The republic., 1851-08-09
From the Boston 1rensc,ipt.
The Peace and Dignity OF the CANNON
yeaIfh.-No XIV.


weaIfh.-No. XIV.
Parents, naturally withal, are ever most So
licitous about their feeble and rcketty children,
whether affiliated OF begotten Upon this
principle, presume, we must explain the anx-
iety ofihe editors Of the Christian Register for
the fate of that transcendental monster com
monty known as the "higher Lalc, and which, in
the popular acceptation of the term, may well
enough be styled the bastard conscience; and
which resembles the laD Of God, or, natural
Lalc, about as closely, to use the comparison Of
the younger Coleman, as mummy resembles
hyperion.
II is, indeed, very silly thing for these ed
itors TO berate 'o'r greatest public men" be-
cause they have treated these false and danger
GUS doctrines with contempt, as though they
had assalled the law of God and were fitting
against the principles of all moral philosophy.
law is duly enacted. To part of the
people the law seems constitutional and just, to
others not. The latter, without waiting to have
the question of constitutionality settled by the
appointed tribunals, oppose the law by force,
again and again, and prevent its execution by
committing high treason. In time the ques-
tion Of constitutionality is brought before the
proper tribunals, and court after court Judge after
Judge, declare the law to be perfectly constitu-
highspirited clergymen, one of whom, Theodore
Parker, avows his opinion that the doctrine of
non-resistance proclaimed by Jesus Christ is
nonsense, +" and declares that he is armed with
his sacord and ns,tsket and pistols, readyt for ser,
rice, still aver their purpose To dsobey the law.
For this they assign their obligations to the
higher Latc.
This higher la,c is supposed to be written on
the consciences of men, Now If consciences
were moulded, like candles, precisely alike,
just four TO the pound, and continued just so
from the cradle to the grave; and if the intell-
gences of men were also equally calculated to
instruct their consciences and keep them in
good working condition, then this theory would
be very delightful. But nothing can be farther
from reality, farther from life and practice,
than all this. Men so strangely differ that the
higher iaD of one man is often entirely different
from the higher LatD of another, and in some in
stances as high again. Such will readily APP
pear to be the truth to those who contemplate
the extremes of education and ignorance, and Of
virtue and vice. Yet, for aught can see, one
mans higher lao is just as good as another
mans higher Iaao, so far it furnishes the pro-
prietor with plea in bar when required to an
swer for disobedience to the law of the land
Now, there is no tribunal on earth, Tor the
under the higher laac. Everybody carries the
only tribunal about him. The Clergyman, to
be sure, may question the higher la,o of the
horSe-thief; and he may reply: 4" If need
horse, and my neighbor abounds, the higher laao,
that Is the natural lap, impels me, as irressti-
bly, and justifably, to take of his abundance, as
1t authorizes you to preach treason and perjury"
IL is surprising to observe what nice distnc-
tons are drawn, even by educated men, who
are professors of the higher Lap
Mr.. Theodore Parker contends that jury
man duly sworn may righteously violate his
oath. Mr.. Wendell Phillips denies the correct
ness of this position. He himself, however,
having sworn, as all our attorneys at law are
sworn, to support the Constitution of the Uni
ted States, goes forth upon Boston Common,
gathers mob, urges them to trample that Con
stitution and the law under foot, and, by the
most violent and incendiary language, endea-.
vors to urge them forward to the perpetraton
of high treason. How exceedingly refined
are the distinctions of the higher tas! 1t is
to be hoped that Mr. Sumner or Mr.. j. p. Hale
may find leisure for its codifcation.
Need more be said to prove that the peace
and dignity of the great Commonwealth
whole Union-would be crumbled into dust if
such colossal nonsense were not crushed at
There is another phase in which the preten-
sions of these higher la,o gentlemen present
themselves, and which savors of inordinate ar
rogance. Whether take coup deil of these
conscientious personages, or scrutinIze them
and consider what manner of
men they are, and ever have been, and then
turn round and carefully examine the religious,
moral, and intellectual qualifications of those
who readily obey the law with consciences un-
troubled, am perfectly astonished. There is
a prodigious inequality in the distri
button of moral and mental qualities. have
looked upon the hard and puckerative features
of several Of these htgher Law gentlemen, and
have marvelled at their extreme sensibility and
the wonderful tenderness of their consciences.
A few days ago was excited to laugh louder
than am wont TO do when all alone while
reading the speeches at the late Unitarian Min
isterial Conference. The manner in which the
preacher of perjury and treason, while describ
ing his study as a perfect arsenal, and him
self as surrounded with his musket, sword,
and pistols, ready for use, and making his
avowal that the precepts of Jesus Christ,
touching the principle of non resistance, were |
'nonsensc"-the manner in which this adj
vocate for the higher lac called most worthy
minister of Christ, his 'sBrother Gan1lett,"
iCiHiuucu vi oWHt liuOS Oh DcttooWUItN-
$50 at the bar the BOBBY, Bcttesworth,
Though half crown o'erpay his sweat's worth,
Who knows in law, nor text nor margent,
Calls Singleton his brother serjeant."
So in the church the BOBBY, Parker,
Altho' no madman e'er was starker,
Who, while he cries " Resist not evil"
Adds, in the spirit of the devil,
" Resist not s,oic, with violence,
But when you're stronger, sometime hence
Who, while he breaches Jesus, swaggers
Ofswords and pistols, guns and daggers,
And holds what Christ said, on the Mount,
90 Resist ye not'-of account;
Who keeps his old grandfather's weapon
To battle with, and not to sleep on;
And, If his rev renee can't confute 'em,
Has piously resolv'd to shoot 'em;
Yet holds the church their common mother,
And calls good Doctor Gannett-brother!
Let us grow grave once more. There is GER
tainly description of men who seem utterly
untitled for cioiL society. There are Garrison,
and the Mays, and Pillsbury ct i'd genus onae,
who would, very possibly, be amiable people,
if each one of them had a lodge By himself in
some vast wilderness. With the firearms Of
- II