The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-05-26


eternal God, and where the streams and
the currents spring forth from its own
bosom.
The lecturer then adverted to the form
alton of society. There was nothing so
strong, known to man. as society, and
nothing that could bear such haidships,
that could survive such abuse, that could
grow up under such pressures, that could
carry such burdens, that could work health
out of such diseases and sorrows as are
perpetualIy inflicted on it. The first bur
den which he would mention was that of
despotic governments. That man need
ed laws and governments. had been said
ana celebrated until the young imagina-
tion was dazzled with the sacredness of
this so-called divine idea of government !;
but governments, in fact, were very sorry
commentaries on the theories Of govern
ments The divine nature Of govern
ments had yet, he thought, to be diScOv-
cred Upon the simple necessity Of law
he'd been built up structures of govern
ment so vast and 50 complex that it had
often taken up the whole strength of a
nation just to endure its government !;
and theuit had 10 strength to do anything
else Some governments are like idols
divine at a distance, but deUitSh when
close at hand; as a warrior determined
to be impregnable might order from his
arm orcr mail so thick and SO unpleasant
that his whole strength might be required
to carry his very arnor, leaving no power
for defence, for swinging the sword, for
thrusting the spear. heprincipal bust
ness 9. governments, rs of the wise doc
tors, was to let people alone, and to obIige
them to let each other alone. Men were
made to take care of themselves. There
could be no substitute for the element Of
individual preservation, and the instinct
was just as strong in society as in the in
divual | was doubtful, therefore, whcth-
er man had not been as much injured by
governments as benefited by them. An
archy was an evil. but it was not the
worst evil, though described as the crater
OF volcano, or a bottomess pit; and Il
nation without a government presented u
wretchcdness only equalled by that Of a
nation with one. More crimes were com
mitted against the peace Of society under
despotic governments by those who ad-
ministered the laws, than by those upon
whom the laws were administered. In
free governments the criminals were al
most ali under the laws in despotic gov
ernments they were almost ALWAYS above
it. On the principle of despotic govern
ments, as administered IN Europe to day,
every king should be a slave and those
who now sat in ashes should wear crowns,
if crowns should be worn by anybody.
The air was full of this notion Of the alb
solute power of governments, and men
dragged through life with only enough
life to linger in perpetual blight without
diving Governments produced more an
arcuy than tho want of them had ever
done they had heaped up difficulties In
the way of the developement of that Spon-
taueous wisdom with which God Jad pro
vided man for his elevation. The laws
of the world were generally the world ;
rubbish, and its craftsmanship generally
nothing but its folly. An astronomical
government. to help the world to turn
over and revolye In its orbit, would be no
more ridiculous than many of the govern
ments the world has now. Kings had
had great trouble with their people, but
the people had had more trouble with
their kings. TIE force ofthe people had
been wasted in building up this shadowy
something called a State, as if it were
anything more than a name-and that
name was prosperous people. But fan
tastic fools, called wise men, hal each
moulded and cut, and scooped cut his
idea of what a state should be, and then
attempted to crush the people into it.
Educate man, enable him to develop the
faculties that God gave him; let him
alone-and that was the State! This
was the FIRST burden that society had to
bear. and if there were no other, the sim
pie facility with which it was borne, show
ed that no camel was ever filter for the
labor of the desert than society was for
going across the desert Of human history,
carrying kings and governments.
1t is recorded of Pericles, or some ther
great etes. that his head was too large for
his body. So with States aud peoples
all their trouble is 100 often in their heads.
The second burden he would name was
Slavery, and this was but a variation OF
the other. for slavery, in all Its forms, was
bat dcspotism struck in. Under every
modification it was mischief and waste.
1t began by destroying the liberty of the
weak it ended by corruptng the strength
of the strong. 1t was a kingdom of or
ganizcd sin, for which all terms that in
dlcatcd iniquity were too weak and toe
specific, and the language had yet to in,
vent the word that, thickly populated