The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-03-24

/
of his existence Every human being
has in his breast the elements ofthat Di-
vine, Everlasting Law. which the highest
|orders of the creation obey. He has the
idea of Duty and to unfold. revere, obey
this, is the very purpose for which lie
twas given. Every human being has the
idea of what Is meant by that word,
Truth; that's, he secs, however dimly,
/ the great object of Divine and created In
telligence, aud is capable Of ever-enlarg,
ling perceptions of truth. Every human
being has affections, which may be puri.
fed and expanded into Sublime Love,
He has. too, the idea of Happiness. and a
Thirst for it which cannot be appeased.
Such is our nature. Wherever We see a
man, we see the possessor of these great
capacities. Did God make such being
to be eowned as tree or brute? How
plainly was he made to exercise, unfold,
Improve his highest powers, made for a
moral, spiritual good and how is he
wronged, and his Creator opposed, when
he is forced and broken into a tool 70
another's physical enjoyment!
Such being was plainly made for an
End in Himself. He is q Person, not a
Thing. He is an End, not mere Instru-
ment or Means. He was made for his
own virtue and happiness. Is this end
reconcilable with his being held and used
as ehattel? The sacrifice of such be-
ing to another's will, to another's pres
emf. outward, ill-comprehended good, is
the greatest violence which can be offered
to any creature of God. 1t is to degrade
him from his rank in the universe, to
make him a means, not an end, to east
him out from Gods spiritual family into
the brutal herd.
Such being was plainly made to
obey law within Himself This is the
essence of moral being. He possesses,
as part of his nature, and the most,es-
sential part, sense of Duty, which he is
to reverence and follow, inoppositiont to all
pleasure or pain, to all interfering human
wills. The great purpose ofall good edu-
cationand disciplineis, to makeaman Mas
ter of Himself, to excite him to act from a
principle in his own mind, to lead him to
propose his OWN perfection as his SUI
preme law and end. And is this high
est purpose of man s nature to be recon-
ciled with entire subsection to a foreign
viii, to an outward, overwhelming force,
which is satisfied with nothing but COM
piete submission? -
! The end of such a being as we have
described, is, manifestly, Improvement.
Now it is the fundamental law of our ma
ture, that all our powers are to improve
by free exertion. Action is the indis-
pensable condition of progress to the In
tellect, conscience, and heart. Is it not
plain, then, that human being cannot,
without wrong, be owned by another,
who claims, as proprietor, the right to
repress the powers of his slaves, to with
!, hold from them the means of develop.
ment, to keep them within the limits
which are necessary to contentment il
chains, to shut out every ray of light and
. every generous sentiment, which may in
. terfere with entire subjection oshis will
r No man, who seriously considers wha
} human nature is, and what it was made
: for, can think of setting up claim to :
, fellow creature. What! own a spiritua
, being: being made to know and ador
: God, aud who is to ouflive the sun an.
] stars! What! chain to our lowest uses
: being made for truth and virtue eonyer
into a brute instrument that intelligen
a nature, on which the idea of Duty ha
3 dawned, and which is nobler type Q
: God than all outward creation Shoul
. We not deem it a wrong which no pun
, ishment could cxpiate, We're one of ou
{; children seized as property, and drive
t by the whip to toll And shall God
s child, dearer to him than an only son, {
Y an earthly parent, be thus degraded p
1 Everything else may be owned in the uni
1 verse; but a moral, rational being came
be property. Suns and stars may
t owned, but not the lowest spirit. Toue
e anything but this. Lay not your han
: on Gods rational offspring. The whol
Q spiritual world cries out Forbeari Th
| highest inteliigences recognize their ow
? nature, their own rights, in the humble,
. human being. By that priceless, immol
D tai spirit which dwelis in him, bythat liks
t ness of God which he wears, tread him Nc
e in the dust, confound him not with th
S brute. "a
i We Lave shus seen, that human b,
ing cannot righifully be held and use
g as property. No legislation, not that,
all countries or worlds, could make hi.
!, so. Let this be laid down, as first, fun
damental truth. Let us hold it fast, as
g most sacred, precious truth. Let us hol
: it fast against all customs. all laws, a
e rank, wealth, and power. Lett be arm
!. ed with the whole authority of the eiyi
d lied and Christian world.
d 1 have taken il for granted that 4
e reader would be SO wanting in moraldi
!, elimination and moral feeling, as to urg
: that men may be rightfully seized an
+ held as property, because various govern
e ments have so ordained. What is HI
/ man Legislation the measure of right p
a Are sssd's laws tosbe repealed BY mans
: Can government do no wrong J? To VIII
e a meurnful extentis the hissoryof huma
IS governments record of WRONGS Ho'
l. much does the progress of ciTiiizatlo
: consist in the substitution of just and iis
RI name, for barbarous and oppressive laws
n The individual, indeed, Is never autho;
Il lied 20 oppose physical force TO unTlgii'
+ Ieous ordinances of government, as lon
i Las the community choose 70 sustain them
q But criminal legislation ought to be freel
e and earnestly exposed Injustice .s nev
: Ter SO terrible, and never soeorruPting, q
; when armed with the sanctions OF law
i The authority of government, instead Q
! being reason fof silence under wrongs
n lis q reason for protesting against Wronl
: with the undivided energy ef argument
' iensreaty, and solemn admonliaon.
e 81 ~A beautiful and ehaste woman j
it tltheperfecs workmanship of Sod, the tfs
S sIusorv of angels, the rare miracle OF tls
: earth, aud sSls wonder Of the world.