ofcfs
tiyss 60 guide snd direct the sense but recognizes and
protects the right IT. prceept =" Do unto others az
you would they should do unto YOU a. not merely "a
direction a charity and of mercy but II Lays the
ground Of most perfect conscrystive ur prad nee
IL protects the rich from the sggresons of the poor
and calls upon the rich 10 act and feel towards his
fellow-creature. who may be In want. as he would
This II the proper point 90 start fom vis the right
Of each individual not from the right of society at
large down 20 the individual without tho right
&C. have snd 90 hold TO earn aud 10 acquire In
the individual. should become tnFages
and brutes and on the principles of Socialism - feed
ing all alike society would b. the nerd of
animals. Though the inequalities may be great aud
few may have great estates yet aha, state o scc y i'm
which each individual 4 free 20 exercise the right OF
acquisition and 10 appropriate the thing acquired.
the greatest of blessings compared 90 the condition
which Communifm proposes TO establish The worst
form of civilization " letter than the promiscuous
condition Of living herdci a. animals an equal mass
without the right cf property sud without property
This system. Instead Of introducing the golden age
would introduce the iron ace The best system ~ to
le, every have fair opportunity TO lst every
be subjected 60 the stimulus ~ the necessity ~ int
yidual labor and excrton aud Go lei every cnioy
by the free possession of bis property the reward pfhs
labor and excrton The lecturer then proceed a in
very able aud happy manner Go show that Christi
snty amer fully establishing aud recognizing the ght
Of individual property. does not stop here bat
ciscs upon all Who yield 90 IT. truth povcr ~ the
utmost extent Witch coutrcls aud directs the esprnd
ture Of property lie showed that the true principle
oi Christianity s love; that guided by this prime pie
there could be danger Of excess q possession
one hand or of want on the other; but that be sho
was hllcd with this principle could SUI his
brother 20 want than he could himself for h. would
love his brother n hmasif such would be tn. pffn-