The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-09-08

pre0Eulpati0n ana duty Oh parentS-'hNaoes
The Just equilibrium and equality Of personal
rights and subverts Civil Liberty.
the Foundation of Civil Liberty.
Mans propensity to err is proverbial.
To demonstrate the fact would be taak OF
for who is there among Us
without reproschi Where is he who has
ever attempted and accomplished the task |
of living ono single day free from ain
Examples are unnecessary, our own con-
sciences bear unwilling testimony to the
sad truth. This is mans condition viewed
solely in the natural state without refer !
ence to his fellows; but enlarge his sphere
Of action, multiply his desires, arouse his
passions, subject him to temptation, and
what additional strength does that erfing |
propensity acquired
Restraint now becomes necessary; his
understanding darkened as it is meath the
shadow Of his Maker's frown, does not fail
to recognize the importance OF imposing
some check upon his inclinations. That
large liberty which he enjoyed in the
natural state, must be restricted to definite
limits, and he must content himself with
doing, not as he pleases, but as he mag be
permitted. Society is thus organized and
government Instituted.
His former freedom of action, styled
Natural Liberty, has given way to regu-
lated freedom, a comparative liberty, de-
nominated Civil Liberty. Its scope, though
always under regulation and far lees ex-
tensive than formerly, is nevertheless sub
iect to contraction and expansion conse-
ouent upon and coequal with varying con-
| ditions. And what are these conditions
Let US endeavor to discover.
Human laws, those rules prescribed for
the regulation of man with respect to his
existence in society, regard his actions
alone. They deal with facts, things ao-
complished; they decree that this may be
done with IMMUNITY, that only under
penalty think and will as much as you
please, cay they, it is not our province to
weigh motives.
The Divine Law looks far beyond this
contracted purview of the Human Law.
Its ordinances prescribe and forbid, not
only with respect to mans acts, bat their
commands and prohibitions extend even to
his lishtest volftiops. They declare, not
only shalt thou not do this, but thou shalt
not even wish to do it not only shalt thou
not take that which belongs to thy neigh
bor. bat thou shalt entertain no covetoui
thought concerning it. Itthus supplements
the Human Law. Boil, restrain with de.
nunciatious of punishment against wrong
) but where one forbids the thing done, the
, other exacts retribution. for both the ac'
: performed and it's cause, the will. In pro
norton as tue DEGREES of the latter come
to be recognized and. observed, go doeS thu
necessity for the restraint imposed by thu
former diminish. Man, in conforming hi
conduct to the -monitiops of the greater
, necessarily obeys the dictates of the less
r and in so doing frees himself from certaiI
r external restrictions ordained by human
t foresight as preventive, or cautionar!
j restraints. Such is the condition favorable
9 to the development of Civil Liberty Is j
= necessary to regard it's oppositef Is 1t no
obvious that in the absence of'th NOR
comprehensive power of repression, TIN
q less must undergo expansion Z Can W
q doubt that the effects of the ignorance o
s disregard of those internal checks t.
: Natural Liberty which the Divine Law
f has established, must be counteracted by al
h enlarged and more active operation Of tn
8 neans to which Human Law must resort
A decisive answer is found in the unvaryih
- testimony of the History aud experience @
: the human race. That degeneraey, ehemi
t macy and proAigacy which have constitute
d the prelude to every bloody drama i
d which a people once free have lost thei
j. liberties, may be always traced back t
# the decay of moral sentiment and religion
feeling. Has the world not had sui
fciency of such lessonsf Let us hope 81
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IS CAr1io1LC TOTAL Observation-Disclosures o