The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1855-08-15
obedienoe to Law in a Republic.

4 ~
position ID tls eOuhiry. to set the laws .,
ded ace. ana not only to isssfheln a den
encs bet 3 justify such eOadaat q .he plea
of ABSTRACT Co uslitasionsl sigbss' or Of
CHG sherlees' prasiicalIy, .bo,h ObisesiOns
mean the same hing for. In either ease.
tho resistants intend to assert that there are
certain private rights which no human law
can Justly take away. certain sets which no
legislation. however solemn. can righteous
ly enforce. For an example of the first,
We quote the forcible opposition to the Maine
law, and for an instance Of the last, the O.
pen hostility to the Fagitivs Slave law. 9
Tbs argument used IN each case is sub
stantially the same. II IS that the sacred.
ness Of private rights. or the allegiance
which is due 10 Oh are Paramoantto all
human laws. At the first blushthere seems
to be force in the argument. But its soph-
istry consists in what is called begging the
question that is, in assuming as proved
the very thing whichis to be proved. For
what right have the mslcontents to pro.
nounce that society is wrong? The nation
has conscience as well as they, and il has
declared, after careful deliberation, that the
law is Just. The resistants are not alone
in claiming for the laws Of God. or the in
alienable rights Of individuals, the suprem
acy over mere human law; for society ad.
mits this abstract proposition as freely as
they do; but the real question is, what hu-
man laws do conflict with the claims of e.
ternal Justice? Society says one thing, on
this point, and dissidents another. Prac.
,icslly, therefore. it is begging the question,
for the opponents ofany human law to JUS
tify resisting it. on the plea that it is oppos.
ed to ''higher law" or invades private
liberty. sd
1t may be retorted that it is equally beg
ging the question for society to pronounce
the malcontents in error But as between
minority. the opinion of the latter is, on
questions Of conscience entitled to the per.
ference; for it is incontrovertible that the
concurrent Judgment Of hundred men,
/ in such matters. is more likely to be cor
rect than that Of a dozen. One lawyer is
more competent to decide law point than
| fifty civilians, or one physician a controver
sy in medicine But on moral questions there
exists no such incapacity on the part Of the
people at large Nor is this all. Fer even
lii was as probable that the judgment Of
he few was as accurate as that Of the many,
the necessities Of organized society require
that both cannot be accepted; there must be
some fixed law, and that law, it is plaire
must be in accordance with the conscienc e
Of the majority. 1t is right, inseparable
| from the constitution of society, that its au
therity should be paramount to that Of the
individual. Both cannot rule at once, for
this involves anarchy. The few must, there
fore, quietly submit to TIE will ofthe many,
ut least while they continue to claim its pro
lection. Il is, in fact, as dishonorabe as
lit is revolutionary for men to accept tn,
benefits the State bestows, yet refuse 10
make the sacrifices it demands.
| When, if ever, the crisis comes, that a
man cannot, conscientiously obey law.
which the majority refuse TO repeal, :hcre
is but one honest course left open to him,
which is to 90 ont from that community,
and seek, elsewhere, one that is more to his
liking. A citizen may sincerely believe
that, in passing P,ohibitory Law, society
has trespassed on his private rights. But
he has no righ!, on that account, to resist
the law. His duty is TO yield to the major
lily. So. person may think the Fugitive
Slave Law 10 be in violation of the law Of
God. But his duty, in such case, de-
mands that he should seek some other COM
munity, where no such laws exist, for in
this way he can reconcile his duty to his
Creator with his duty to society; whereas,
The cannot remain and resist the law, with
out infringing on the latter. Such is the
common sense view Of what has often been
pronounced knotty question. Under any
other visw society could moi be carried on
but would soon fall to pieces. --Phila. Ledger
IL Shoot the Deserters.