Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1859-11-04
For Conscience Sake.

If has eouentIy appeared to in the course OF our
readings that there is great deal of humbug in this lit
lie world of ours but more especially does humbug lux
urate when it takes the conscientious dodge, whether
that dodge assume the form of antsaVery, purltanlsm
or any other of its thousand and phases One OF the
Walpoes speaking OF history remarked As for history
| know that to be a lie " and few who have paid any
serious attention to what called its truths can fail TO
see that Walpole was in the main right, although he
may have put it too strong
When the history Of the present slavery excitement
in the United States comes to be crysailzed into the
narrative Of some great master OF the historic artsOmo
Gbbon or Macuaiay-hc viii take bis tone from the au-
thorics he nay consult and if Englislman French
man. or German these will all have their local haba-
ton at the North-mainly in New England rejecting
the preiudices and the pet aectaons Of that section
where politicians seeking for power and office stir up the
anatica and sectional preudces of the masses-where
tile puDits sOund with anathcmas against shareholders,
and where good church members are taught to hate their
fellow citizens of the South, for conscience sake.
We were struck with oDa of these perversons OF his
tory this morning in reading an editorial article III the
PbiadeIpLa BQleia in which reference is made to that
class Of emigration to this country known as the Scotch
Irish meaning people from North Of Ireland the des-
cendants of Scotch settlers there mainly professors OF
the Presbyterian form of belief.
The Bulletin says that this element in our population
is at least equal to any other. We at least have no
wish to dispute this but there is one assertion OF the
Bulletin that verges on the cant which we dislike 1t
saws For reasons mainly belonging to their religion
determination to worship God according to the dictates
Of their own conscenccs they left Scotland and settled
in the North of Ireland"
Now there it is again. For conscience sake these
good people came over and settled upon the lands from
which for political offences the native inhabitants had
been driven They got grants of land upon favorable
terms which they took, while the original owners were
forced to be hcweIs OF wood and drawers OF water On
the grounds and amid the scenes of their former owner
ship and residence To great extent was this con-
scicntous displacement carried that in 1880 the de8cen
dans Of cooniSs or English and Scotch absentee held
eighty dollars worth of real estate for every dollars
worth held by the aboriginal Inhabitants Or their de-
scendans and twenty dollars worth Of chatte property
TO every We place it thus, although the statement
as printed puts it Protestant and Catholic instead OF
native and Coon5t, but those who KNOW anything OF
Ireland know that race and religion together that
they may be taken INTERCHANGEABLE. OF later days a
better state Of things has been brought about. Rob
Dng your nCgADOr Tor conscience sake mas Deeu IOICtu
10 take another FORM 1t now prompts to abolition out
RACES upon the South, Christian examining OF the Chi
ncse with OPIUM etc.
Far be it from to at anything done for con-
science sake Without conscience there is such thing
as principle and without principle there is 20 trust be
tween man and man. But we are like the person who
when asked about his religious feelings by loudmouhed
professor, calmly remarked that he had "none to taH
about" Conscience is too much vugarized by being
made the cloak for the plans of senterest the stri
wings Of ambition or the wild outbreaks of fanacism
Its teachings ought to be rule for Our own conduct
generally speaking if that is kept straight it is as much
as we can hope io without appointing ourselves censo
of the conduct Of neghbors We generally find
that a jealous guardianship of the conduct of Others
accompanies criminal neglect Of the duties which we
ourselves ought to discharge
A great many things ii history that have been
charged to the OF conscience ought to be placed
to the credit of interest or ambition. A great many
things now occurring before eys that will be cred
ted to conscience their inception and progress anC
vitality to a very different class of motives.