Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-06-12
ARISTOTLE AND LOCKE.

,sta from an nrrpe,n.nt or social compact entered
into between these monarch, or atomic inu'''au"''
Aristotle on the other hand, holds mat man i'''
rally social like the bee is born member Vi 'oo"'''
md that the stntp or society prior to the nui'lau
q, WA opotc from Aristotle's politics anu Ecoh"-
i,, " ,r,rsI,ted bv "Waiford," "Boiln's Classlcai
;hr,rv Edition." pare 8: "For which reason every
ami, il the wurk of Nature, since tho hrss s"clni
,;, ara such; for to this they all tend rs an end
,d ,he nature of thing is to be judged hy IT'S Ten
J,ncy For what any being ia In its periect h'a'r'
that certainly is tho nature of that being whether 1t
he man. n horse or a house; besides, its own hnil
cause and its end must be tho perfection OF any thnS
but government complete IN itsei' constitutes n"l
cause and what is best. Hence it Is evident 'h"'
slate IS one Of lie wo'ks Of nature, ana 'ha' man
naturally political animal, and thai wsi"soe'ei 10
naturally and not accidentally unfit for society," mus
he ethor inferior or superior 70 man. just as "' pei
son revied in Homer:
| ".No tribe nor state, nor homo hath no.
"For he whose nature IS such as th''' 'l'u'' "'''
sloyer of strife aud solitary as bird OF prey I"
clear. them that man IS more soe'a' ""'"'"' ''"
bees or any of the herding cattle.
Aas;n nacs7: at Is plain, then, that Inc STATE ID
,r;or 70 the individual for if an individual IS not
complete in himself he bears the same RELATION 10 mo
state as other parts do oawhole' hu''o
is then in all persons nature" impetus 10 assoe''e
with each other in this manner
Tho utter helpessness of man. isolated anu moi
yi,uazcd shows that il ia not good for him to ii'e
alone that according to Aristotle, he ID the more par
If n treat whue-socety-an is naturally UNITE"
for separate existence. Born in society, dependent
for the very continuance of his existence on society,"
he but limb or member Of society, not Its author
Society or government docs not derive ts rights
and powers sn.,reiy from man, but chiefly from
| God. God, il is true. has endowed man win
rsos,n. and thereby enabled him to improve
hi, natural condition. He may, by IeGIsa1i'''
improve society, just as the gardener may improve
H., ,,or,s bv msnur;ny cultivatng and trimming
Them, bur he can 10 more make n socie'! IMAM ~,
,,oLo n nlapt or seed. The secrets 81
;,,o, ,,ors,obe and sociul life are equally hiddch
Gov, ,,o,,I view. The philosophy OF Aristotle as
miro. +, 70 such prcsumptuous anu protanc hei2h'''
like Shakespeare, he knc" there were more ''''"ss !"
E,aven and Earth than he dreamed OF in his phlo'
sophv He prizes not into the arcuna oil hathfe o''
Ieaves 10 religion what Seongs to the province OF re-
licon. Solomon, gioorly, dspoadent, fatisued with
daring and profound speculation throws
hnself at last into the a:ius Of Fa-Ecc. chap. l..
49, "Lct us hear the conclusion OF the whole matter
..rear cd ind keep his commandments: 70. this IL
the whole duty Of man.
