The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-09-28

Cooper. entitled Stree Disoussion," from which b
begged permission to fesd few extrscts Irhs leo
turcr then read through grea. macy pages of thi,
work, curing WHICH several parties w,r, seen 70 "a
i 70 Steep lnis Wi1oiplo OF free discussion is 40.
kDowedged by almostevery one; botif We too freely
discoss some matters politics in pnticuar, tressou
DILIGENTLY thai men have been protected from pun.
lshmeAt ior what has been termed Constructive
| treRson We are indebted to the author of the
Declaration OF Independence for designating what
treason ac'uhBy 49, That emily Is considered treason
when person inoites 10 or leyies war against
the States. Ibis has lately besn urged againsr
those who Rave advocated the question Of the tyi3
ability OF dissolution Of tho u uicn Nov, no N IN
set higher value on the Union than did he, (Mr
SbeplaTd) and he thought tho pro posisOn OF those
men extremely rioisn'oM: but he o0ntcnded that
they had rght 10 freely discuss tho question, aad
regretted that they had been mobbed and s5.g>
natixed ID possessing bad ciaTaotow. This was
denying tho right of free discussion, and al
most q confession that the consultation was
so inherently weak rs not to bear being argued
about. Now, that which is based ON goodness, ian
always he discussed Yct how few, who agree with
this axiom, and consider their own principles, re-
Ggous and political, az correct, wiling 10 hear
those systems made the subject Of argument. To-
stead OF meeting the cavaliers fairly, aud discussing
the questions IN proper SPIRIT they generally con-
trive to backen tho characters OF their opp0nents
representing them as infamous and their prino pies
pernicious, being likely TO lead to decentralization
and anarchy. They acknowledge that truth can
only DO arrived at by discussion but when it comes
to practice they co not seem willing to abide BIZ
their declarations. Hence, they are dosma tio and
IT is worthy Of remark. that dogmatlsm ID no. con.
fined to one scot aiono, but generally the attribute
OF all rehgonists. Even those who have thrown of
the huperstiO OF other days are as much opposed
to practical free discussion the most b,gotoa ana
tic. Now, tho true object which every one ought
to have in view should be to endeayor TO find out
the truth, no matter what cherished opinions
will thereby have to give up. A 0ogmatic spir. is
learn hi ruth
on any question, c0nsi der it doubtful ana reme-
Der that there always two sides to overy sntjecs
In selecting jurors, in courts Of law, allow
ed to remain who have already made up their minds
in the case 10 be brought before them. The same
principle should DO applied to all questions Discus
SONS should DO carried on under certain rules, to
which ali should CONFORM Proper officers should be
appointed to preside, and to take care that none Of
the speakers should imputc wrong motives TO their
antagonists He (Mr Sheppard) was sorry that
the discussions which ad taken place in that hail
various occasions were not distinguished by such
fairness IL is all very right to infer the bud ten.
Gencies Of certain opinions, and rocule doctrines
but 1t 10 certainly very wrong to be impuSing bad
motives To those who argue against us Ono OF tho
many caueea why so many members of the legal pro-
fession attain TO suoh emincnce in this couatGy III
political point Of view, is their having always
maintained control over themselves when en-
gagged in argument. When thoy have been ia tho
ceuts Of law they have been utorod i'll this respect,
for there they were under certain restrictions. Tho
judge on the bench entcIces the rules. To he sure
they take wide latitude in sometimes abusing wit
nesses, but nevertheless, they 90 not lose self con-
troll, fer though they discuss points With the great
est energy, yet they always observe the recog.
n2ed decorum. Lawyers, who have opposed each
other il the court, are friends outside, Now this
is not the case with any other profession, and
amongst the oierey IN particular, there is sad
want Of this enviable mode Of argument. In their
phillipics against each other they do not scrupo
to throw cut insinuationS sgainst character and
motives Few questions, indeed, have been dis
cussed on their merits. For Instance, the slavery
question. On this subject, all the evidences for
and against, have not been fully brought out. Tho
anti slavery party seem to rely mainly dogmstio
declarations, and they have the popular impulse
WIN them There was too much prejudice on this
and several osher subjects and tbs consequence
was, may things were overlooked Materalism
and spir'tuslism were cases in point. The dis
luiauts On both sides seemed to overlook tho phre-
biological and pnJ siologcel couditon Of di1:rent
sentiment OF nen--she religious charao-
Tor &C men. IL is pdmitted by many rcigionsts
that the existence Of Gpd cannot be proved. but
THAI il Is tair matter Of Inference fr1B sentiment
Ater lev turSher remarks, Mr.. sheppard con.
