The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-05-01

seeking brute DOMINATION, on the one haut
, and the rational and moral elements of mar
hood, which ever urge toward the lawfr
supremacy, on the other. This is a conhic
> as old Is the world, and perhaps one tha
in some shape. will continue while th
world lasts and | have tried in vain I
think OF q single recorded instance wheIei
the issue was more simple, or the coliisio
more direct, than in our own country to
day.
That principle in nature which makes th
tiger tiger passes obviously into man i
virtue of the fact that he is Oh one side. o
the side of body and temperament, usi
9 to the tiger, as comparative anatomy SHOWS
a This presence in man of tGer-priI c pi
does not occur by mistake, for 1t is al
0 admirable fuel or fire, an admirable genera
4 tor Of force, which the higher powers MAJ
first master and then use. But at first l
assumes place in man wholly untamed anc
seemingly tameless. indisposed for augh
but sovereignty. OF course. having place
in man. it passes, and in the same crude
state, into society. And thus it happens
that, when the unconquerable affinites Of
men bring them together, this principle
) arises in lis brutal might, and strives to
make itself central and supreme.
} inevitable urgency, as we'll as what is low
est. 1t can never be left out of the account
Gravitation is powerful and perpetual but
the pine pushes up in opposition to it never
theess. The forces of the inorganic realm
strive with might to keep their own; but
organic life rM exist on the planet in their
despite, and will conquer from the earth
what material it needs. And, in like man
do fhAn
begin to play back and forth between them
ideal or ascending forces, mediations Of
reason, conscience. soul and the ever
growing interpretations Of these appear as
cosrlesies. laws. moralities, worships.--as
all the noble communities which constitute
high social state In fine, there is that in
man which seeks perpetually. for it seeks
necessarily. to give the position of central
ity in society to the ideal principle Of JUS
tice and to the great charities Of the human
SOUL
Hence q contest. Two antagonistic piin-
ciples leap forth from the bosom of man. SO
soon as men come together. seeking several
Iy to establish the law of social relationship.
One of these is predaceous, brutal the
other ideal, humane. One says. Might
makes right :" the other, Might shoald
serve Right" One looks upon mankind at
large as q harvest to be gathered for the
behoof of afew, who are confederate only
for that purpose. even as wolves hunt in
packs the other regards humanity as a
gro with to be fostered for its own sake and
worth, and affirms that superiority OF
strength is given for service. not for spell.
One makes the ego supreme; the other
makes rational rights supreme. One seeks
private qualification at any expense TO high
er values. even as the tiger would, were it
possible, draw and drink the blood of the
universe as soon as the blood of a COW the
other establishes an ideal estimate Of values,
and places private qualification low on the
scale. But the deepest difference between
them. the root OF separation, remains to be
stated 1t is the opposite estimate they
have of man in the pure simplicity Of his
being. The predaceous principle SAYS
" Man is in and of himself vslueless be
attains value only by position, by subduing
he will of Others 10 his own; and in subject
ing others he destroys nothing of worth. |
since those who are weak enough to fall are
By tina, very fact proved to be worthless
The humane or socializing principle, on the
Says" Manhood is value /; the
,sserce Of all value is found in the individ-
lal soul and therefore the final use of the
world. OF society, of action, of all That man
loes and Of all that surrounds him, is to
develop iutelligepcs. to bring forth the
mind and soul into powcr,-in fine. to real
re in each the spiritual possibilities OF
man.
True socializston now exists only as this
nobler principle is victorious. 1t exists only
IN proportion as force is lent to ideal rela-
lions, relations prescribed by reason, con-
science. and reverence for The being Of man, \
only in OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES as the total
force OF the state kHScls before each individ.
nal soul; and. without foolish intermeddlings,
,r confusions Of order. proffers protection.
ervice, succos. Here is a specialization |
lowing. self poised. fertilzing i. is full of |
gracious invitation to all, yet regulates all |
makes liberty by making law; it produces
md distributes privilege. Here there is not
nils community, that is. the unity Of many |
n the enjoyment OF common privilege. but
here is more. there is positive fructiticstion, |
here is wide. manifold. infinitely precious
vocation OF intelligence. OF moral power
md Of all spiritual worth.
As, on the contrary. the baser principle |,
there is no genuine socializa,ion.
,ut only brute aggregation of subsection
beneath and brute dominsnce Of egotism
,bove. Society is mocked and travestied,
,ot established, iu proportion as force is lent
10 eso,ism. Ii anywhere the power which
we call state set its heel on an innocent
soul,-if anywhere it suppress. Instead os
uniting intelligence.- anywhere il DENY,
though only to one individual. the privilege
Of becoming human.-to such an exlen, it
wars against society and civilization. to such
extent sets its face against the divine uses
Of the world.
Now the contest between these opposing
principles is that which is raging in our
country this day. Oi course. any broad
territorial representation of this mus. be OF
! very mixed quality. Our best civiIizs-
lions are badly notified with stains of bar
barism. In no state or city can egotism.
either Of the hot blooded or cold -blooded
sind,-and the latter is far the more vi,u
eut,--be far to seek Ga the other band.
no social system. thank God. can quite
reverse the better instincts OF humsnity and
il may be freely granted that even American
slavery shades of. here and there into aui.s
tender notifications. Yet not in all the