New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-06-20
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

We have more than once called attent bn 70 the
fact ,ha, the advocates aud ,pologis's OF slavery
finding that the plan OF suPPresspg sll discussion
of tie subject does rot work, have ST length seea
the e1pediex ey and necessity OF bringing out books
and pamphlets 10 defend it.
Hobbies intimat,s an opinion that if II had been
contrary Ia any mans right Of dominion, or TO the
interest of men who have dominion, that the three
angles of triangle should be equal to two right
angles. plenty of people would have been found 10
s,gue .toully sgsinst that proposition. We have,
the IT tore, no occasion 70 wsnder that Professor
of Ms hematics in Virginia University should set
himself B. demonstI .tiDg, that--contrsry to what
has been hitherto pretty general opinion among
philosophers as well as the yulgar-the nature OF
civil liberty involves in it nothing AZ all inconsst-
en-, with the existence of domestic Slavery.
To arrive at this point and to get rid Of many cur
r, Mt arguments against Slavery, Professor Bledsoe
begins With attacking the Theory of Government,
and the definition of civil liberty given BY Lpcke,
Backbone, Paley and hoet of others according
TO which government is restraint upon the natu-
raj liberty Of man Submitted to for the sake of ad-
vantsses such as mote than couuterbslance the
surrender of natural liberty Involved ia it. Our
author denies the exi.terce Of any such natural
liberty As distDc. from civil liberty. He denies
that goyernm ent is formed-as the theory OF these
writer's, adopted in our Declaration OF lndePend-
ence and in our American Bills of Rights, implies
b, the consent of the governed. AMI by the ces-
sion. on their part, to the Government, OF por'
tion Of their natural liberty. He oejec'' to this
theory that it suppo'es the natural state OF nan to
be state of isolation and solitude, and that Soci-
ETY., and Government, which is the inevitable re-
suit of Society, are artificial inven.ions-the
product of mans reason, and based wholly on the
concrption Of &C tain advantages TO be derived
from them.
Mr. Bledsoe maintains, on the contrary that 1t
is the nature of man to live in society, and that
government springs out of society, aud not out OF
compact.
Whence does So,ety derive the right to punish
crimes committed Mr. Bed-oe denies that this
right originates either in any cession to the govern
ment of any individual rights of vengeance, or in
any spt cial consent thu part of the guilty per
son, TO submit bis lite or liberty to the control o.
the established authority. The object of punish
ME- Mt is the prevention OF like OfeDses, IN which
prevention Society has an interest The COMM
nlty is called upon by this interest no lees than by
its sense of justice, to protect the weak against
the strong and TO prevent and redress wrongs.
For Society 10 do this requires no cession OF indi-
yidusl rights, since no man possesses any right 70
do sny act which it is fit and proper that he should
be prohibited from doing by law. 1t is an inherent
RIGHT of all communities to make laws to promote
the general good of the whole and to regulate the
conduct of indi.iduals 30 that il may be 10 con-
formity to that good; while on the other hand, nc
On posses ses he right to act in manner injurious
TO others. Civil society, 40 far from being 70
strsint upon mems natural liberty, is the noces
ssry condition uuder which alone that natural lib
erty can be eDJOyed or secured.
This is a view of civil liberty and aatural right
by no near peculiar to Mr.. Bledsoe. Tue ger
tral current of speculation on the theory OF GOV
Mt bss of late years set strongly ia that direc
ton. But Mr. BledsO e thinks to find ia this yieS
a conclusive answer to all the appeals of the Abo
litionisls 10 he inherent and inalensbe rights o
man, and /! is to that end that he puts t forward
He thinks to maintain, on the strength OF II, tha
the holding men IN subsection without their con
sent obtain, d. and against their will, is not neces
,arily any invasion of their natural rights. H'
thinks TO use this theory as club to dash in pieces
at one blow "thst manifold, monstrous phantom
deity called Liberty we quote his own words
-..nh ch has been 20 often invoked By the pseudo
pbianibropists and reckless reformtrs OF the pres
ent day, to subveIt not only the law OF esptal
punishment, but also other institutions and laws
which haye received the sanction of both God aud
msn."
We apprehend however, that The defense OF the
slave ding system cannot be any more success
fully maintained upon this new theory OF civil lib
city than upon that old one which our learned Pro-
lessor rejects ond which, according to his account,
has led Charming, WAY land, SumDer add other op-
ponents Of Slavery into no less than seventeen fall
lacies, all Of which be has taken it upon himself,
N q controversial chapter devoted to that subject
TO detect ard expose.
Ii Il be, as Mr.. BledsOe maDtsins, aud az No are
not BY any means disposed TO deny, the inherent
right and duty Of every community, independently
OF all eompac's, constitutions, or special consent
Oh the part OF the members Of ii, 10 see tina. jas
/ tee BE- done, and to protect the weak against the
strong, what shall be said of institution which
b, giIs by abccstng aud Ignoring this hr't add in-
hersn, dut OF society and the very essence Of which
consists in delivering over the weak into The aoso'
sclute aid uncontrolled possession of the strong
TIE slaysholdieg system is, Indeed, an attack
not lees on the rig h,s Of society, as eIPounded BY
Professor Bedsoe than upoo the rights Of man as
hello by Jefferson, Charming, Wa, laod and Sumner;
no, "a tina, E, stem in the least more defensible