Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-16
MODERN REFORMs.


MODERN REFORMS.
We live in an age of reforms, and of won
ders. The good old world that has been rolling
very comfortably along for the last six thou
sand years, is still not worthy of the benevolent
and wholesale reformers of the nineteenth GEN.
tury. Man has altogether lost his individu-
atty and States their sovereignty in this settled
determination to subject the whole world to the
sway of cosmopolite benevolence. The ancient
maxim Of Terence, that man should consider
nothing human as alien from his sympathy,
has been enlarged in its application, SO as to
justify an impertinent interference by every
selfcomplacent philanthropist in the affairs Of
his neghbor, to the criminal neglect of his
own.
In our own country, there are many exam
Piles. of this hot-bed system of reformation,
which seeks to improve upon the plain old
christian method for SO long recognized by the
world. First among them all, "by merit raised
to that bad eminence," are the Abolitionists;
who, forgetful or regardless Of the misery that
surrounds them at home, hazard the very ex-
istence of the Union in an insane attempt to
interfere with the internal policy and domestic
institutions of the States. Another class are
those, who, finding but little difficulty in per-
fecting their own pure natures, exert their
surplus energies in the improvement of the
morality of others-a class who would fain
enlist the power of government in the insane
oao he Hat nd
restrain the appetites of individuals. Chad
bands in plenty there are, who, with oily COM
placency, pirate softly Of the charity which
always ends with themselves, and of the piety
which is a synonym for hypocrisy; and Jella-
bies, who measure the extent of their philan-
thropy as traveller estimates the length Of
his journey by its distance from home.
At first view it is surprising that such ex-
crescences should be found SO plentifully in an
age which proudly boasts of its advance in
civilization. The reason, however, is clear: It
is owing to the fact that men of narrow views
and preudices mistake the very nature of gov
ernment and of society. Too weak to have
the power of selfcontrol themselves, these
prating fanatics attribute the same frailty to
Others. They thus contend that society and
government are formed not to benefit, but to
control man--that the individual is made Tor
them, that he loses his native independence In
the establishment of government, and merges
his individuality in the formation of society.
Such principle as this, lies at the root OF
all the evil and insanity which has characterized
the history Of the world within the last century.
1t is against such system, that the philo
sophie eloquence of Burke, and the singing
sarcasm of Canning inveighed with such power
and effect. 1t were well if such hands now
held the pen to check the rapid growth of radi-
calism in our country. The only remedy for
the evil is to be found in a complete refuta-
ton of principle which is as false as it is
dangerous. 1t is the duty of every man who
desires conservative spirit to prevail, TO do all
in his power to establish the truth that govern
lnents were formed for the benefit Of man, and
not that man was made to be the dependent
creature and the slave of government. In this
simple truth, which no candid mind can sue
cessfully combat is to be found the avenue to
that whole series of modern diseases which has
been lurking in the body polite.
More particularly is it necessary to repel
these assaults Of fanaticism, in country, where
the people are endowed with SO much power,
and where from their facile disposition they
are so apt to become the prey of pestilent and
designing demagogues. Let these two princi-
pies be then firmly established: First that the
States Of the Union are completely sovereign
in themselves, having merely delegated certain
powers to be exercised by the federal govern
ment; and second, that even in the States the
man is completely sovereign, having merely
delegated certain Of his powers to be exercised
by the State. In either case the action ofgov.
eminent should be determined alone by the
charter Of its powers. How complete the an
swer furnished by these two simple truths TO all
the plausible sophisms which fanaticism can
urge.
The Abolitionist is thus easily answered by
the fact that the States, sovereign in themselves,
have never yielded to the federal government
the right to legisate on subject affecting their
internal policy alone; nor has it yielded the
right Of the federal government to interpose to
check the free immigration Of every citizen into
the common territory Of the Union. The ad
vocatcs of any system, whether for sumptuary
laws, or for the Maine liquor law, is met sue
cessfully by the position that such action is an
unauthorized interference on the part Of gov
eminent with the individual rights of the citi-
zen. The relation between the government and
the citizen, thus firmly established, will have
the happy effect Of repelling despotism on the
one hand and anarchy on the other.
GOOD WING AUTHORITY.
We commend to our Wing contemporaries
nj the South, who are endeayorino 10 make Il