Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1865-11-03
The Rights Of Man-What are They {

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For many years past, there has been proneness
in politicians, especially of the Democratic and
Republican school, to indulge extreme ideas ON all
subjects connected with government, and to subst-
tte theories for the practical lessons Of experience
In the wild hunt after wba, they are pleased TO
term, new political truths it too often happens
that they fnd ins;esd, speeious errors or papable
Absurdities, the deductions OF false reasoning from
doubtful promises. The starting point for all such
mischievous researches, is the underlined term
1.-THE rights Of man." In all ages this has been the
vatch-word of would-bc political reformers and
down to the present moment those rights seem
to be little understood as Il they had never been
discussed; and it Is possible that the diversity Of
opinion upon the subject is due to the want Of
proper discrimination between rights and privileges.
OF privileges there are many, Of absolute, uncon-
ditional rights there are none--uuless we may
except the right Of self-protection yet il is
common, even amongst our wisest statesmen, to
speak Of the inaenabIe right TO life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness. This declaration is re-
ceived as a political axiom and, such, is so
firmly fixed in the popular mind, that to question
its truth will be considered political hcresy and yet
glance at the statutes OF any government will
prove the fact that neither Of these rights is sbso-
lpte and inaienable. Even in this--"the best gov
.ernment the world ever saw "a man may forfeit
his life by the commission of capital crime and
right that may be forfeited is not absolute but
conditional. So it is with liberty but, as to the
pursuit Of happiness, it may mean anything or
nothing and is too indefinite a term TO be dealt
with except by superstition. One man may pursue
happiness through the faithful discharge q all
social and political duties and no one will qut stion
his right to do so another may think that his hap
ness is to be found in the possession of his neigh
hors property without considerations but his right
TO the pursuit of happiness-unde: rs construction
will not only be questioned, but punished as
violation Of law and the rights Of others. And SO
il is through the whole catalogue
In state of nature, man may possess inherent,
in"ienable rights, for nught we know or care; but
if there be such, they become mere privileges
whenever he steps upon the platform Of civiliza-
ton. Such is the character of the political com.
pact, called government that individual freedom is
wholly Incompatible with public liberty-each
must surrender portion of his inakenobk rights
in order TO secure the welfare of all. This com.
promise Indispensable, in the formation Of govern
'nents, converts absolute rghts-if there lie such
into privileges and the first duty of statesmen and
law-givers is TO confer those privileges with an eve
10 the general welfare and the limit to their ex
tension should be the moral and intellectual quail
heaticns OF the people Under this government
no man has political right that is not conferred
upon him by tie constitution aud laws, and who
ever looks beyond these, and claims to derive ina
henable rights from "higher law inaugurates
dangerous radicslsm such as has already delured
the country in blood The elective ffanchise-for
Examples not an inherent, nalienable right. but
privilege conferred and the extension of it TO
persons wholly disqualified for its wise and conser
Tative exercise is an act Of gross njustice-sub
Versive alike of the Government and the interests
of the whole country. The elective franchise is
the highest privilege the citizen can enjoy; and i
is the highest because in its exercise are involved
the stability Of the government and the happiness
aud prosperity Of the people, and because II carries
with it every other that is derived from the const
tuition.
From these premises we infer that the govern
ment has no right to engraft upon our institutions
as political element, three millions Of people of
different race and color from those by whom,
and for whom, the government was organzed--a
people reared rnder system of slavery, and dis
qualified by gross sensuality and ignorance for any
one OF the duties incumbent upon the citizen-a
people who have not, anywhere, or under any cir
cumstances developed the smallest capacity for
self-government, and whose natural proclivity-as
experience has proverbs 10 relapse into 'barbar-
ism wherever the protection and guidance of the
white man have been withdrawn from them The
plea of the Radicals, that the negro is entitled to
this and that privilege simply because he is a
human being, is ridiculous and the sooner the
idea of inherent and inalienable rights is exploded
the sooner the people will understand their poti-
cal relations to the government and to each other.