Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1852-08-26
The Obligations Of Society.


The following sentiments constitute
portion of the remarks made by Rev. DR..
Fuller, at the late commencement at Har-
ward:
have listened with deep interest TO your
venerable Chief Justice, as he spoke OF the
importance of faithful administration Of
the law. After all, however, let me be
pardoned for saying, that we owe 10 our fell
low-men higher duty than a faithful admin
istration OF the law. The noblest use Of ed
ucation is not TO make legislators, lawyers,
and Judges. These are for the punishment
of evil doors. Our first duty is not to pun
ih crime, but to prevent it.
Some one has remarked that ''the worst
use you can put man 10, is TO hang him.
and governments have too long seemed to
consider this as great part of their mission.
What is the melancholy fact as to civil gov
ernments? The fact is this. They take
but little pains to reach and educate the
heart, from which are issues of life. They
leave the passions to strengthen and mature,
and seek only to punish their outbreaks
They satisfy themselves with passing Sc
we're enactmenis; scowling upon the victims
of depravity which they have never sought
to retrench, and consigning them TO the Jail,
the penitentiary, the gallows.
Society owes to the citizens higher duty
than all this. To repress the principles Of
evil, to inbred and cherish right feelings
and noble purposes, this should be the great
business of society. The laws cannot be
too fully enforced; better no laws than laws
which are violated with IMMUNITY. But
still, repeat it, the first duty of society is
not to punish; it is to prevent crime. This
is real charity. True benevolence is not tc
shut up people in dungeons, but TO shut PEG.
pie out of them. He is the christian phi.
lanthropist who thus wars against the pris.
on and the gibbet, who corrects public opin
ion, and elevates public character, by teach.
ing men that knowledge is better than ig
norance, temperance than intemperance
virtue than vice.
If ever this blessed influence is to q
forth upon society, our Alma Meter look.
TO us, and expects each of us 10 do his duty
But we are not only members of socet,
we are members Of american society,"
and what sacred trusts and duties and res
possibilities are folded up in This relation!
In the first place upon whom are we t.
depend for the preservation of our civil anc
political liberties, if the educated classe.
prove faithful to their charge? There are
two ways in which ignorance prepares ;
land for subjugation and tyranny. 1t begct.
and fosters some superstitious idolatry of
hero. Examine the history of despotism
and you will find that it ever has been base
upon the worship of some mortal, who, him
self the slave of his own passions, has sue
ceeded in dazzling and deludng the multi
tude, and inspiring the popular mind will
superstitious awe and alteration. This idol
airy is SO absurd that it cannot long continue
except where gross ignorance prevails
Education and knowledge will unmask tn,
mpostor, and dispel the illusion.
The other effect of ignorance is to keeI
one class in such state of degradation ant
dependence, that they are easily forced int
submission and trodden down. There i:
but one safeguard against this deplorablt
evil. 1t is the diffusion of knowledge
Creation began with light; and it is idle t.
suppose that any people will maintain, OIL
understand or be capable of real freedom
unless the educated class meet the high OBJ
legation which rests upon them to spread in.
telligence and intellectual improvement
throughout the community. n
The direct curse of tyranny is not upor
our bodies or our fortunes. 1t is Within
1t is upon the mind that the blight works
Nor is there any liberty worthy of the name
where the soul, the intellect is not left free.