The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-07-14
Liberty Responsibility rather than a
Right.

61SnL.
Il is common in this country to tall
about the rights of freedom we seldom
hear much about the responsibilities o
freedom. Young America says-I have
a right to my freedom. So he has; bu
does he always reflect that he ought tc
take his freedom He says, freedom is
mine to enjoy; but does he reflect that il
exercising this freedom he ineurs sol
emn weight of responsibility? Unques-
tionably, liberty should be presented to
men as their right and privilege: but il
is most pernicious mistake, to make the
idea of liberty as right and privilege
the paramount idea. In fact, this view
of freedom is only a secondary view
one of minor importance. The duty and
responsibility of liberty is the prominent
view to be urged. Men should be told
that they ought to be willing to be free
They should be reproved for shrinking
from its responsibility. Make them re-
alize their moral obligation in the mat
ter, and the idea of the right of freedom
will take care of itself.
We seldom tellmen thatitis their right
and privilege to be honest. sober and in
dustrious, however true such statement
would be. We tell them that they
should, that they must be, that they vii
be criminal and punishabls if they are
not, honest, sober and industrious. So
should we deal with the matter of liberty
we should class it among the virtues,
rather than among the pleasures among
the responsibilities rather than among the
rights. lis the common mistake to treat
liberty as pleasant thing which we may
enjoy if we will, or let it alone if we
choose. Now, this is all wrong. To
reject freedom when within our reach,
is not like refusing 10 dance, to sing, to
take exercise, or to perform any other
merely agreeable function to refuse free
dom is like lying, stealing, or doing any
other wicked thing-it is sin. a neglect
of duty, culpable shrinking from an
obligation.
The error which people make of pre-
senting liberty as a right rather than as
a duty, naturally grows out of another
that of regarding the love of liberty as
always among the controlling desires OF
the human heart Let US not be misap-
pretended. We do not question the fact.
we insist on it, that the love of liberty is
inherent in the human soul. At the
same time, undisciplined men love ease,
luxury, pleasure, and the like, more than
they do liberty; and as the possession ol
these stronger likes is generally incon-
sistent with state of true freedom, the
love of freedom is generally borne down
by these other desires. And hence,
though love of liberty IS inherent,
strong even, in the nature of man, yet IL
is not so strong as certain other desires
inconsistent with liberty. 1t is not a
controlling love. All this, it is true, ap-
plies to man in the undeyeloped state.
when his intellectual and moral powers
are aroused when be becomes conscious
of his true greatness, feels the sense oil
duty, the grandeur Of sacrifice, the value
of life higher than of mere animal graf
ification; when, in short, he comes up to
the dignity of true manhood, then the
love of liberty becomes a thirst--a re-
sistless impulse controlling sentiment
of the human breast. But with the mass
of men, liberty has not thus become
controlling love. In fact, men too often
look upon freedom as something repul,
sise; they too often prefer the low enjoy
nent of quiet, thoughtless serYitude.
to the cares, anxieties, uncertainties and
responsibilities of manly Independence,
The young man of twenty-one-dePend-
emf all his life upon the protection, SYM
pathy and watchfulness of indulgent pa
rents, loving sisters. and approving
friends, is NOT apt to look upon liberty
in other words, independence of all the
ready made comforts of home-as any
thing very desirable. To throw off his
fathers yoke and look out for himself to
encounter and overcome by his own en-
ergies the obstacles and trials of life, all
this is anything but child's play; and
too often. If the choice were left with him.
he would by far prefer the dependence et
his fathers plenty. Wha. use to say to
such yozth. Freedom is your right -
Rather say 70 him. You ought 10 be free:
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