Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-11-10

IhE MOhAL SUPREMACY OF Law.
We find in the current number Of the Legal Re
porter of Philadelphia copy of an eloquent ora
tion delivered by Prof. Gro SHARswooD, on the
Sd ultimo, before the law class of the University
OF Pennsylvania, on the The Relation of Law to
Moral Science" We-quote few passages from
his address for the philosophical truths they incul
cate, and which were never more necessary to be
inculcated than at the present time when the law Of
force and violence predominates 80 largely over
those moral influences which constitute the glory
of q Christian civilization Prof Sharswood says
sounded the depths Of every subject to which applied
and exhausted apparently all the knowledge of the age in
which he yedn disGOursDg of the laws of his
try observed that they constituted the principal and most
important branch Of ethics the passage may be
dered the most perfect and application Of morality
The great subject Of life conduct and opinions 20
tar as they Influence conduct Civil municipal law is
the rule of civil conduct by the supreme power
IN the State Ethics moral philosophy thst science
which investigates the rule Of moral conduct in ell the
atoAs of life, public private. 1t includes, therefore,
NE law or the rule OF OWL conduct s,.,;-s- ~
The life Of every man is inner outer. The first is
concerned with the state of his heart and mind in his rea
tons TO himself TO his fellow creatures and to the asee
ing Spirit bis creator sovereign, and judge. The second
hs words and actOnAtha only things which civil law can
reach and regulate These relations are. however, Of the
most extensive aad varied character They include every
thing which, pertains to man considered member Of
society at large member Of the political body State
to which he may belong and member of the family
very large part of the duties which grow out of these
subjected to the Jurisdiction Of civil trbunss but
B left to be adadged and enforced at the tribunal of public
opinion, or in the forum Of conscience As to those mat
ter which concern that which have called his inner e
Tho pnfN hnp,a
Jurisdiction There 10 indeed. Judgment bar in another
world before which every thought word, and action must
finally pass in review. Il. III ,.p,,.r.ta -,.nt
Upon the outer as we'll % upon the inner life OF man.
his opinions and principles to the foundation and char
acter OF the qualities of right aud wrong have most i'm
portant nay decsive influence. 1t ID true he may be-
eve profess TO- believe falsehood and yet act truth
Motives may exist powerful enough to lead him his
conduct TO give the lie to his principles Pope there
fore logically as well as practically wrong when he said
For modes Of Faith, let graceeas zealots fight
His can't be wrong whose life is in the right" psss
- Such motives do not operate with all men or with
equal power. If the legitimate consequences Of wrong
opinion when unnHuenced by other disturbing or oppos
ing forces, can be shown to be wrong conduct mans
mode of faith be wrong, though his life n the right
Every s responsible for his opinions unless besides
earnest and perseverng search after the truth he
his hand upon his breast and say that he has per-
fscty pure heart which has exercised but pure
fuences upon his opinions No in his fallen nature
can venture upon such assertion. ':'.' - ,s',,
t Ethics is not merely science, great and ennobing
knowledge the study of mans intellectual and moral
ture in all its relations to God and the universe of God
but it is absolutely the end of all other science 1t is
true that Ethics is the end Of Physics If the
deru advances Of physical science within the last half
century have not elevated and refined the moral character
of the race, they have done literally nothing, perhaps
mghtsay than nothing The greater the strength
natural acquired of evil being the is the curse
of his existence That which obeapens living by the
ing of labor, or by importing to il energyhat which
discovers and appes the before hidden powers Of nature
to the purpose Of the production manufacture ana trans
poration Of material weath-that which by the expert
ments and investigation of the medical art lengthens life
aevatss its pains and provides against its misorunes and
mprudence vices-hat which studies the elements of
national power and provides the for liberty
and property in the political constitutions Of States
tions all vain labor unless their ultimate ten
dency and effects they reach and influence the or
outer Life Of man, the heart the conduct. Old Roger
Bacon had evidently such view when he said Tota
Phosophia spsculatipa ordnaur in fnem sua, qua EST
Phiiosophia moTahs, !, !, /, ga, ,,,.se