The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-09-05
Saturday Morning, September 5, 81,
Freedom.

NO people can enjoy rational liberty with
out them, yet few seem to realize the
obligations they are placed under by their
possession. Many suppose they have a
right to do wrong; misunderstanding the
principle involved, they confound vice
with liberty. The yirtuous and wise
alone can enjoy freedom. Freedom from
error, secures freedom from pain, fear, ha-
tired, and other bad passions. A good un-
derstanding of our own personal rights, so
regulates the behavior, and curbs the
passions, in general society, as not only
to prevent aggressions on Others, bnt also
to enlist the feelings and actions in behalf
OF those who are wronged.
Human rights are realities, recognized
by our usages, laws, and constitutions
To infringe upon them is to undermine
the foundations of peace, prosperity and
general intelligence. To deny to peo-
pie the right Of seif-government is either
to strike down their manhood or COM
mence civil war. No violation of just
law, or moral rectitude, can be committed
without injury to society and to individ-
uals. Wherever freedom is degraded in
to an excuse for the practice of vice, or
liberty taken an apology for crime, there
you may look for debased manhood, vio-
lence and danger.
Whoever makes use of the freedom and
unsuspiciousness Of State, to spy out
its weaknesses, or to seek his own ag-
grandizement, or overthrow its govern
ment, is traitor to peace, and a rebel
against his country. Whoever pleads
the right of freedom of speech, to SANDER
his neighbor, to traduce virtue, or weaken
the moral restraints of society, is himself
the slave and victim of crime. Whoever
pleads the same right, in order to Justify
himself in disturbing public meetings, In
trading upon assemblies called for other
purposes and for other men, thereby
wasting their time, and thwarting their in
tentions. has yet to learn the elementary
principles of freedom and human rights.
Whoever takes possession of the newspa-
per press and wields it againt his fellow
man, to crafty personal malice, or to
bring into contempt any useful class of
citizens, or to slander public men in order
to supercede them by favorites, of any
other party, has no just appreciation of
his rights and duties as public journal
list; and is himself traitor to those rights
which generous community allows him
to violate.
There is no surer road to ruin than to
corrupt public morals. There is no in
strumentality SO efficient in this evil work,
as an unprincipled newspaper press. For
the press, then,to suppose it has the right
to violate the rules of morality, or the
principles of civil lawyin erder to be free,
IS, to say the least, most esregious blum
der.
what is freedom, then,'' asks one, ''if
we cannot injure man when we are an
CRY, or put down man whom we dislike?"
Freedom is simply to act freely, and allow
Others to act freely, when that action is
within the boundaries of moral and civil
law. When conduct goes beyond these
laws, it becomes RIGHTEOUSNESS, and no
one has right to plead the freedom ofthe
press, freedom of speech, or free coun-
try, as justification for violating the
most delicate sentiments of virtue and
honor, or for using his power to injure
Others by SANDER and detraction, or bv
appealing to the prejudices of the people,
and exciting them TO commit crimes
against communities and individuals, to
the destruction of both persons and prop
erty. There is a boundless field of action
Tor doing right; and freedom is only val
liable in securing safety while engaged in
that direction. 1t is the ignorant and Vi
cious alone, who claim freedom to do
wrong. Freedom in the pursuit of crime
isagress misapplication Of terms; there is
no such freedom. If the laws of man do
not stand in the way, the laws of God and
of nature do, and sooner or later will put
an end to such vicious courses.
If theexperienee of mankind, as record
edin history, teaches anything, it is that
people and communities are safe only as
they are yirtuous; and free only as they
respect the rights and freedom of individ-
nals.
VIII the Press Correct.
We ask the Independent Press of the
country-those editors who are not bound
Il.