The Placer herald., 1855-11-03
The TYRANNY of Opinion.

What is the tyranny of opinion' In a
land Of freedom and religion, among peo-
pie of intelligence and prctensions to en-
lightened conscience, it is a matter of some
moment that we should hold to Just ideas
and adopt correct practices upon this subject.
The opinions which man entertains are of
the utmost Importance when we investigate
his title to be man of honor. The senti-
ments of an individual are of the very high
est consequence when his claims to be a
gentleman are under consideration. And
the exterior manners of man-his habits
of life and business and mode of association
with his fellows-which are the developments
of his opinions and sentiments, are elements
of character which cannot be too rigidly
scrutinized when his rank as virtuous and
decent citizen is under advisement The
trickster of lawyer is detestable because
his outward conduct daguerreotypes the
meanness of his soul. The charatan of
physician is disgusting for the reason that
his known habits paint the foolish nature of
his mind. The knavish merchant is Stunned
because his manner of life indicates that he
was born with all the elements of thief,
save the courage to steal. The dishonest
politician, who plumbers the State is known
for all of robber save the spirit to take the
risk Of the professional bandit. We then
see that opinions and sentiments make the
individual man, while his position in the bus
mess of life is not the result of character,
but of accident Under favorable crcum-
stances the chicanery of the lawyer, for in
stance, would be the forgery of the cuprit.
The opinion, not of a single man, but of So
ciety, is of lasting and momentous import
ance to every individual citizen And that it
should not be tyrannous, is as true as that
tyranny, in all its forms, is hateful. a ty-
ranny Of common opinion then is the most
intolerable of all tyrannies, inasmuch as it
gives laws to society, and tone, temper and
conduct to individual men. We then again
ask what is the tyranny of opinion? In one
of its forms and not the least important, is
the coercion of the Judgment of others to
agree with our own; and if the imposition
be resisted to visit the delinquent with some
ban of privaton because he will not submit
to coincide with our judgment. If man
will not succumb to adopt our ideas of the
true mode in which Christianity should be
developed and externally observed, and we
prescribe him on that account, by dcnounc-
ing him as unworthy of public or private
trust, we tyrannize over his soul. If we re-
solve he shall not hold office for that reason,
though in all other respects honest, capable,
and faithful to the Constitution, we degrade
him from an equality with ourselves, and
other of his fellow citizens Why is a rob-
Der under the ban of societv9 Because opin-
ION has made him SO. And opinion has, as a
thermometer, marked the degrees of nfamy
in crimes, by the punishments society inhcts
upon the cul prits whom it can convict of
doing violence to its sentiments. Our Con-
sttution and laws, as those of all govern
ments, have reserved the deprivation from
holding offices of trust and honor, for crimes
of the most venal character and the most in
famous criminals. Is it not, then, an awful
responsibility to adopt and practice the opin-
ion that those of our fellow men who enter
tain certain sentiments in no wise criminal,
and the custom of which defames no mans
character, robs no orphan or fatheress child,
shall be put on a level with him who, sworn
to duty, perjures his soul, and robs the pub
lie treasury Of his country! Is there no ty-
ranny in the practice of such an opinion.
Suppose we, in common with the community,
were to resolve that all Methodists for exam
pie, should thus be degraded from the privi-
lege of holding office, and SO place them on
an exact equality with the perjured robber of
the states treasury, or the forger of its Sc
curites, would there be no tyranny in the
opinion, and would they suffer no punishment
or degradation in consequence? Tyranny of
opinion then, is the unjust exclusion Of men
from political and social position, on account
of sentiments, the entertaining of which i'm
pairs no other mans life, fortune or charac-
ter. s. j. Republican.