The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-05-08
Individual and Social Duties.

One of the most certain marks of tru enlightened
mind is the power of comprehendng the dependence
of our individual welfare public prosperity. do
not mean of course, that each of US should become
political retormer or conservative or brawler about
town politics and police regulations as ii these conSu
tuted chief business to the neglect of private
duties This would augment instead of diminish, the
evils OF our social condition What wish to enforce
is the conviction that in the general case our ndiyd
ua enoyments are nseparaby connected with those OF
the society IN which move; and that it Is both our
interests and our duty to study atentvey the nature,
Objects and practical results of social Institutions
and to devote all the time and attention that may be
necessary to bring them into accordance with the die
tates OF our higher powers.
The prevalence of these views would lead to numer-
Gus and important advantages We should learn to re-
gard public in their real relationship to gene
raj utility and not through the distortng medium oil
our private interests and partaties We should pro-
scribe class interests public nuisances and believe in
the incaculable power which society possesses to inn
prove its condition. We should feel much more dis
posed than at present to promote with moral infu
ence the ascendency of all measures calculated to lead
to public good relying their benefttng ourselves in
our social capacity Another effect would be, that men
of far higher moral and intellectual character would be-
come candidates for offices of public trust and honor
because they would be certain of support from moral
and intelligent public At present tie busy men in all
the minor departments of political and public life,
too often those who actuated by restless vanity
or who expect to attain selfish end through their
public influence and connections From the general
disbelief in dsinterested motives public men are fre
quently rewarded with oboquy and abuse however
zealousY and uprghty they may have discharged their
official duties aud this deers OF decacy who also
entertain strong sense of justice, from accepting off
ciai trusts There are, fortunately many exceptions
but fear that there also too many examples OF the
truth of this remark. The truly enlightened and dsn
erested shrink from the means which selishly amb-
ouS men employ, not only obtain, but to WELD and
preserve power and hence the field is left too open to
them. The remedy for these evils is to educate the
public at large into perception OF the real nature and
Importance OF their social interests and duties.
II be III the opinion that the happiness of
each individual is inseparaby connected with that Of
the society in which he lives and that the law that we
must love our neighbor ourselves really means in
its extensive sense, that individual enjoyment arise
only from improved social habits and institutionsthen
shall not be thought to be guilty of extravaganza
when remark, that in times past this view has rarely
to any practical end been pressed on the attention Of
society Within the last fifty sixty years political
economy has been discussed principles
but the leading aim of the economists has been to de
monstrate the most efectua means of increasing wealth
The very title Of the first valuable work on the subject
is THE Wealth Of Nations, by DR. Adam Smith The
principles which he expoRnded it is true are in many
respects eolncldent with those which | am now advo-
eating; and no one can value his abors and those Of
his successors such Ricardo, MCullooh and their
followers, more highly than do yet it is unquesona-
he that the great aim OF all these writers has been
clear away the rubbish that mpeded the play of our
selfish faculties and to teach the eadYantage of repeating
all laws that impede in following his own bent
search Of It's own happiness in his own way restrained
only by the obligation that he shall not directly njure
or ob8truct the prosperity Of his neghbor In the in-
fancy OF civilization, the exposition of the natural laws
by which wealth is created and dilsed most valuable
and these writer's are worthy OF all consideration as
being useful in their day But society must advance in
It has ifC
persons doubt whether the increase of happiness has
all ranks keppace with that of its riches What seems
now to be wanted is, the application of principles in
harmony with urwhole nature physical animal moral,
and intellectual calculated to lead to the qualification
OF all Ourpowers We need to be enlightened regard
ing the constituent clements of our own happiness and
TO pursue it, in combination, in right direction
The next requisite of improving our social condition
is the command Of time for the discharge Of our social
duties. One day in Che week is set apart for teaching
and pracdCiug religious duties; but in that day little
instruction is communicated by public and author
ised teachers touching the affairs Of this world and the
laws by which the happiness of social state may be
best promoted The other six days of the week are de
voted to the advancement OF individual interests in
the pursuit Of wealth. or as the scripture designates it,
to the collection of hc meat which perisheth" In the
existing arrangements OF society," our social duties do
not appear to be generally recognised incumbent on
us. There are few semnH4es orm8kiRg US acquainted
with them and no time is allotted for the practice OF
lltI IuUae unOIHCld INDIVIDUALS VINO discharge pub
lie duties must either sacrifice them the time which
their competitors devourng to their private inter
eStS, OF overtaSk their minds and bodies by laborng
when nature demands rcpose. With all Difference to
existing opinions should humby propose that spe-
chc portion Of time should be apart for teaching in
public assemblies, and discharging practically our social
duties, and that all private business should then be
pended. If half day in the week were devoted to this
purpose, some OF the following consequences might be
expected to ensue.
In the first place. the great importance of social in
StitutionS and habits to individual happiness would be
brought home to all 1t would be half iav dedicated
to the consideration of the means by which we might
practically love our neghbors ourselves public
recognition Of the principle, one capable of being
carried into effect, would in ITSELF bend many minds
towards reaisng it.
| Secondly such an arrangement would enable and
also excite the people at large to turn their attention
seriously to moral and social considerations in which
their true ntests deeply involved instead of con
slderng it mertorous and advantageous to neglect
them; and it would tend to remove dense mass OF
ignorance andpreudice which offers powerful obstacle
to all improvement. If be correct in thinking that
individual men cannot realise the christian pecepts in
their actions while living in society whose ruling mo-
tiveS opposed to them il is obvious that the raca
ton OF our social habits is indispensable prelude to
the Introduction Of practical christianity; and how can
these be reeted unless by nstrucng the people in the
means of improving them. Thus the rel gous commu-
nifty are deeply interested in promoting the plan of
| formation now proposed. Exchange.
/ ACAPrMSs AUTHORITY SArIsYIED-There is, between
Cincinnati and Louisville the Kentucky shore,
large rock known as 'Kirby's rock"-takng its name
from an early steamboat navigator. The legend, in
regard to its christening this wse:The aforesaid
individual owned a small steamboat which came up the
river about the of three miles per hour when all
things in order Approaching the rock in the yeat
1920, little after dark and while strutting about on
the hurricane deck the captain esped it. supposng it
to be dot-boat; being determined to yndicate his
superiority in every respect and his strength in partc
ular he eyed it considerably was then as now the
duty of all minor crafts-ndignty, we mean-to show
light night, on hearing the approach of the steamer
otherwise in case Of collision, they could not recover
damages if run into. Having as he supposed the Law
on his side Kirby the captain of the little steamer
hailed the iat-boat; ''halo, the boat" No answer
ill-o the boat Still silence reigned supreme on the
fat but the hills answered taking the call to themselves
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