Guided.
lat was then passed round fat tho collection Of
room rent, after mncL the rostruu mounted BY
Mr. MCDONALD, WHO declared his perfect RilliDg
be- io sen III a iIces - dicu, ~, different
fr'i eo's hui nc was firmly 81 opuion th4s discus
sion altogether usel, $ Discussion never did
hyteirg !ot Ca the subject u slavery ii .cission
hnt h.cb agate for A:ty yet "a. AID ye are not a
pSiy eii&mGDZcs the ihtT as beng every lhing |
that i bad; ana - The question be ssttled BY
Ian discussion Il niust he settled by tho sword Il
opnrot re ssttlt Guy o:hcr way Then nsan there |
af,. tie ,ern.s elderly aIa equsty" beiog still dis
cusscd attr The wrSpgipg Of half 3 century, bat |
~ have ma3c nothing tt Is We have nos arrived |
yer 20 ~ ccrtni:ty - % what "lbe,ty and equal |
i.y' exactly mean. HIS (3r NcDonaosl ,de. OF |
liberty. being wing, IS of course very different |
fsom the Lotion which democrat hn5 OF 1t; and !
that il the case with every hing. For instance, |
religion at the sine Of the reformation, was dis
cusSed before kings sud euperors and vain wore the
efforts made 10 reconcile the various opinions. The |
sword was brought into reduis'iop, and even at |
this day the subject is still matter Of dispute. It
is very certain that all the religious and political |
cIcurns :anoes that have taken place ia the world
proofs. What was II brought about the Gu |
!reuclisement Of our Gref.thers from serfdom |
There was an cd man il the middle ages, I
when ii was the fashion to worship God aud |
tic Virgin. This man vas Peter toe Hermit. He |
visited Jerusaleb and found Ii in the hands Of the
Mussnlntn. who, like all conquorors, kicked their
subjects about, lthc more the pity,) and likewise |
d. based the Holy Sepulchrc and made fun Of the |
Christian religion Well, this state Of things SO
shocked Peter, that he hurried back to Europe, |
and preached upa crusade which was the precursor of
Others This so drained Europe OF The nobility, |
that the kings were enabled. BIZ the aid Of the pie
beians, 10 crush the power Of those that left,
and in En- gland the ranks Of the mobiles were still
further thrned by the wars Of the Roses. Thus we
are now 1resmen. IL we don't like to work under
one man, we can go to another. And something OF
an accidental nature will undo the horrible system
Of slavery but discussion will never do it. Slight
accidents have caused much greater things The dis
coyery OF this great continent was entirely the re-
suit Of accident, as every one is aware
Mr.. MGAGNIs next stood up, and entered at largo
on the subject OF materially, and erdeayored to
prove that atheism was cons0nant to reason. He
was getting into the heat Of tho argument, wien he
was interrupted by tho chairman crying out
.sTime "
MIR. BuRGiE then addressed the meeting, and com.
menced by expressing his regret that atheism
should always be brought upon the carpet no mat
ter what the nature Of the sub OF discussion might
be. Ho thon directed the attention Ut the meet /
ing to the tact that man hsd suffered severely III past
sgs, and in many countries suffered still, through
ecclesiastical and gingly tyranny, AMI there was
but little hopo of bis condition being smelorated rs
long rs schemes were brought tiorward, which, !
though good in themselves attacked his pref id:ces,
This was generally The way in which Ill questions
sal uE1 In n.rlv yyin fla