The Portland daily press., 1863-06-05
Ltbertv. in Poland and Elsewhere.

Liberty, i'm Poland and Elsewhere.
The last dispatches from Poland contain
one striking announcement,-"the peasantry
remain quiet" So they always did, to be
sure. Out of the millions on Polish soil, only
a few thousands are concerned in the rebel
lion. These thousands are fighting, against
hope, for what they call their "liberty." What
choice inheritance that liberty is, may east
ly be shown. Two hundred years ago the
ancestors of these noblemen were in the full
enjoyment of that wonderful constitution,
which included among its other guarantees
the liberum reto so warmly admired and COM
mended by our countryman, Calhoun. Every
member of the Polish Diet was invested with
an absolute ueto power. The pronunciation
of this word by any member acted as bar
upon all proceedings. In 1868 the kingdom
was left without head. John Casimir, fet-
tered by this absurd constitution, anarchy re-
duced to- ystem, had abdcated. The army
was unpaid, and unless the Diet could come
to a vote, must be disbanded. 1t was propos-
ed to modify the liber,tm reto, to meet this
difficulty, pregnant with the dangers of for
egn invasion. To this proposition the small
err mobiles, keenly sensitive to any encroach-
ment upon privilege which raised them to
political equality with the wealthiest, made
memorable reply: "they preferred to expose
"the State to foreign invasion rather than suf-
"fer the slightest violation of their liberties
When it is added that these liberties had
money value, that the elections and the whole
action of the Diet were influenced by the most
shameful bribery, this extraordinary declara-
tion may be fully appreciated.
1t is for such liberties as this that men are
often clamorous and sometimes fight. 1t is
the privilege of taking liberties" which they
covet. Freedom of thought is grand; but a
"freethinker" is synonym for a paltry dab
bier in theology. Freedom of speech is sa-
cred: but "free-spoken man" is a social nui-
sance. Freedom of action is noble; but he
who snakes free" with others, deserves to be
severely snubbed. Now here are the same
words in slightly different combinations ex-
pressing very different ideas, and it is worth
W lille TO observe that the same element in
each case changes an altogether admirable
SohttPsioh w SohCtAiibk iuAtC iSuOuiC
contemplate. A freethinker is one who is
not satisfied to think his own thoughts in
peace, but must thrust them under unwilling
nostrils of others. A free speaker is one who
takes leave to speak his mind about other than
his own concerns. 1t is a selfish disregard for
the rights OF others which thus degrades the
most sacred personal rights. "Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as myself" is the law OF good
manners and good conduct by which every
act must be judged. He is unworthy Of liber-
ty who would expose his country to detriment
rather than waive any merely personal privi-
lege.
The Democratic party will be unable to
make martyr to the right of free speech Of so
poor material as Vallandigham. This coun-
try is engaged in war. The Republican party,
and the great mass Of the Democratic party
as well, believe that peace may be conquered
but cannot be obtained on any other terms,
except desperation. Mr.. Vallandigham pro-
fesses to think differently. He has right to
think SO. He has an equal right to express his
thought, so long as that expression does not
infringe upon the rights of others. He has no
right by such expression to clog and hamper
the majority in the exercise of their right to
rule. With them and not with him rests the
responsibility for this war, and it is not his
privilege to embarrass their prosecution of the
war to the end which they believe to be attain
able. That would be violation of their liber-
ties, for which he has no warrant.
OF the influence of this man in the West,
we cannot well judge. In the Eastern States,
no one was damaging the Democratic party
more. 1t is said that his influence in his own
State was dangerous. ESQ, he was justly pun
ished. II not, though his intent was inexcu-
sable enough, his arrest and transportation
were impolitic and wrong But even in that
case neither he, nor his friends, nor the Demo-
cratic party, can as patriots prefer to expose
the loyal North to intestine strife at this hour,
"rather than suffer the slightest violation
of their liberties"