The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-09-03
From the Nescdrk; Daily Adrertiser.
Tha Birds Tile 10 a Liyelihood.

despotic sovereignty over the other AMI
mails Of this globe. By his practice he
clearly acknowledges no rule of action
but his will. Manifestly, however, slaw
exists, which puts limit to his sovereign
ty. He has of right dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over the fowls of the
air, and over the cattle, and over all the
earth, aud over every living thing that
liveth upon the earth" But in the very
next verse but one it is also ordained that
ito every beast Of the earth, and TO every
fowl of the air, and to everything that
creepeth upon the earth, wherein there IS
life, is given every green herb for meat"
1t follows logically from this that man
holds but divided empire; that a robin
| has as good fight 70 cherry, which he
finds growing on the herb called cherry
tree, as man has. May not pigeon take
as much buckwheat, crow as much corn
as he finds in his way, whether above
ground or under? Who shall lind fault
with the domestic hen for plowing the
soil as we'll as man, and taking the liberty
of appropriating what she finds beneath
it, lust as he does? A bobolink has as
indubitable a title to the ripe apple, peach
or plum, when he or bis family wants
them. as he has to the grown Worm that
crawls in the same orchard.
Mark the selfish tyranny of mankind.
The swallow, the bat and the nighthawk
may seize, unpuestioned, upon the bug,
spider, fy and musquito, because, forsooth,
these happen not TO be the favorites OF our
race. But the moment robin or port
royal bird abstracts cherry from his over
burdened trees, he is condemned as
malefactor to the forfeit Of his life, with
out Judge or Jury, or benefit OF clergy;
and we add most emphatically, without
a warrant from law-that divine law
which governs man and beast, and birds
and fishes, and every creeping thing
that law which rules in this httie orb,
where man plays the tyrant and the blgot,
aud among theinnumerable worlds IN the
abysses Of space, where such a creature
as man does not, probably, exist.
We in this country ought to compre-
,, hend what is meant BY divided sove-
reienty of our empire, for we owe a GER
tain degree Of allegiance both to town, to
country, State and the Union. ALI have
their respective claims upon us, and none
of them are Interchangeable. By our owr
act we may dissolve our obligation to them
, all. Sovereignty is the reciprocal to ale,
, glance, and il is therefore broken up and
> distributed among several repositories.
Thus it is with the various creatures o.
the earth. Each has its respective right
i and claims, none can rightfully mouopo
: lie the whole, and subject all other being
: to his absolute, irresponsible will. vi tn
: | fruits of the earth for example, man ma!
lawfully take what is needed for his sub
Y sistence and enjoyment; and so may Tn
: = bird, the beast and the worm. Inc nlgh
. est created intelligence is not permitted
: to transcend all responsibility and monop
. olize all happiness. The lowest grub tha
= wallows in filth is not an outlaw, but en-
' titled TO his share of the general felicity
Sucb is the law which binds all men t
let others live and enjoy, while ne live
, and enjoys himself. All are tenants wit
:, differing privileges and capacities OF tn
is is one Great bountiful Giver. Let not tn
- !" ouib6ler pretend, that the vine and tn
y tree are the exclusive property of maj
y being the sole product of his labor. :
: portion of them is so, but not all, nor ID
a principal part Of either. The good moth
= : er earth, the generous contributor OF tn
sustepance of all her offspring, animal en-
~ human, is after all the largest donor
~ the elements which constitute the herl
- of the field both great and small. In h'
name the beast and the fowl put in for
!. portion of their fruits, and are sure new
ID ID to get as much as they are entitled to-
= Man takes the lions share.
If the birds, however, about which
~ are now concerned, should in hums
= courts be found guilty of stealing cher
>, from one of mans trees, or strawoerl
- from one Of his vines, why should Il
e nenalty eeacted be death, while m'
escape scot free, not only when they ste
Jewels. and wives, and tens OF thoasan
of dollars but when they take the We
life of their fellow beings? Is this righ
is Is it doing as we would be done by,
in the Golden Rule, as we regard 1t, los
* half its value if not Interpreted so as
Ct comprehend the whole sensitive creatio
nd There are brutes who kill birds, when L
er, trespassing at all. They are not asham
as 10 murder them when brooding over q
Ten protecting their young ones, Staying the
se. at family altar, hardly less sacred th
viii that of the church. But we speak not
hrs. these barbarians; but of those who int
,ri- inc the larceny of a kernel of corn, ol
OK pea. by a poor bird is justification enou
ect for his destruction! They indignan
pug protest against the taking Of their o
lives for the very greatest Of crimes, e1
i02, narricide and treason, and yet would d
'ost death all around among creatures a III
osts inferior without thought, much les
> ! pang.
ced kind to take what is requisite for nouri
nth. ment from the animal as well as vegeta
are world st proper seasons and upon ratio
ned conditions, one may, notwithstanding,
D OH suppose, express astonishment at the Ia
it number of bird executions, which b
ave sometimes taken place for the robber
the one fruit tree. And does the gourm
han ever reflect on the number OF vict
which are sacrificed to his cultivated
ex- petite, and that it is chiefly his abb
post perversion Of natural-taste, which c
rfeit calls for immolation of hecatombs to
Neio tain in him a useless existence? Ref
ing on this shocking butchery for his
individual qualification, altogether Sc
as it is, what disgusting egotist he !
'lved be, and what costly one beside. "
J, 81, one of the ordinary quadrupeds is er
and " sufficient to satisfy the hunger
and whole family, the epicure, forsooth,
skin gluttonize upon ascore Of little Great
tory; that cheer us with their songs, v
and every life is doubtless very dear to
! the and who may feel at the loss Of it, as
uerri- an agony as sheep or an OF does
iities' slaughtered for tho shambles. Ft
have the authority Of Shakespeare 4
opinion,
Kan "That the poor beetle. that we tread up
.,, ,.i In corporeal sufferanee, feels pang ~ !
W. os As when giant dies"
have --------
hare nAFThe Sons of Malta at thei