New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-02-13

FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS.

The Courier and Enquirer is q courteous dis
putsDt-very courteous. 1t only insists in the
politest manner that your opposition to its views
is that of a groveling demagogue, instigated BY
the paltriest selfshness and, if you assent to
that, all is smooth water betwixt you. Thus in
it's last it says:
"THE TRIBUNE is very careful not TO commit itself
TO any movement or upon any subject, If so doing
would tend in the long run, to cripple its efficiency As
the advocate Of certain notions OF which it is the
recognized exponent, and the advocacy of which
brings il it's large admirpg and paying audience
We beg leave to assure The Courier, in the
blandest manner we can assume, that the above
quotation evinces extreme ecOnomy-nay, the
veriest parsmony-of trath. The TRIBUNE was
never for moment ignorant that its advocacy of
Social Reform must be prejudicial both to it's
circulation and to its influence. So with our de-
Tense of the Anti Renters against the furious dia.
tribes of The Courier and its kinsmen. So with
our uncomprOmising opposition to the Mexican
War. SO with our early and whole-souled advo-
cacy of the Maine Law, which We never for
moment doubted would deprive US Of the very
slender patronage we had ever received from the
great mass Of the Adopted Citizens. And we
feel very sure that there never was time when
so large proportion of our patronage as OF The
Couriers came from persons born in Europe
That less than one hundredth part Of our sub
scribers were so born, is morally certain. And
that we should never have advocated the Maine
Law if We had sought to stand well with our Im-
migrant population, those who give us any credit
l.. g
The Courier thus proceeds;
"The second reason--thst every man has right
TO vote wherever he chooses to iive-involves Tib-
unic fsllscy like hat which exists in the declaration
that every man has right to labor. Whence lie this
right to vote derived As II is inherent and innate,
We cannot get a sight Of the tenure by which 1t is
held and csD only arrive OF II q law according to
which it exists by observing what wrongs the denial
of its exercise would infict The wrong which we
suppose will be claimed TO be done by denial of this
privilege is taxation without representation and tax
alton without representation is tyranny. cried some
Of our Revolutionary forefathers and STILL cries Dr.
Harriet Hunt, is tyranny. Now, this was an excel
lent revolutionary cry but it will be found to be
very illogical principle Of politics.
raj right il is right created entirely by society or
Government: il is privilege, franchise lit were
q natural inherent right IL could be Justly denied 10
no one. But il is and must be denied to many indi-
viduas for various reaons, all, however, subordinate
TO one great reasonthe State idea Of the public good
In every free Government life, liberty and the pur.
suit Of happiness, must be secured to every individual
living under that Government. This accomplished, it
is essentially free and just whether it fixed the age
at which those born under II can become citizens at
forty-one thirty-one or t~enty.one or eleven,
whether it does or does not admit women TO the fran
cbse import part OF its citizens ready grown aud
trained under foreign skies and alien influences. The
elective franchise Is an artificial creation which fon
its very character must be arbitrarily granted and
any pretense Of inherent right to it is founded only
miscoDception Of its nature. Every nation must In
way other decide the qualifications for citi
zenship under its Government and the welfare Of the
State is the only consideration which IL can be justly
claimed should influence its decision. But inherent,
natural rights it does not give, and without ceasng to
be free State, it cannot take them away
of course, we don't object to being classed az
very illogical" in common with the authors Of
our National Declaration of Independence; but
who Is this Estate, which has absolute authority
to determine who are and who are not entitled Of
right to voice In the election Of rulers and enact
ment of laws 1.-THE State that is l." said
Louis XIV. In Russia the State Is Nicholas; in
Rome it is the Pope; in France, Louis Napoleon.
But we believe there 10 moral right back Of the
acknowledged political fact; and that the State Is
rghtfully composed of oil the rational, moral, in
telligent beings subject to its sway. The rights
of part may be held In allegiance, through their
own presumed choice, az in the case of Women, or
through the pressure of some obvious public
necessity; but they are rights, nevertheless, and
as such shall yet be recognized. Suchisou con-
viction; we see nothing in Tie Coarier's argument
that il calculated to subvert il.