The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-04-08

of the legislator is simply to conform TO natu-
raj truth. He is the mere minister anG ex-
positor of nature" Here il the secret of our
instability-a want of conformity to natural
truth, which is immntable, and is the same
yesterday, to-day and forever. ssThe legisIa-
Tor should seek the truth and proclaim 1T.
What is truth one session is truth another, and
her dictates should always be obeyed. To
discover natural truth, man must know him
self and his true relations TO himself and 10 ex-
ternal nature. All truth becomes natural truth
ALI rights, natural right ts-and all wrongs.
natural wrongs" We cannot endorse The last
clause of this sentence. There can be no nat
ural wrong. Nature is harmonious in all her
departments. Wrong is the rusult of human
"Our business is to perceiue-not to create.
Man makes not good nor evil. He cannot
confer rights, nor create wrongs" True, our
business is to discover and not to create truth
but if man does not make evil nor create
wrong, whence do they spring? If they do
not originate with man they cannot be abroga-
ted by him. .-.s.
Another important truth advanced is, that
the "law is merely decllratory as to all na,u-
raj rights. (What other rights are there p IT
does not create, but enforces them; the right
depending not upon the law. but the law anon
the right ITSELF" How much foolishness this
simple truth overcomes! People have been
taught to look to the law, not only for their
rights, but for their very manhood; whereas
they should look above the law ard break
from the meshes Of Ill enactments which are
not declaratorv of natural truth and indeed,
what other truth is there but natural?
Our author most trumphantlv confutes the
error so agreeable to tyrants, that legislation
can make :hat wrong which was before right.
and vice versa. Man has no power to forbid
by enactment what nature allows, or vice ver-
sa. Every duty he enioins which nature does
not enforce, is an infiction of tyranny. elf
i confers right which nature has not or
daned, it rohs some one mary of that which
it confers, and works injustice among men,"
BY this rule, the law which gives to the bus
band all the goods Of the wife is an outrage.
In speaking OF the natural condition of man.
another grea. truth is proclaimed viz: e:The
state of civilization is the true natural ondi-
tion Of the human rule" We are almost uni
versaly referred 10 the savage state for the
natural condition Of man. This is but link
in the great chain of political error so gener-
ally taught. The more savage people are
the more unnatural /: for all were designed for
enlightened civilization. The counsellor saws
that sin the nursery of human infancy are be-
trayed the true natural desires, emotions and
faculties of all human beings. We need not
20 back to the early ages of the world. for the
cradle presents us with The early age OF every
man-of savage man in the bosom of civilized
life." II may be doubtful about the 'snursery
of infancy'' being the place TO observe The
most ratural condition of man. Every infant
is influenced in It's growth and development
by the Hilton Of its parents, and if they are
unnatural in their conduct, their offspring will
be also. The surest son-ce Of knowledge on
This subject is in the history of the best men
VIZ, '''' "'' n' "'o ''e
greatest share of these attributes, is the most
natural.
The counsellor calls TO his aid the princi-
pies OF p'ireno'ogv, which ne makes bis stan
dard IN estimating the true nature OF man. He
pfetehos 10 derive theretrom TWO fundamental
truths, viz: l. That mankind have one common
nature, when is now ascertained and well de-
hhed :. mat this common nature is compo-
sed OF certain we'i-known intellectual facul-
tiss' moral emel'ons and desires, or passions,
"h'eo are a@mo,e' and spring from the very ex-
is'ence or haman being. lie need noihaye
gone 10 phreho'ogy Tor these troths' FOR 'hey
We're OF age hefore Dumps had local hihi-
'a''h ana name ihose faculties, e'c.,
which ne deems essential 10 mus discussion
ne mus ennmerates: F" Inc desire or iife-fhe
desire or focd-the desire or safety-the desire
OF exclusive property and po'sess'on-'he IN
nate love "f the opposite sex-the Faculty TO
communicate ideas-the sentiments OF rever-
ence and awe-the disposition to have faith
10 wonder-a love or the beautiful and per-
fecf--a love or praise and Communications
cPSlrc 20 see Diners hapnN--1 love OF nlStIcp--