The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-04-28
ar A souraERSEH.

; with slaves. The feudal system that suppl.nted
Roman institutions changed the form OF slavery,
but brought nth it neither liberty or equality.
France and the Northern States OF our Union
have alone fully and fairly tried the experiment
of a social organization founded upon universal
liberty and equality ofrights. England has only
approx Kim tied TO this condition IN her commercial
and manufacturing cities. The examples OF
small commuri les in Europe ar, not NJ expo
nents of the working Of the system. ia France
and in our Northern States the experiment mas
,lready failed, if we are to form our "p'nion'
from the discomfort of the masses or 10 believe
the evidence Of the socialists communists anu
renters and aNthousand other Aquarium sect~
that have arisen ia these countries, ana tnreiteh
to subvert the whole social fabric. ne leaders
If these sccts. ut least il France, comprise with
ia their ranks the greater number OF the mos
cultivated and profound minds in the nation
who have mlde government their study. ID
to the evidence of these social philosophers
Who, watching closely the working OF the sys
TEN. have proclaimed to the world it's total fill-
IRE The condition of the working classes, and
ve have conclusive proof that liberty and eqlll
ity have not condnccd to enhance the co Mort or
the happiness of the people. C-.me and pau
nerisrn have increased. Riots, trades unions
strikes for higher wages discomfort bre king ou'
into revolution, are things Of daily occurrence
and show that the poor zee and feel quite as
clearly as the philosophers, that their condition
if far worse under the new than under the old
order of things. Rldicasm and charlism in
England owe their birth to the free and cqna
institutions of her commercial and manufactur
ing istricts, and are little heard OF in The qie'
| farming DISTRICTS where remnants OF frud hism
~ L., lx~I 500
! md in the laws ofertail and prmogenitnre.
So much for experiment. We will now en-
1eavor to treat the subject theoretically, and to
show that the system is on it's face sef-destruc
tive and impracticabe. When we look to the
vegetable, animal and human Kingdoms, we dis
cover in them all constant conflict war, o.
race of competition, the result Of which is, thai
The weaker or less healthy genera. species and
individuals are continually displaced and exter
minated by the strpsger and more hardy til
means by which some contend nature is per
fectinp her own work We however witness
the war hut do not see the Improvement. AL
hourh iron. the earliest date Of recorded hi,to-
w. one race of plants has been eating out and
taking the place of another, the stronger 0,
more cunning animals been destroying tho fee
bier, and man exterminating and supplanting hi
fellow, still the plants, the animals and the men
If to-day seem not nj all superior, even in thos
qualities Of strength and hardwood to which
they owe their continued existence, to those o.
thousands Of years ago To this propensity
he strong to Cypress and destroy the weak, gov
.rnment owes its existence; so strongis this pro.
,ensity, and so destructive to human existence
hat man has never vet been found so savage
70 be without government. Forgetfu of thi-
important fact which Is the origin of al, govern
nents, the political economists and the advo
ates Of liberty and equality propose to enhance
ne well being of man by tranmeng his con
lrct ma little as possible. and encouraging what
hey call FACE COMPETITION. Now free compr
iton is but another name for liberty aud equal
", and we rust acquire precise aud acurate no
ions about it. in order to ascertain how free in
,titntons will work. 1t is then that war or con
conflict to which nature impels her creatures
md which government was intended to restrict
It is true, it j. that war somewhat mod lied ano
eatricted, for the warmest friends Of fire, N
would have some government. The question
%, whether the proposed restrictions are suffi
| .ent to neutral 20 the self-destructive tcnden-
| lies which nature impresses on soci.ty. We
nrocAed to show that the war of the wits. o
mind with mind, which free competition of Iiber
| ty AID equality beget and encourage, is quite
| oppressive, cruel and eyternlnating, as the wa,
If the sword, of theft, robbery, and murder
which it fnrbids. 1t is only substitn ING strength
# nina for strength of body Men are told il |
Is their duty 10 compete, TO endeavor to gel
head of and suppnnt their fellow men, by thu |
exercise Of al Il intellectual and moral strength
with which nature and educat n have endowed
hem Might makes right" is the order o
creation, and this law of nature, so far rs men |
al might is concerned, is restore by liberty
nan. The struggle to better ones condition |
TO pull oilers down or suppant them. is th' |
great organic law Of free society. All men b"
ng equal, all aspire to the highest bonors and
the largest possessions. Good men and bud /
men teach their chill iren one and the same les
on" Go ahead, push yonr way in the world
In such society, virtue, If virtue there be. lose
N her lovliness because of her selfish aim.
None but the selfish virtues are encourage he
.ause more other aids man in the race of fire.,
competition. Good mon and hid men have tn,
same end in view. are In pursuit., of the 'ane ob |
Get: sef.promo,iun selfplevaton The yooc
nan is prudent cautious. and cunning Of fence
% knows well the arts (the virtues if yo,
lease) which will aayonre his fortunes and en-
able him to depress and surpant others, h |
hdes his time takes advantage of the filie> |
the improvidence and vices of Others. and MAXI
his fortune ont ~ the misforinneS of hS fellow
men. The bad man ia rash. hastv and unskill |
rul. IL il eqn,llv selfish. hnt not half so Gun
ling. Self~hness is almost the only motive
human conduct with good md hid in fee soce
~, where every mai is taught that he my
,hnnre ard better his condition A vulga
,dge. every man for himself AMI devil TAX
| he hindmost.' il the moral which liberty and
| free competition incucate. Now. there are NJ
more honors and wealth in proportion to mum
bers, in this generation, than in the one whic
preceded it; population fully keeps pace wit
the means Of subsistence: hence those who bet
ter their condition or rise to higher places In 80
cietv, do so generally by pulling down Others or
pushing them fir m their places. Where men OF
strong minds, of strong Wills, and OF great sell
| control, come into FREQ competition win the
weak and mprovideut, the latter soon become
the inmates Of jails and penitentares.
The statistics of France f gland and Amer
en-, show that pauperism and cri ne advance par
passiu with liberty and equality. How can L
be otherwise, when all society is combined to