The mountain Democrat., 1863-11-28
lnalIenable Rights.

Nenevcr read the magnificent speeches
OF Burke, in the House Of Commons, with
out being aStoniShed at the immense
amount of information with which they
abound, the wonderful forecast they ex-
hibit, and the political sagacty they dis
play. In the address whi:h he proposed
to the Rockingham party, when they Sc.
cedcd from the House Of Commons, find
Ing their hostility fruitieSs toward the
measures which were then adopted toward
America, Burke proposed to memorialize
the King in these terms:
"SIRE: Your throne cannot stand Sc
cure upon the principles of unconditional
submission and passive obedience on
powers exercised without the concurrence
of the people to be governed; on acts
made in defiance of their habits and pre-.
judices, and secured by standing armies.
These may possibly be the foundation of
other throneS- they must be the subver-
sion of yours. The King is the reprcsen-
tative Of the peoplc-so are all the De
partmcnts Of this Government They are
trustees for the people. No opower is given
that can ensue to the dctriment of those
LOT Whom the trust Is given.
Those admirable sentiments, with a
very Slight alteration in the words, would
answer in substance for an address to
Abraham Lincoln, now assuming trcmcn,
douS powers not conferred ukon him in
the deed Of trust under which it was in
tended he should act for the benefit of the
people. The President has forgotten that
there are certain absolute rights inherent
in this people, which no time can wear
out, no power annihi'atc, and no authority
exists 10 superccdc; and hich cannot be
given away, for they were born with US.
These rights may be found secured in
some "i the amendments to the Constitu-
ton. These amendments have been very
appropriately called the "Ten Command
mc"ts of American Frcemcn," and al
though they may not have been given
amid the thun1ers and ightning> Of Sanai,
ihev are no less written by the finger of
God npoa t';r heats Of men. than the
Jewish cumman meats were upon the
tablets "f stnNr. These civil rights were
nothing more th1" the Development If the
national rights >luhrH OF above. In en-
t"rlng INTO tit' : c!al state We parted with
10 { IT theSr Eaturll rights. We retain
all that were pericct--aS those relating to
freedom OF thought and of speech but
certain natural rights were imperfect, and
the operation Of our Constitution was tn
give the power o. securing and enforcing
these rights. X was bringing in the gov
rrnmcnta' Powcr-thr power which arises
from comhin1tlpn-to secure that which
might he insecure 50 long as individuals
werr left solely t. themselves.
Prc>i lent Lincoln and the party who
supported him are guilty Of the same sad
mistake that George Ill. made in making
war upon these inalirnahls rights Of the
people. The threats OF power, the agen-
cle> OF dcSpotiSm may for a while keep
down the popular impulses, but it cannot
be great while that these impulses will
bear To- be kept down, and when they do
hurst forth it will be like the spring long
bent, that leaps to an erect condition with
the greater force. Self interest now in
the community is carried on to most un
Scrupulous conclusions, and is fast riding
rough shnd over order. The times are
pregnant with evil omcns; and in an hour
when men think not, in the midst Of the
social evils that day by day are tightening
the chains about us, the oppressed may
strike for their rights, and for their very
existence at the same time Then the
Awful Presence that guides and controls
nations in their dcstinies. may come once
more in justice, and again may we read
the hand writing on the walls of tyranny,
and hear the footsteps of the Avenaer.