New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-09-03
COMPULSORY MORALITY"

There are many whose natural instincts-whether
the result of happy constitution, virtuoustr
ing loving spirit, or of profound religious con-
victions-all incline toward the Right. They do
good and avoid evil instinctivey, as the duck
takes to water and the stream runs down hill
For this Glass; human laws-at least penal laws
are quite superAuous The law of love written in
their hearts, prompting them to do whatever seems
calculated to benefit their neighbOr and bless man
kind, is all they need
There is another class, formidable but we
trust diminishing in numbers, whose impulses
are just the opposite of those above suggested,
and require different treatment This class
regard every question from the point OF seif'in-
terest, and are just as honest as the law CON-
pels them to be. Half century ago, they
would have taken stock in an African SLAYER
which held out prospect of two hundred per
cent. profit on the investments now they would
not touch venture of that sort-the Odium and
rex are too great. They may have made some
thing handsome in these latter days by selling
"Indian Whisky" worth-no, costing-sen
cents per gallon, to poor, infatuated savages in
Nebraska for a dollar quart, thereby insti-
eating them to massacre the children of pioneers
or neighboring tribes; they may have backed a
fare bank in San Francisco at an average profit
of 81, 900 per night, or fitted up extra boarding
houses in Church or Mercer street for a rent Of
five or six per cent per month on the furniture;
but they have always been careful not to do any
thing fer which the law would take rank hold
Of them. They believe in Law and Order, think
Religion good thing in its way, and are willing
to help support it if its ministers will mind their
own business and keep clear of fanaticism; but
il is their very decided conviction that clergy
man should stick to the Gospel and not distract
his society by meddliIg with politics and stir
ring up excitement and ill-feeling by fierce dia-
tribes relating to rum and niggers And ifthere
be one phrase which, above all others, expresses
and condenses all the objects of their detesta-
tion, it is Compulsory Morality"
Now we very heartily agree that the morality
which requires no csmpulsion is BY far the bet
ter sort; if this were universal, there would be
no call for any other. If all men would do right
of their own accord, We might dispense with
our judges, sheriff., armaments, police, and re-
duce our taxes and charities to very low figure.
But all men mM not do right-that is, great
many will not-they are wrons-headed, black
hearted, and go in for securing tothemselves the
largest possible share of sensual qualification at
the smallest cost Of labor or exertion. They
know that the arts by which they make gain
are injurious to the community; but they do not
care for this, 80 long as their own Golfers are
filed by them. Which, then, is to be preferred
that these men should continue to do wrong
| with impunisy and seeming advantage, at the
cost of the general veal or that tho law should
interpose to bar the path In which they choose to
tread Yet TO do this latter is just what IL
| stlgmatizcd as " Compulsory Morality"
For example VIC have now in mind capable.
intelligent. robust. shrewd man. who could make
good living 10 dozen different ways oil useful.
al benefcenti but Ls considers mono Of thsss 20
| easy and 10 lucrative % ksepng petty village
tavern aud selling rum Around aud In this tavern
dozen or ii the poor creatures u ths asist
bosbeod spead hall their tisls aud I'll thsl' ezra