The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-12-21

One would suppose, from the preten-
sions> of, these agitators, that they under
stand the subject of liberty but have
not yet heard one of them give a clear
and correct definition of it. am fully
! pMssnadad that not ono of them fully
grasps the magnitude of the subject
They do not separate and classify the sew
eral departments of liberty; hence, their
analysis is confusion of Heterogeneous
matter The nature and conditions of
liberty require close study and a clear
analysis in order to distinct defamation of
the subject. feel and own my incapa-
city to do justice to this subject; but, be-
lieviIg. it to be my duty to aid the en-
curing mind by throwing all the light |
can upon this all important and absorb
ing topic of human interest, l have con-
sented to devote my spare time to benefit
the popular mind. In the prosecution Of
this duty, do not intend to consult
neither the pecuniary interest of one,
nor the prejudices of the other; but
calmly and immovably, proceed TO discuss
the great problem of human liberty.
[ will divide. and classify the subject
into four departments, viz; Nata:ot Li6i7
erty-Religious Liberty Cirils Liberty,
and Political Liberty:
1. NATURAL LIBERTY. = Webster
says, Natural Liberty consists in the
power of acting as one thinks fit, without
any restraint or control, except from the
laws of nature, Locke says. that. Nat
ural Liberty is state of perfect freedom
to order their actions and dispose of their
possessions and persons, as they think fit,
soithin he bounds Of the lgpos Of Nature,
without asking leave or depending upon
the will Of any other man, Blackstone
says, Natural Liberty consists in a pow
er of actingssas one thinks fit, without any
restraint or control, unless by the laws of
Nature, being right inherent in us by
birth, and one of the gifts of God to man
at his creation, when He endowed him
with the faculty of free-will."
From the foregoing definitions, man,
in his natural state, is under the govern
ment of law, and has no right to violate
the restraints under which his Creator
: has placed him. He is not deprived of
r his liberty to violate those natural laws ;
but if he uses his liberty to violate those
, laws, he must suffer the penalty.
Paley says, 'To do what is well, is Nat.
D ural Liberty" Burke says. "That the
effect of liberty to individuals is, that
they may dSAshat they please" Hobbies
says, "In State of nature, all men have
right to do as they please. Each indi
vidual may set up'a right to all things
and, consequently.,to the same things
> In other words, in such state there is
. no law. except that of force. The strong
: arm of power is the supreme aribiter ot
: all things. Robbery and outrage and
murder are as lawful as their opposites =
t That is to say, there is no such thing a.
n a law of nature, and Consequently, al
}, things are in state Of mature equally al
Q lowable." It seems that Hobbies delight
g ed to legitimate the horrors of state o
: nature, as it is called, in order that man
# kind might, without feeling of indigna
e tion or regret, see the wild and ferociou
l. liberty of. such state Sacrificed to des
II potic power = IS
/. This view of the state of nature, b,
T, which all law and the great fountain 0
II all law are shutout of She world, was per
fectly agreeable to the atheistical philoso
y ply of Hobbies. From one wEo had ex
= tinguished the light of nature, and Civ
u dominion to the powers of darkness, n
> better could have deem expected but, i
II it not deplorable that Christian juris
IS should, even for moment, have forgot
y ten the great central light Of his own sys
y tenn, and drawn his arguments from sucl
q an abyss of darkness e?
:. Blackstone has.thus lost sight of truth
" not only in regard 70 his general propo
sitions, but also in regard to particula
instances. 1.-THE law" says he, rwhicl
:, restrains man from doing mischief t
oe his fellow citizens diminishes the natura
= liberty of mankind" Now is this true
n The doing of Mischief is contrary to tn
10 law of nature, and hence, according t
IN the definition of Blackstone himself, tn
ic perpctrator of it, is not, an exercise @
Vt any natural right As no man possesse
r natural right to do mischief, SO the la
ID which forbids it Goes not diminish til
~ natural liberty of mankind. The la,
of which forbids mischief is restraint, nj
81 ,nor tba Natural T,if,artu hut upon RI