The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-02-19
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TIE FAMILY-lrs GOVERNMENT.
ny Rry. F. II. HUGHES.

The family Is a kingdom Of itself, prime.
val and elementary in the constitution Of
human society, natural alike in its reality
and necessity, and designed by the grca,
Author ofall things, to secure tue culture,
discipline, and social harmony Of we'll.
ordered government. 1t is not arcpre.
sentative democracy, In which authority
Is exercised In the name of the people, and
by virtue Of their consent It is rather u
monarchy, in which governmental powers
are vested in parents, subject to those lin.
itations which are imposed by tue laws OF
nature and the enae,ments OF civil society.
The members Of the family are not all
eQualsin the grade ofrank. There is al.
ways head somewhere; and from this
source emanates the authority OF com.
mand, judgment, reward and punishment.
This head enacts lawE, tries causes, re-
wards obedience, and Furnishes offences /;
and thus all the possible functions Of gov.
ernmcnt exist III the family as really as in
the State.
The relations between parents aud chill
dren, the intimacy and frequency Of their
communion, the strong ties Of affection by
which they are bound together, tue incip.
lent, gcrminal, imprcssible, and dependent
condition of one class, in comparison with
lie maturity and strength Of the other,
anlalsO the length of the period during
which these parties are directly acting
upon each other, make the administration
OF home the most powerful agency Of in
tluence known among men. The great
generic law Of family life is one ofdeSeent
from preut to ehild-tbe former not only
procreating the latter, and fixing its ply
steal type, but also imparting the opini-
ons, sentiments, feelings, habits, phases
Of character, and modes Of action which
are likely to be tho distinguishing feature,
Of after years. Parents In this sense du-
plieate or re.live their own lives in tho
history Of the children whom they hive
trained and given to the world. In the
persons oftlOsc who represent them, they
will be morally present among men long
after their bodies have moldGred in the
tomb. An immense weight Of resporsi.
bility rests upon parents.-greater than
they always appreciate or hOnOrably dis
charge. Those who arc not III to stand at
the head ola family aad properly admin
lister It's affairs, are not really 1t to be pa
rents. They have no right, by their in
tcllectual aud moral ineompetency, TO
entail upon children the calamiiics, dis.
advantages and curses ola thriflless, good.
for-nothing parentage. They have ne
right prcmaturely to rush into relations
for which they are not qualified. One Of
the great evils Of human society springs
from this very source. Aiullitudes Of
young people marry who have no proper
training for the governmental duties aud
practical services Of family life.
The fundamental law that should al
ways form .he vital principle Of govern.
ncnt in the family, Is the rule Of Right,
carefully thought out and afeetiOnately
administered. Adopting this doctrine for
themselves. parents should act upon II in
reference 10 their children, and thus gene.
rate in them the habit Of obedience to n
good moral goyerhment-not one Of whimS
or despOtic passions-but one in which
virtue becomes the formative power In the
construction Of character. This places
the government upon the basis ofintrinsie
rcelitude, and at the same time clothes It
with authority which pertains to natural
conscience. Under the presence and all.
pervading dOminancy Of this idea, family
government Is noble discipline, and not
a mere rescript Of arbitrary rules or Sc.
ries Of violent thundcr.claps. 1t does not
consist in the gesticulAtions Of maniac,
the seventies of cruel dcspOt, or the III.
tempered peevishness of fool. Ills a
government Of authority, resting upon
reason, .Oflened by pure aud generous feel.
ing-ealm, dignided, and at times, per.
haps, stern-yet always aleetionate, pa.
tieni, accessible, loyable, Rld hence nol
hated, dreaded, or feared with sly and
retiring servility. II Is good govern
ment which gets into the heart Of the chill
and makes that heart submissive and loya
TO the supremacy Of that great idea. L
teaches the law lesson through the forct
that lies in the law itself. The parents
become breathing, walking, talking
conscious government Of moral ideas Il
all theirAppllcatlons, II Is so spontane
Gus that they hardly know Il themselves
Mud children are in the same happy pre-
III imelt; but somehow the parents IL I've
~ the children move around them, catch
KY, spirit and feeling the Inspiration o
,Ssi. Wives. Law and love thus meet 10