The Luspe,, of philosophy is to anayzc to al
range to seueralize, and leave to religion 10 account
for. Such was tho philosophy OF Aristotle. lie h"o
not, like the Hebrew sage, TO buffet stormy ocean
Of s,eculutiou in quest OF the quiet haven OF fah
RELIGION ho found, like society, part OF man. hu'
man nature and accepted as truth, what lie saw 10
he universe, fact. Wewoud delight 10 linZer WIN
the natural and honl;hfui philosophy OF the "'aGyr'
We shrink with aversion iroa The task o! dss"ctnS
and exposing te selfish. sensual gnsiure! and skep
cal philosophy Of Locke. The pnmIein6s'" the OK
posure i. increased from the reflection thai i-oche
himself was pious and good man, and did not fore
soc the uses 70 which his theories would be "ppl'ed
Could you ,.ls fair mountain Inv" to iced
To hHItrn on thia moor
The attemp: to dSintegrste society 10 resolve n'
even in theory into separate, independent hoarcn'
~ individuals, 70 make government mere sun 'te"'
ted thing, owing lis origin and existence |" 'ie
common aud equal cnrsent Of ALL has been the proI'-
fc parent Of disconer,, -rdcn. treason and revolt
ton Il ha. often disorsanizcd society destroyed al
natural or,ier aud suJorinati]n ADD made essen
tina; his duties TO his neshbor wera not God-ofHa-
I'd bu, aros. from contract aud agreement, and en-
,ended no furhc. ,lan such agreement. Nay more
i; gave rise to selfish phi!osophy-pohticei econo
nv which tearLes that tho good of society u pest
by each mans keeuy and exclusively pu'>
suing his own selfish ans and selfish good.
Locke's theory makes all human beings men, W.,
rnru and children, equals; for no supp"seS 'neu' "'
born with equal righs, and to surrender III, 20
amount Of those rights TO government inS'''",''
in Europe and America were founded OH 'no'o
ries, but in their practical operations II was .ounu
this pro-supposed equality wa" ialSs. III '''
which ensued, lie strong 'u' '''"' Wv
cunning aud the providcnt, soon conquered ''''
rho moor, tho simple and improvement. AZ wac o''S
the despo,lsm OF capitai anu CUMMINGS
fur the rul. Of human masters. Inc e2chailee ""'
had one for the laborng class, Tor ther oo''e"o ~
,.hor for the rich remained whist tho rich We're re-
Iieyed from the obligation TO take care oil 'he''
human masters do Of their slaves. 1t was one-Sided
bargain in which the employer gained oil eno
tb. laborer lost all. In truth, Whoh We look 10 |
,bs history Of the emancipation OF inc sefis
in Western Europe, and the consequent grow
ing up Of modern Free Society, we md that IL |
was owing to the fact, that the masters or feuo'i
lords found it cheaper to hire free labor than 10 sup
port vassas or slaves. Universal equality is MOI the
natural and normal, but declining and diseased stale
of society. Locke and the Political Economists
never having seen slavery. having no experience oil
socetv in it's natural normal s6 healthy state mlsooK
what exceptional for what natural and general
Tber and associates were at the top OF
society, we're generally Of sense prudence skill
and capital who were benefited by the competition
of Free Society, aud our philosophers did not look
below the surface Of thinss on that squald maso oil
laborcra, whom competition was grinding 70 the
earth The fact that the condition of that laoorng
class ia much worse than that of slaves needs no
proof, for it i. admitted ON all hands.
Then, seeing in Froe Society, all PERSONS engaged IN
q war of wits, and in tho graphic language of Alton
Locke tho rich devouring the poor and the poor de-
your;ug each other" order, rule and suoordnation
abolished, and hatred rivalry and anarchy ascendant
lost that strong argument in favor OK Oh oVerruNhG
Providence and benevolent Detv, which nnturai
state of society always suggests Lester III 's glory
and Shame of England, often mentions instances oil
nddey among the suffering poor, who would not
bslievs that benevolent God would suffer 40 much
uadeservod human wretcheduess and poverty 10 c1T'
| as are to be found in England. In truth, ths argu
ment is sound hut it's premises faSe. Nan, by tam
pernc with society rs God formed it, has brought about
these n,olerant evils. In society, where slavery
exists, such evils are unknown. But scopticsm is
not confined to the poor the rich, the wise and the
learned beholdng til. same evils, the same want OF
adaptation and order became nfdels Also Hence inf
deity equality and universal liberty, without regard to
raceeo hand in hand fdety only III free So
cicty We'll docs Mr.. Fletcher his "Studes on Slave
ry romark: "Int view the tribes Of ocean, earth
and Dir; behold regular graduation of power and