Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-07-22

The Slavery Question.


The Slavery Question.
Estract from the Speech Of PEAoHY R. graf
TAN, Esq, of Richmond, deliuered IN the Gene
raj assembly ofhe Presbyterian Church (Ne,e
School at Clepeland, June 2, 1867.
NATURAL RIGHTS OF MAN.
On this great question, which occupies so
large q share of the attention of the civilized
world, desire to present briefly the principles
on which the South justtes and defends its posi-
ton. perceive that members are impatient
but | would remind them that if they will un-
dertake to act in this Assembly on great politi-
cal and social questions, they are bound to dis
cuss and to act upon them as statesmen.
Whatever may be the source to which men
resort as authority on which to base their opin-
ions on this subject of slavery, the opinions
which they adopt are in great degree found
ed on their views of the natural rights of man
1t is, therefore, impossible to reach the judg-
ments of men who think, without entering some
what into the subject. And unfortunately there
is no subject upon which sensible men have writ
ten with less precision, or written more non
sense. These writers set man down III soil
tude in the full vigor Of his faculties, physical
and intellectual, and having ascertaned what
he may do in such condition, come ut once to
the conclusion that what he may do in that con-
dition constitutes his natural rights. Such q
condition, it is obvious, never existed in fact
since Eve was formed and tits equally obvious,
that its existence was never Intended Dy his
creator Man, by the constitution OF his nature
is social creature; and society is as much
necessity of his nature as are light and food
He cannot be born but in society and his help
less infancy demands the fostering care and pro-
lection OF another So, too, in society, there are
relations of necessity; and there are conditions
varying as between the different members ofso-
ciety and varying in the same person at different
periods of his existence. When, therefore, we
come to inquire into the natural rights OF man
if we would ascertain them correctly, ne is to be
viewed not simply as an isolated individual, but
as he is, having nature OF his own, physcal
moral and intellectual,a member OF society hold
ling various relations to that society, and these
relations sometimes changing and himself sub
iect to changes of condition; and the rights
which the man in these relations and conditions
possesses, are his natural rights. He has eyes,
and in the absence of any disqualification, he
has a natural right to see. He is born blind,
and the natural right does not exist. He lives
by eating, and the earth is given to furnish him
he will provide it for himself. He is unmarried,
and he has natural right to oil liberty which
belongs to his condition, untrammeled as it is
by wife and children. He becomes husband
and father, and his natural rights in these new
relations differ from his natural rights in his
former condition, and are necessarily limited by
the natural rights of his wife and children; for
the natural rights OF no one person can conflict
with the natural rights OF another. 1t Is God
who confers natural rights; and therefore the
right of each and all must be consistent SO that
in all the relations and conditions which man
NAV sustain in himself or towards his fellow
man, be bears relation to society, out OF which
other natural rights both in himself and in So
cety arises; and he can have no rights which
conflict with the rights of society. Further
Rights and duties are correlative; and the ma
tura. duties of man or society vary, but cores
pond excatly with the natural rights of other
men or of society; and thus right in one i'm
poses corresponding duty in another. The
enjoyment of his natural rights is the right OF
the man, the duty of protection in that enjoy
ment is the duty of society. The right of socie-
ty to protect each member in the enjoyment OF
his rights, and to secure its own we'll being Is
the right of society and the corresponding duty
rests on each member to regard this right.
Whether government is in tie order OF nature,
: it is needless to enquire We know that God Is
sovereign God, doing his pleasure in the armies
of heaven and among the inhabitants OF earth
and that angels are ministefing spirits sent iorth
TO minister for them who shall be heirs OF salVa
ton. But however this may be, when man fell,
government became necessity,-as that organ
ization; whatever its form, by and through winch
society acts to enforce its own rights as against
tbn rIrrbt Ot
member against every other. The office ofgov-
srnment therefore is to restrict not the natural
rights of man, but his crimes, vices, misconduct,
whatever interferes with the natural rights OF
men, or the we'll being of society, and our ma
turai rights and their protection and their en-
ioyment are the objects OF government and IN
fact depea,dent upon it. And thus we arrive at
the English and American idea ofliberty; liber-
ty regulated and protected by law, in opposition
to the French idea, of liberty as synonmous with
license.
The authority of society or government to
Drotect its members and its own well-being, is
measured by their rights. Whatever is neces-
ssry to these ends, it must OF necessity possess.
The authority to punish crimes OF its members
against its own well-being is recognised on all
hands the principle on which punishment
may be inflicted is equally well settled: Ihls
principle is not that government may infilct up
on an offender punishment equal to his Oh
fence; for God alone may determine that ques-
ton but to punish for the protection and we'll
being of society itself For this purpose it is ev-
ery DAYS practice to deprive member OF socle-
ty of life, liberty or property. Where then is
this inalienabe right to life and liberty In such
cases the natural right is at an end, and the rSht
Of society to take them has arisen. So the right
of society to guard against the evil elfects ol
mans depravity upon itself is everywhere re-
cognized, and daily enforced. To effect this, q
husband may be deprived of his wife, or a pa
rent NAV be deprived of his child. 10 guard a.
ganst these evils, we have whole body OF
laws laws against gaming, against Lotteries, o.
cainst the sale of ardent spirits, against the pro-
Ifanation of the Sabbath. So the right OF society
TO protect itself and its members against the ef
fects of their own incapacity, to take care OF
themselves, whether arising from imoecllity ol
mind, inexperience, ignorance, or lndoience' 10
protect a married woman from the improper iu'
huence and control of her husband IN the dis.
position of her property, we cover her "llh iesa
disabilities to act, or throw around her the pro-
lection of the courts. To guard infants IRON
their own ignorance and inexperience, we pn'
over them guardians. To take care OF the ln'
terests of idots and lunatics, we commit them to
the protection of committees. When men are
without means of living, and though able to
work, are too indolent to do it, we take them
up, and compel them to support themselves
And this even DR.. Charming says Is right. Ano
so when the safety and well-being of society re-
quire it, we call upon all men, old, and young
rich and poor, yea the most vrtuous in the land
to lay down their life, it may be, for the defence
and protection of the country; which is only an
other name for society. In all these cases the
right of society arises, and the natural right o.
the man which would conflict with it, ends.
SLAVERY. III VIEW OF TIE NATURAL RIGHTS OF