The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-07-25
DIR. HushncEa OH loyalty.


tains AN article by Rev. Dr. Bushnell on 9Th,
Duc:rinc Of Loyalty" in which the subject i.
treated in tie cra!est and most logical manner
Dr. bushnell makes the attempt 10 fix and give
diStlhciEc>s To the meaning q! il term which hil,
"I la lccn much used in tie United State:
without any definite idea of lis real Significance
Many even have gone So far as to deny that til,
word could properly be applied to anything
renting to the institutions of our country -
btiieis haze half admitted, under sort OF pro-
test, It's Legitimacy Us an American word, hui
have construed i, rs involving nothing mul,
than slrIci adherence to The letter of the tunsi
tuition, and passive obedience to the laws. DR.
Bushnell shows, III the Article under considers
ton, by cotlse of irresistible reasoning, thai
loyalty IN an American citizen is leality--no
OF words or aciun--but us Il sentiment of the
heart, Something higher and nober is implied
by il than submission to the laws of the land OF
Willingness 10 uphold them. 1t is above and
hey"n'i LAZY, and exists independently Of and
he.ulc it,
I'VE undertake, then, TO say that Tie law has
nothing whatever 10 do with LOYALTY, and that
it is not, in any sense, ,c;eul subject. 1t stands
"n the sane i'"ting with patriotism, honor, and
hiavcry--ii" lazy has 40 definitions for it, and
never had = takes no Jurisdiction of it. The
subject is purely moral, living III the field oi
right sentiment and rr!igion uSt like other
matters that aTc analogous in some of the other
relations of life. Thus man is honorable
wi!rn hc is trrc 10 his own personal convictions;
iilial, wien lie is faithful and duiitu to parents
,ioris wlicu lie is ubedicnt and true to God
and in Just Ike same way he is ,,cyotcd and
true to his c"untly. And tic lrw has nothing
more 20 d" with him III one case tlau i'll tie
others. There is no legal definition of huunr
none of tilial virtue, none of pirly, and there is
10 more any such definition OF loyalty.
''Thc English common law makes 1t d>lnc.
ticn hctwc,n what it rather pantdoAicalIy calls
imperfect uhliga;inns,' and those which alc
perfect; meaning, by the inpcrcct, those
which are too jlr-,ca"himG, and Gccp, and sub,
tie, and spiritual in one wmd, perfect, to be
Administered by Tie clumsy faculty of human
nhn!aIS; and by tho perfect, tho" which arc
>il gle, and simple, and supcltic'a! enough TO he
n"inlahcd by The short perception of human
c'dcmvcS and .iudgu,n's. NIncty-ninc one
hundlrd|iS of Tie duties Of life, and probably Il
nrI"h larger lnnp"rtiun belonging to what ave
ca led by he comrrit of the common law, int
pcrtc ,b Legations; thai is, to tie c,uss which
ave So perfect tlmt God only can admins cr
Lem, hccar,$c only lie can race the motives
distinguish the evidences. and settle the judo
ncit5 by which their violations willie be iiiIv
rcdrr srd. Honestly and dishonesty, for exam
PIE, kindness and uukindEess, truth and un;ru,h
patriotic and lnpairioiic aciun--tlc civil law
ran do nothing with these and Il thousand
Other like Obligations. save wien tie rciHlilI
pa Is into some oIIiW ard act that is personal
~ public wrong, and can hc investigated hy
human testimony. Thus. if tie di.IIuncsly
AXE III" shape of Irnrd if the rn'iindMc<%
takes the shape Of en- c Y to ann lis, ~ to enc $
ell Id On, If the IiHtu;h passes into Islander or
ieljuy, if lac de:tc, Of patriotism nIn5 10 an
ne. 1T conspiracy with tlc enemies Of thc conn
Try. tlon tic civil law finds ca cwithn its
nar " ."Ii diction, and Is abe i" undertake
HatIcr of red -'rd.e< irg, however, the
IaUd Ecyer 1t, dishonesty, Tie cruelty never us
unkiiGurSS, the ciurN never aS mruth, the
conspiracy wiki cnCu,r~ never IL II breach oi
patriot IN Exactly So is il with i,ynlty Ii
lr"m%' ia the class Of imperfect obligations.
Snrh rs God only can admins cr. and The civil
law has never anything to do with ii, till the
disI"ynlty runs to soEc act %! public tfcnsom.--
And then il Furnishes The di>lul .as treason
never as dsl"yulty With that, as such, it
never has anything IL do, more than with dis,
honor, envy. coNe"lsneaS, unrhH itub'cnr,s,
anger, hatred, lcF rngc, consciousness; lo,
which it has nn G"nnitinHs. AMI concerning
which it In3 neither principles r"r penalties.
" Loyalty, hen, is no subject of law OF LEGAL
l'riiuiji"u II belongs cni!cv to Ike moral de-
pa,tncnt of life. il is what man thinks and
feels and contrNcS, not rs hcng commundrd
hu! of lis own accnld,Aiur his country and hi.
rulntry's honor-IjS grcn: sentiment, his dee,
and high devotion, ilr fire Of his habitual oI
Unborn homage to his country's welfare. II gur.
before all constitutions, and gees by tie lrt,c
of ali saGH;e& to do and suffer- 0ut of the Spul
lanc"ils liberties TT light feeling, what TIE pen,
constructions and IogGtlrd Judgments Of til,
State cannot find how t. cumIc 1t d, cs MOI
measure itself by What tie Constitution or III,
laws plcScIihc. | la 10 art q! contliying f5i