Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-08-05

III tue u uCo iclCiiCt " w HiH' ~ "uS
in tho exercise of that freedom of con-
science which was theirs, that they had
taken up arms; and if it had been slieirs
during all this time, how can General
Cass say that it was6nly given to them
by the sovereign in 1882 and in 1861.
Ho knows tho profound but apparent
simple maxim in law. Quod meum est,
amPiiVs meam essc, non Protest,-wlat
is mine, cannot become more mine
For many years freedom of conscience
was theirs already, and according to
this maxim could not become more
theirs. Nov if it was theirs already, |
would ask, with great respect for Gen.
Cass and Universal History" how
could it become more theirs by the
grant Of others. Consequently, Gen.
Cass and Universal History" must
mean something else than freedom Of
conscience. Il must mean that they
should be allowed TO retain whatever
advantages, whether of property and
power, civil and religious, which they
had secured during tho progress Of the
dispute. Between the outward cxer-
else of their freedom Of conscience. a.
gainst the laws of the State, and the
pretensions Of the State sovereignty to
preserve order, the freedom Of con.
science was the pretext on one side, the
sovereignty Of the State was the plea
on the other. And this granting of lib-
erty of conscience, referred to by Gen.
Cass, reminds me of the aims given by
a traveller. as mentioned in "Gil Bias"
to poor man who had asked him for
charity in very piteous tone. but who
had bis musket levelod at the same time.
General Cass will no doubt crilicise
this comparison as he has done other
fgurative language in my poor letter.
So experienced an orator must certain
ly know that the value of comparison
is its substantial agreement, but crcum.
stantial difference as regards the thing
to be illustrated. Omnis comParitus
elaudicat. Gen. Cass must surely be
aware that the figure Of All egg is not a
comparison suited TO the description of
another egg, they are both SO much a.
like that TO suggest the idea Of u piece
by comparing it with another piece of
chalk, would be entirely out of tho rules
of rhetoric. General Cass has taken
Of this event for the purposes
Of argument, when he assumes that be-
cause spoke ofthe destruction Of pro-
perty-whcther in Boston or in Phila-
delphia, as violation Of the rights Of
in regard to those persons
to whom such property belonged. | am
to be understood literally, and there
fore as recognizing that conscience can
be violated through the medium Of out
ward violence. did not mean any
such thing. But outward violence can
reach that fortress in the human soul, to
which conscience can always retreat,
aud from which she can laugh to scorn
The attempts of men to invade her
stronghold. do not admit that from
the beginning Of the world up to this
day there ever has been violation Of
The rights, freedom, liberty, or divine
sovereignty of,he human conscience.-I
Tha, is the portion of his nature that
God has placed beyond the reach ofhu.
man power. His civil rights might be
taken away. his property confiscated,
his reputation rendered infamous, tho
life of his body sacrificed at tho stake,
Or given to wild beasts at the Coliseum,
but the sovereignty Of his confidence a.
bove all earthly powers has never in a
single instance been vanquished by the
cruelty or injustice Of his fellow beings.
When, therefore. General Cass takes
advantage Of my using language in ref.
,rence to this subject, such as that the
rights Of conscience had been violated
ia Cbarlcstown or in Philadelphia, lie
nrge,s that there is among men All or
Ter Of language appropriate to tho sci.
,nce ofany subject, and another which
itself to tho confusion Of
IDEAS in the popular mind. Persons
who perfectly understand our solar sys.
:em do not hesitate to speak Of the ris-
ng and the setting Of the sun, at the
isme time ,ha, they, in scientific point
IF view, would maintain that neither
ever occurs tha, in reali-
y the sun is the center Of our system,
md ,ha, all the planets, the earth in
;luded, are rising and setting aud 70.
'olving around the centre.
stated at tho commencement Of this
eply, that the necessity Of finding my
elf in an apparent collision with so dis.
inguished man as General Cass, was
ess of a pride than humiliation. The
circumstances under which my letter
vas written have been referred TO in the
part ofthis communications
never dreamed that ,ha, letter would
lttrsct the special attention Of any one.
i has turned out otherwise however,
e General Cass had intimated to mo,
II any private manner, that there was
me word in it disrespectfal to himself,
should have Immediately. in the same
manner, replied in yindication or 10 a.