The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-06-04
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uNO Treasou. -

dtsuoh Is the title Of d neat pamphlet which
comes to us from Boston-she wen-mown hub OF
the political and moral universe. The author,
Lyssnder spooner, ID undoubtedly possessed OF
JUDGES Of his section, be has undertaken to prove
that under our I Jrm Of government there can be
no such thing as treason. We will endeayor to
give brief epitome OF his views without pretend
ing to follow his Language or endorsing his senti-
mentsi 7s'$ =. ,j". - n'
The question Of treason is dis met from slavery,
and would have been the same had free States in
stead Of slave States seeded.
The North carried on the war not to hberate the
slaves, but to keep then, In bondage, but when It
with slavery, then and not sll them WAS slavery
eThe principle on which the North acted in war
ring against .he sonthsrn States. Eas.Thas men
port . government they do not want, and that re-
sistance on their part makes them traitors and
criminals" This principle Is regarded as sef-evi-
IDENTIFY false, and fatal to political freedom yet it
trinmphed IN. the field. and Il firmly established,
as 1t Is assumed TO be- the number Of alsves so far
from being diminished by the war has been great
ly increased, for q man subjected to government
that he does not want, Is indeed slave. Between
political and chattel slavery, there is no difference
in tdss sash eaS tSs equally denies
Though claiming 10 rest ON consent our govern:
ment actually rests on force Il says TO the world
-our power is our right The necessity Of con-
longer thought Of; and yet it is pretended that
every step taken by the Authorities has been on be-
II Of liberty and free government.
II the consent Of the strongest party be oil that
is necessary to establish authority over the weaker
party, then the. most despoic governments In the
world are we'll founded, for they all rest on that
principle and Il it be the consent Of the most
numerous party, then it may be answered that two
men have no more natural right to exercise su-
thority over one than one has to exercise similar
authority over two. A mans natural rights are
his own, and any infringement Of them is equally
o crime whether committed by one man or by mil
lions. Besides, the most numerous party is not
always the strongest party Tor strength Is not to be
fesses to be established by "he people" which en-
braces ss well the minority :as the majority. Our
fathers in 1776 were but small minority compared
with those who claimed the right to rule over
hem. .ig ~.
individual consent is indispensable to the idea
Of treason; without it no man renders himself
traitor by simply refusing to support govern
ment. Besides, political freedom implies right
Of choice-a change Of opinion and o withdrawal
OF as % he o
ions Of mankind" Thus the Revolution asserted,
and in theory established the right Of every man,
at his own discretion, to release himself from the
support Of the qndes S ThGn at;s ne hved
then existing, bat ss right Of all men, at all times
and under all circumstances. George III. calls
our ancestors traitors, but. the civilized world
agreed that they only asserted their natural rights
that they no more committed treason by dissolying
their connection with the government under which
they had lived than Q foreigner does when he be-
comes citizen Of this country, or native does
when he leaves church any other voluntary as
sociation with which he had been connected.
Though materially abridging Mr.. spooner's ar
gument, we have endeavored to preserve it's spirit
and tone. We commend his reasonings and con-
illusions to the vindictive Radicals who still cry
aloud for punishment and confscation. Remem-
ber this is voice from Boston, where liberty was
nursed and where its very cradle is still an object
| Of reverence.