The daily union., 1854-02-28
For tie Union.
Fanstfciu.n.

IL
one idea and object which it pursues without the
slightest regard TO future consequences Persuaded or
seekng to persuade ITSELF that some phantom of over
heated brain is the only bonu great panacea
which all the evils OF ife- is deferred by no OBJ
staces moral or physical but rushes mady forward n
It's pursuit dashing everything aside and prosating every
barrier III It's way II sets up dogma aud falls down
and worshps IL II arogaies the sanction OF Heaven Tor
The violation OF all human Obligations and substitutes M
own wild vagaries IN the place Of the sober dictates OF
reason and experience the obligations OF Justice the sane
uty OF political compacs, and the long established nsu-
tons of society.
In bringing about its own favore object, fanatcism
not for consequences, heeds how many victims
II mmoates at its shrine, Its pet good is superior
TO all other good and TO the good OF all others and with
an unsuitable selfshness seeks its qualification
at the expense OF millions OF its fellow creatures II
creates sin and hunts il down without mercy 1t makes
that crime which has been considered innocent since
the earliest ages OF the world, and nyokes oil
preceding generations for not having anticipated the dis
covery II makes Abraham the friend of God an enemy
to the human race, and Washington man-stealsr.
Whatever it DEGREES sin is OF sin and as often
as II lnvents crime invokes all its attendant pack
TO pursue il with perpetual howngs. No matter what
stands the way OF its furious II il be church,
down with it; if great social political institution,
sanctioned by divine and sustained by human laws, and
based on the rock OF great political compact. away with
tit is violation OF the law of God and the rights of
Nature and if it be Bible, trampe il under foot, for
there is no God but the demon OF fanatcism, and
lgion but abolition. ,etgH
Fanatcism is the most absolute and dogmatical Of all
tyrants. for il govern by divine right, and
neither listens 10 Ii is the common
dsurbe Of the repose OF society, because all the obga
tions OF the social compact stand in it's way and can
only flourish among the il has produced. II Is
compound OF ashness, cowardce, and efronery it has
the instinct OF madness, and in the midst of its widest
rawlings is equally cunning and hypocritcal 1t deals
only pous frauds and consecraes falsehoods, and
the disciple OF Loyoa believes it il his sacred duty
to cheat and deceive, in order to build up church So
the devotee OF fanacsm does not hesitate resort to the
orthodox OF pulling it down. The first lesson
the fanatic learns to despise the opinions OF oil those
who dissent from his creed He is niable he disdains to
with the heretca disciples OF sense, who
look to consequences for the direction OF their conduct
but excommunicates them at once and interdicts them
from all communion with the faithful Ii you laugh
him, he receives it the homage of inferior beings;
he banquets on the contempt OF mankind and the lower
he falls the estimation OF rational men, the higher he
rises in his Like the poTcupne he rolls himself up
in ball. and there is touching him without pricking
your fingers II must be evden, there no in
soning with such people; and il you rail at them they
meek Moses and the Quakers They have con-
scenous scruples against fighting in defence Of their
country, but will clap their hands and cry "mad dog" at
you. They are devout lovers of peace, at the
time they doing all they TO set the two races OF
mankind in deadly hostility, and sow dssensons among
their owns and they interpret the great command to love
their neghbors as themselves, to nothing more
than robbng them OF their property, and calling them
men-stealers and dealers in human flesh
Fanaticsm in free country. where the legislative
on only reflection Of the popular feeling, is the most
dangerous Of all enemies to the freedom Of action and
opinion Ii makes crimes, and laws TO prevent
or punish them. 1t recognises rights but such
cord with its notions ol right and wrong; and instead of
hSgdi M M 10, Of hhsrty and equality
eatiou enacts .higher law" which rendgrbn
laws nugatoy There is, there can be, no other stand
ard Of TRUTH Justice humanity but the creed OF fanat
icsm and all laws, divine human. are but the accu.
muated rubbish OF the dark ages The devout Mussul-
man excaims, "Therc is no God but God, and Mahomet
is his Prophet and the ar-brained fanatic re-echoes,
"There is no evil but slavery, and prophet but the
great apostle OF the higher law" All other evils fade
into nothing in comparison with that, and all other con-
sequences OF no consequences whatever.
Fana,icism, when il the character OF abolition,
towers above all the restraints OF the laws and the cons
tuition If you with the fanatic, he takes refuge
behind his great dogma, "Savery is SIM and there is
an end of the matter. If you place before him
the restraints OF the constitution, he tells you the
| constitution is "a gross violation of the law Of God
and the rights OF nations" II you urge that OF
the primary objects Of all government is the pro-
tec,ion OF property he quotes Lord Brougham in op-
position TO Holy Writ, and the practice OF all mankind
from the remotes ol the World ana tells you tna
man canno, hold property in man.. Behind this dogma
he is nvncble since. though no, selfevdent, il can
neither be proved dis roved II has, therefore, all the
requisites of rst-rae dogma, and is emneny worthy
| of lis dsng gushed author, of whom was apy said
when appointed Lord Chancellor of England, that "it
was great pity his lordship did not know little law,
and then he would know little of everything" II you
quote The Bible that is behind the spirit of the age. and
i like the constitution is according TO the declarations OF
the leading oracle of abolition, only fit 10 be spat upon
and trodden under foot II you talk to bin about State
rights and such 'gammon," he calls you pro.slavery
man and If you place before bin the consequences that
mus, inevitably resn, the Ieoplc of the South from
the accomplishment Of his schemes, he denounces them
as mensiealers and dealers in human esh and this in
his opinion is sufficient Finally, if you appeal
10 him in behalf of the Union he declares che will give
the Union for the abolition of slavery"
Every inflated and plesumptuous fanatic looks down
| down with contemptuous scorn on bis more sober
rational fellow creatures inferior beings abect crawl
era on the earth, while he is souring beyond the moon
tied 10 the fiery tail of comet His arrogance and self
concei, veed under the aecaton OF profound HUMILITY
are ;mnerturbable for nothing is in his opinion ut
s,lv impo.sbe as that he should be in the wrong He
ha. planed himself on one single idea; his creed has
but one article; the commandments all resolve them
selves into one supendous dogma, and the entire system
of moral, religious, and political obligations swal-
lowed up at single gulph in the nav OF fanaticsm.
Fanatcism, standing by itself, and without any sup
4 ~ l. - al, h. lu( a.