Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1855-01-17

sz VA Il opssiOS q 81 subj yth which 4
NltihE the PdLllt mind. Z ~ .f 49,,
~ 10 HslAaof 80 laavssaI S.Aaj.e
IA Elbr<Es: Ehs yJ Fh9sk q
nbuhced % che public, That your column
Are open for thc discussion u I'LL sub ice,
u importance to the people Il Iarge, pic
sided the writef ace not deceiid % pei
sonallities and aDube, Z 'tSke the libert
t54<4dsMl o. ~ publishsthe followin
sssiesusvss upon two communications |
y5dY Isss patcf. One 6vef, the signatur
: of.csfo., fhe. other headed Ne shoul
'Knon Something. =" and signed "Citi
asn.'y,st With the first piece, have littl
70 do, as / fully agree with the writer i
tie sentiments generally expressed byhim
Twill only tn him that be has widel,
mistaken ihe object Of the party, II b
thinks. they, aie only organized for th
purpose Of putting down Tie Filthy Irish
whose goyernmentiwould be for tie pro
motion Of Catholicism. and whose God j
the Pope Of Rome Iislall ehdeayor y
convince him, IN my reply TO .'ciizen,'
J. that the, 80 callel, Know Nothing par
" have other purposes and objects il
4sIyicw. And, now, for the citizen.
Eve shouldt. kaowI something. Yes
every American citizen should know
enough y be- pr jud OF his euntry, and
Jsok upon. our free, institutions MS glori,
Gus heritage, bcquca'hed him BY his fore.
fsthers md won by their blood and toll
through the piSatioils u seven years
Mar. And that il particularly deyolvcs
. upon him 70 Keep that heritage and hand
itdwn to his children as pure and Spot
less sas he received it from their hands.
How is he to do this? BY making him.
self, as far a. he possibly can, acquainted
with The meaning Of the word LIBERTY -
word which, like every other good thing.
hasbeen much misunderstood and abused.
Liberty has been defined by an able writer
OF this country 10 be 'moral, social, poll.
tical and religious equality between man
and man. between Sta'c and State, be-
tween nation md nstioil. 1t Is to do
unto others as we would tia. they should
do unto Us. Tits the perfection Of reason
andshe law Of God.
Thomas Jeflesorn has said that ,all
men have certain inalienable rights and
among them are life, liberty and the
pursuitof happiness" these two dcfni.
tons, and. moro rarticularlysthe last one,
are always quoted by the opponents Of the
psrty,-calIed -aKaow- Notlings,"s as<an
nnanswerable argument against them u
taken In 4 literal sense, I will admit
their force, and they are likewise an nm
answenble argument against all2goverir
rnents under the sun. Aud would, IL oai.
ried out literally, let man loose on the
sartha perfectly irresponsible being, know
ing no laws but his british pfopensities,
and governed BY nothing but his 1usts. -
1t would CIT him loose from the duties he
owes 10 himself, his family, his county
and his God. 80 ,st's,i tr t4a
Z Man las not IN inaliable right to do
sny thing. His lie has been long since
forfeited yisin1 IEfaii has desiroyed his
hsppiness inthis world, and he remains
slAye under the law Of God and always
win be until ransomed by the blood Of
the, Lamb, and his clay built tenementbas
crumbled into dust and his free and dis
embodied spirit has Travelled that road,
80 ~. (Which mortal never trod.
AndspFung 70 its source, the bosom offs God"
But take another definition: Liberty Is
reason governed BY = Then the fore
going dogmas may be explained. Man
In this world, under the law. that Is hui
man law, and allalaws TO be permanent
must be founded upon the law Of God, J
has 20 right to life any further than he
respects the life sof his neighbor-he has
no right to liberty any further than he is
capable Of using Il for the benefit Of him
self and the community in which be lives
The has no right to the pursuit Of hap
pinsss any further than be does not iii.
fringe upon the happiness OF others.
" What is religious liberation? II
II is that there should be no State law
compelling the people Of the State to fol-
low any particular mode Of worship
Leaving reason free to combat error
Then 4 contend that every citizen has
right 20 worship God as he pleases and
every citizen has right 10 vote as he
pleasess Then, i'll know man whosc |
or political opinions I believe to
be iRimcable To the welfare and happiness
Of the S!atenor country in which | live. III
DO not 90 70 the legislature Of that State
and ask the members To make laws to take
his tights away from him, and compel him
70 think as | do; when such man presents
himself before me, for my support, / only
exercise my right as avo.er and select some |
one else, who does not believe as he does, t
TO 60 in his place. Is this prescription?
suppose were 70 profess to be convert
y the Mormon religion, and was To- carryf
out my creed BY marrying 4 half dozen
wives, Is there citizen Of the old demo.
cratic State Of Virginia. who, II summoned /
rs . jurror, would refuse b. send me 10
the penitehtiary as the best place TO cure /
me Of my heresy.I Sol again, suppose a
Haa GpHse lesthizc country. 4 foreigner BY
birth, Of . native either, and believes that
acertsin human being il Gods Vice. GER
ant on earth-that he i gifted with the
prerogatiyes Of the Almighty-th that he
has the power to damn him eternally or
give him q passport into everlasting hap.
Piness attic frst duty he owes on earth
q allegiance 70 that man, than all others