The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-12-06

h aaiy. Why vas ciyl govern
nem Wstiisteds Why % not men
.i,e without By identity i grows
oat Of lie necessities & men as social
beings, 70 protect their interests and
protect their rights. These inlsre sis
ana rights as individuals are original
h equal. an have one common ORR
gin, descending, from one common
stock. Aud il sc suppose each liv.
ing un der bis own original rights, we
cannot conceive one ID have any su-
perioriiy over tie other, or 20 have
claims which the other does rot have.
Take, for instance, the division Of the
soil. Oae has as much night 10 i q
lhe other, aud can claim an equal d.
vision, /. e. originally. Bat there Is
difficulty 10 making he division or
81 coming to as agreement. Wei
eovetnnfeht Is instituted TO make il
equitably 10 take from one all or
an undue share but 10 divide equally
am onr the whole. So IN respect 70
all other rights The end Of govern
ment is TO secure 10 each all that ma
lure allows aud that il equality.--
Then all possess the same natures es.
seniially. They are all intellectual
and moral beings, j. e. men are alike
responsible agents. All are subjects
Of law alike. No one can claim ex-
emptlon. either because Of superiority
10 il. or inabilitSio TO meet is demands
No one is above, no one below law.
All stand on one comm on ground. -
Then al are subject TO the same wants.
All need the protection OF law, all
need the shield Of eivi government,
Eyory individual is weak, as regard'
the whole mass, and it is only as each
consents TO be subject to the Whole
that any man can enjoy the privilege:
Of civil government Now, such be-
ing the origin or foundation OF gov
ernment, il is plain that tt should aim
10 secure equal rights and privileges tc
all without distinction. And in all
our movements, which aim
10 m odify our form Of goyernment,w,
should see to il that nothing is done
10 destroy this its fundamental els.
ment. 1t is designed to secure. the
natural rights Of mal--raiher, | sholld
say, to orote:t them in those rights :
to see that no one by any combination
in society is deprived Of them. And
those natural RIGHTS are equal. All
are brethren. No one possesses su-
pcrioriiy over The other. Superior
bodily strength gives 10 additional
natural right, neither does superior
meutal endowmen,s. These may give
power, aid civil government is insti-
tutcd 10 restrain that power wenever
Il should attempt to invade the rights
Of the weak, which are equal 10 those
Of tie strong. ! admit that in the
formation and progress Of civil gov
ernment these natural rights may be
nbridaed-abridged, but not destroy
ed. 1t is each ones natural right tc
hold tie property which lie has law
fully acquired. Ard yet government
may take il with due compensation
This is an abridgement Of his right
but 10 take il without compensation
would destroy it. Yet rulers or law
makers have no right to take private
property with whatever compensation
for their own private qualification
That is overriding natural rights fol
private ends. That was Abdiz's wick
edness when he took a private man.
vineyard, against his will, 10 crafty
his own love Of pleasure. These nat
ural, individual rights can be abridged
only rs Il brings greater good to the
whole. And in this case it is suppos
el HAT the individual is an actual gain
through the good which is bgought to
the community.
3D. Again. the tendency of lhi
civil equality to promote every kinC
Of good, urges the duty Of recognizing
it in civil government. 1t is Difficult
to Judge in respect to this tendency
because few States have fully recog.
nized the principle. The colony o
Puritans approximated'near to it wher
they formed their civil policy on board
the Mayhower. But they, even. die
not filiy adopt it in+omuch a. they prD.
vided religious test, which is a vio.
laiion Of natural conscience. But at
present the New England States more
fully recognize this equality of all IN
civil rights. And where have men
felt a happier influence growing out oil
civil government In whatever de-
partment Of sociely we look DO We not
see the tendency 10 good universal
There is an uuwonted progress in el.
ucation. Who does no' feel fi? The
poor stand, in great measure on a
level With the rich. And this is not
merely With our primary schools /; bat
il our high schools aud colleges. In
deed'we are as likely to find the grad
attes of our colleges from among the
poor as from tho rich. 50 that ID this
respect the rich and poor meet to-
gelber." And there can be no doubt
tha, we are indebted 70 the character
of our civil polity in secaribg equality
Of all before the las. | admit that
something i due 10 the character of
our religious Institutions. Bot even
here their power TO produce such r.
sult lies IN tile recognizing this very