Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1869-07-22
FAYETTEVlLLE, TENN:
Thursday MOrning, July ~, 1859.
Compulsory Morality.

10 pEaCtiCdi uISlFuSI Vi TIE 6upe-
rior efficacy of moral influence, is
to be regarded with alarm. Mas
sachusetts, on Tuesday, the 1stI
inst, introduced into the field of
philanthropy elements" which
inspired wisdom characterized as
"beggarly." On that day all sa-
looms were closed for one year
no ales, wines, or liquors of any
kind can now be had openly in
the Puritan State-''prohibition"
is the word-the "Maine law"
by legislative enactment, is now
the 'slaw Of the land" To do
things by force; to break down
individual independence, whether
Of judgment or of choice, to frown
men into self-denial; to use Gus
tom, opinion, law, in fact, felt to
be. stronger and more direct than
conviction and persuasion, in de-
termining moral conduct; to jam
the reluctant between a noisy pub
lie sentiment on the one hand, and
statutory prohibition on the 9TH
er, to drive them thus guarded, in
the line of temperance and discre-
ton; is more fashionable in the
New England States than, we hope,
it will ever prove in Tennessee. 1t
is a lazy way of seeking human
progress. 1t is the substitution OF
mechanism for soul, command for
invitation, law for gospel. 1t is fit
only for society in its rude and
boisterous childhood. Necessity
may sometimes compel the adop-
ton of it; but nothing but igno-
rance, impotence, or mistrust, will
think of returning to II after the
discovery of a "more excellent
way.
Va fear the abettors of this COM
pulsory method of making nations
virtuous have never fairly stud,
led the philosophy of their own
principles, and that they are little
disposed to study the laws of their
own nature. What progress is ever
made in the way of social reforma-
ton, save when every step of 1t is
brought about by successful aP-
peals 10 the understanding and the
will? Who does not know that
what was seemingly gained by
rude agencies, is gained only for
the time that the agencies operate,
and is invariably followed by Ia
mentable reaction. Is it not with
nations as with individuals ?
Where restraint is most constantly
resorted to as a means to deter
from vice, will not human passion
revenge itselfby creeping into 9th
err channels, or bursting oil barrl'
ers. by inundating regions through
which il would otherwise have
gently flowed? The descendants
of the Pilgrim and Puritan faith
ers appear to have read the stO-
~ Of their ancestors to little pur-
pose, if they have mixed the con- !.
nection between the legal spirit OF
Puritanism, and the hcent'oaS
age which followed it-between
the soldierly piety Of CromwelFs
time and the cavalier profigacy OF
succeeding reigns. You cannot
drill the heart by words OF com
mand, nor extinguish vicious pro,
pensities by statutory enactments
and every step to do so will pro-
duce. at q less or greater interval
Of time a terrible revulsion.
Nor do we believe that indlyld-
nal abstinence from evil, if brought
about by social compulsion, is, all
things considered, in reality a good.
We have no wish to see the world
slIed with a merely negative viz
the. or tame human passions by
eaging them in law. We look ,or
higher results than these ; results
for more in keeping with the
dignity and majesty of man.
All our faculties, we observe, men,
al aid moral, are cast in a shape