The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-07-28

men, and TO constrain thereunto, should so far
stoop as to hold themselves in suspense from
taking any effect upon you till some disputer
can persuade you to be obedient." Vol. /, D.
40, Hooker's Works, London, 1890.
Well, Richard Hooker was sensible old
gentleman, 50 much so that am confident
| these worthy editors of the Register will thank
me for another citation "A law is the deed of
the whole body polite, whereof if we Judge
yourselves to be any part, then is the law even
your deed also. And were il reason in things
OF this quality to give men audience pleading
for the overthrow of that which their own very
deed hath ratified. Ibid
Hooker also says: 90 Laws that have been
approved may be Ono man doubteth) again re-
pealed, and to that end also disputed against
by the authors thereof themselves; but this is
when the whole doth deliberate what laws each
part shall observe, and not when part refuseth
the laws which the whole hath orderly agreed
upon. Ibid.
conscience" was not thing which Rich
ard Hooker was disposed to "ore,Tide," or
treat lightly, or to ridicule. Yet no stickler for
the supremacy of the law has ever spoken more
restrainingly of its duties than has good old
Richard, under the name or mans ''perSlta-
SION :" "Neither wish we that men should do
any thing which, in their hearts, they are per-
s,taded they ought not to do but this persuasion,
say, ought to be fully settled in their hearts,
that in litigious and controverted causes of such
quality the will of God is to have them do
whatsoever the sentence of judicial and final
decision shall determine; yea, though it seem,
in their private opinion, to swerve utterly from
that which is right, &c."-Ibid, page Al.
''Eor, If God be not the author of confusion, but
Of peace, then can he not be the author of our
refusal, but Of our contentment to stand under
some definitive sentence; without which, al
most impossible it is that either we should
avoid confusion, or ever hope TO attain peace"
Ibid
trust old Richard has not worn out his well
come with the editors of the Register, for here
he is again: Things were disputed before they
came to be determined; men afterwards were
not to dispute any longer, but to obey. The sem
tence of judgment finished their strife, which
their disputes before judgment could not do.
This was ground sufficient for any reasonable
mans conscience to build the duty of obedience
upon, whatsoever his opinions were as touching
the matter before in question. Ibid.
Clear-headed and consistent as Richard
Hooker ever was, it is not to be presumed that
these learned editors have discovered passage
from his careful pen which conflicts with these
sentiments of his. They quote him thus:
"There is" he says, emo person whom, nor time
wherein a natural LaiD doth not bind. To
dispense lpih 10 can neoer possibly be DONE
Justice, that which fiourishing upholdeth, and not
prevailing dsturbeth, shaketh, threateneth with
utter desolaton and ruin the whole world; Justice,
that whereby the poor have their succor, the rich
their ease, the potent their honor the souls Of the
righteous departed their endless rest and quiet
ness."
And yet he says that in controverted causes
men must be persuaded that "the wiH of God
is TO haze them do ,chateucr the sentence of jti-
diciaL and final decision shall determine, yea,
though 1t seem, IN their priUate opinion, to
stoeroe utterly from that phich Is right"
What is natural la,o is not question to be
settled by the natural feelings or persuasions
of each individual, in his own particular case,
nor always even by bodies of men who,
like the Mormons and others, find, or affect to
find, natural lao, written in their members,
and who may plead its universal presence and
supremacy just as wisely.
The object of the editors of the Register, in
quoting this passage from Richard Hooker, is
to show that law of the land may be righte-
ously disobeyed in obedience to natural La,o,
and that Richard Hooker thought so. Well, |
they see that good old Richard never intended |
to convey any such absurd idea.
A man might as wisely invest his gold and |
rear family in Bedlam, and locate there, as
in community where the laws of the land
may be obeyed or violated by any citizen, ac-
cerding as they agree or conflict with his no.
tons Of natural taro. SIGMA.