The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1870-10-13

power Of acting as one pleases, or do
Ing what he sees fit, be,ng restrained
by human laacs, so far only, os is ne,
cessury, or capedient, for the p"dAc
good." Now, is not the moral law
God-givcn "human law" operating pro
Jono publico ? And though We may not
enforce it, in the tribunals of human
Justice (becausc not upon tic statute
book) are we not, nevertheless, as gooa
citizens, ameuable to its mandates and
requirements ? And does "Old Church"
presume to coutcnd that we have a
right as good citizens'-as just and
patriotic members of The body polite,
having the public veal at heart, to act
upon and carry cut our Individual views
and wishes, however detrimental in
their public bearing, however much
they may autagouize with public opinion,
public requirement and the public
wish ? land this, because his opinion
is his own, forsoo'h. and he has right
~ to exercise it, for veal or for woe,
as he, in his autocratic power, shall
rouchsafe to decide? Cannot ""Old
Church do better than this B.! If not
for heavens sake, let us have new
Church, or at least reformation OF the
creed and tcnents of the cold" Car
olina" is an adherent Of and owes allie.
rience to no Church. he it old or new;
which Eliminates and publishes such
hcresies as are these.
Further, however. W. submit, Mr.
Editor, as proposition, tnat individual
opinions and acts in so far as they bear
upon oucstions cfr-D.;c policy, are pub-
lie property i aey comprise a "joint
stock in which sc are all alike inter-
cstcd, and it is in this aspect, Mr.. Edl
tor, that VIC propose tt d:@cuss the ques-
ton before US.
Let us illustrate:
GRANTING W. Gp-thc right con
tended for q. e. to. do as we please) IN
all matters of purely inlividuat con-
Germ, let us suppose that a resident
Of this community designed the cxccu-
tion of certain views consclcntlousiy
conceived, but which, if carried out,
would entail public harm; let US sup
pose this individual to be demonstrated
with by commiite of intelligent and
respected gentlemen, who say to him,
We-know that you arc conscientious
in this natter but, for the reasons Civ
en-, we entreat you to forego your ac-
ton, calculated, as We all believe it to
be, to injurc you aud us alike"
Now, sir, whether convinced or 9th
erwisc, is it not the bouuden duty Of
the single individual. as a. "y""d c'ti-
zen" to yield to the public wish. because
public Interests are at stake! an' is
it not true Gin the m,ior.ty oi instanc,s)
that srwo heads are better than one "
Is public opinion cipher that it shcull
he set at nau"h' A self-oilercd sacrl-
fec on the profanc altar of bigotry.
over which the juggcrnaut ear Of i"ni
viiual fanaticism is to be ruthless!y
driven, unchecked
We opine 4o', Mr. Editor "Carnll.
ma" i weak enough, 70 confess that he
mas great respect for Intelligent public
opinion, and dare not array himself
against it, or that ''Rcform,' which 1t
deman7s; mure Especially, wh"" M'r" IS
M o'h"r prJ;ct J"/ore III" l'rnp|e, upon
which to hin"e hope Of rolisiciI sal
vation. II dare do all, that,may.bceome
n:op; who dares do more, is norc. :
But further.
"Oll Church" says: Carolina
"raiIs, in good set 'er.us, and for what?
hccausc a man will r"t 70 to mass
meetings, &C., whether he feels like 1t
or not. For, after ~, the eravamcn Of
',asoIina's' charge Ia here"
We reject the proposition. AL that
Carolina sad, in that behalf, was rur,ly
snlyc$hire, to-wit:: :" let us attend the
public meetings" Is this '!!railing," or
a patriotic and well meant suGy"sfion--
which We will defer to public opin
ion on that score, but most certaiuly not
to the individual assertions or beliefs,
Of "Old Church" For, we have par.
ticular dislike tu be condemned (without
trial by jury) by one who, in our
humble opinion, does not weor the er-r
n;na with discretion. Carolina pleads
mot guilty to the charge Of dictation,
he blushinely, too, confcsses his unit
ness 10 act as fimnac sage, and tremb-
lingly suggests, that the functions per.
tanning to thatimpertant office, can best
be discharged by one Of the medical
fraternity. But to revert 1t pleascs
"Old Church" to be facetious.
jFhat, Mr.. Editor, has luckless Caro-
lima said, or done, that in "good set
and Chesier6eldian terus, he should hc
decosously informed, that he is Grail
era dcnounccr, femme sage, in
ordinary, (most extraordinary Sa-
chem Of the situation-one, whose views
are revolving to sense" e. and a
i'swash bucklcr-ite, q to boot, at that!
Pleasart informatiou-very! But,
unfortunately, the cap does'ut fit; it
may, somebody else, and whoever he
be, he is welcome to wear it. Besides,
the texture is rather coarse. to suit
4'Caroliuass" somewhat" critical taste,