New-York tribune., 1872-01-29
HORTICULTURAL HALL COURSE.


DISCIPLES OF EQUALITY DEMAND-EQUALITY.
IN AN INTERNATIONAL SENSE, TIE DIRECT
ZOE OF LIBERTY.
rFPON A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE TRlBrrNg1
BosroN. Jan. 2S.-If, in these days of bus
tie and brusng. shooting and sharpers, the
well-consdered speech of quiet man has any
chance of being remembered, your readers may,
perhaps recall the significant paper on the
Labor Question: read by the Row David A. wasson
In last years Horticultural Hall course. This afternoon
he has spoken I'm the place another topic tho
tines-the doctrine of liberty and equality, born In
France, but spreading westward. after the manner Of
pestent things. Mr.. Wasson finds in false notion Of
individual liberty the logical parent Of free love- free
stealing and unbounded license generally His able
paper was entitled: "s0cal Ideals-Liberty and
Equality"
All men have their ideals; practical men as well as
speculative; dreamer and broker alike The democrat
fondy imaGnes world without distinction OF rank,
wherein instituted social function shall all depend
upon character capacity The reformcr has
ideal world without poverty whether for those that
work those that shiik Noble or ignoble, saint or
pIckpOcket, man is without his ideal Also, there
are great common social ideals. which arise in
the world, dfused gain supremacy and retain 1t
often for centuries Compared with the coming OF
these ideals into power the rise Of Kingdom like
Prussia Republic like the United States, is event
Of soCOudatc importance such advent there in
the rise Of Christianity From fourth to the fifteenth
century IDEAL represented by Catholic Christianity,
but inclOsing within 1t from the eighth century
another embodied in the feudal system,
rci-ned with uhdisputed sway I'm the occidental
world. COpernicus. Columbus and Luther the first CIV
Ing to the human mind heaven, the second new
EARTH the thirda moral pOise put end TO that
period Two centuries laer-for profound alterations OF
the human mind manifested but slowy-the guld-
ing Imagination Of the medieval world was gone
irrocoycmby. To it succeeded new ideal, that
of Liberty. Liberty: what word to con-
lure with 1t has been for a hundred years!
Time had been that the words "obedence" service,
made noble music in mems ears To serve TO live
graudly Now, for good or cyil-tor good and evil
another ideal Ads arisen. II has dominated civilization
for century, and is only just beginning 10 be
showed aside by it. lnsty young heir, Equality
The ideal VI liberty has its bright sde and It's eminent
in modern civilizations but j. was formulated Into
yciou, shape by Jean jacques Rousseau in the last IL
fury; and it has to be widely accepted doctrine
that each individual has, by gift Of nature, unqua-
fed property in himself; that he is born 10
be absolutely his own master. and TO dispose
Of himself his sovereign pleasure;
that his individual will is therefore his proper
guide and supreme law that this natural liberty, 70
called, has but umatonthis: II should be so ad
iustod by each 70 the like liberty others that he may
enjoy his own without encroacing theirs; that gov
ernmcnt pWely defensive eXpcd.ent, designed 10 St.
cure each his perfect possession ana dSpot OF MN
self and that it hOrrows the right TO accomplish even
this limited task only fIom tie voluntary consent OF
the individual parties TO it. This doctrine 1t may
he observed, would be quite as suitable to
rats as to human beings. Your rat is much attached
az human creature can be TO lfe Liberty ana the pur
suit of bappncss would be 10 less than absolute owner
of himself and make ms private inclination his supreme
law OF this kind OF liberty, Thomas Jefferson was the
American apostle 1t was extraordinary statement
that declaration OF Jeersons. tnat the right to life
sr,.lfr L
Ufe lnalieuallel q" Then this nation committed
q murder with every rebel shot IN batuo
during the Rebellion l. the right TO liberty lhalien-
able 7" Then the State commits crime with every thel
sent TO ia There a nOber sovereignty than that OI
the individual over hmself-namcly, tho sovereignty OF
moral law over us ALL The true fducton OF man Il to
hiring forth a noble civilization and to this ali else sh"uid
he subordinatcd. No individual can exist 10 hlin''
alone Isolated from infancy, creature born Ho 'u'
lons Of humanity would lack everything human even
articulste speech Thoughts morals MANNERS "1ts II
d-+res language everything that distinguishes human
beings come OF the relation between hn!haA OeHr'
What could be more irrational than to put all TINS Ou1 O
i,bt in hind chase after individual lbeIyf The true
limit of liberty is this Every man has q HS"' 10 '9
what is right aud has Oher otherwise were ifeo
love true gospel. No personal right or liberty can
take precedence Of the obligation TO make
healthy society 10 promote the general coed. II must he
confessed that social restriction may be Oyerdone that
too much OF makes barrennoss rather than feFtiny
spontaneity is precious. Bat interdependonce and not
independence, is the root truth Of good government
Cherish liberty it is treasure; but do not MAKO ~
first principle, for then it Is treasure Duty for the
first principle aud liberty only and always under tie
sovereignty Of obligation.
We have another ideal which has become word oi
conure: Equality 1t also has l7 good aspects but ID"
a. it is held by the International Association, to when
means Uniformity, or Universal samenesS. De IOcque-
Vile said forty years ago. that the nations possessed by
.l,;. I far liberty.
accept Equality Ia slavery than Liberty without
il. There is in which tho most CON
seIvative OF US demand equality One human
being has an equal right with every other 70 the protec
ton Of law 20 hold property to the Of public schools
public roads and all the other public things instituted
by wise social order We protest in the name OF Equal
tv against system which makes the Dest,flHits OF
civil order to preferred hereditary class; and with no
less emphasis protest against tho provincial prejudice
which would exclude Frederick Douglass from public Ia
bles requented by who would be too much comi-
mented if reckoned his peer. But no theories can
make all men equal unless their fruit be 20 make them
all equally good-fOrnOthng. France has wor-hlped
Equality till she has received her tit reward. During
the war she had general and after 10 statesman
Equality which equality OF conditions, has no
room for liberty itself could only be Instituted or
maintained by force. Equality" say Communists ana
Internationals sis fact in nature; we are about to
make Il one in civilization. Think longer to pat
Us off with mere ballOt-box equality; that little
rame is played out You got up FOR special, formal
equality al the polls expeden TO cheat Us Out "
the real thing. All men are equal, OF rghti we nave
sworn that they shall be in act They can De so IN
fact only when conditions are equal ana con
dtOns will be made equal only when the CoIiectNy'
centered in an efficient head shall own everything,
dispose OF every thing, prescribe everything taKe tAc
and between cradle and grave appoint the mau his place.
function, prOvepHer and all the rest THIS IN snnsince
Is said and this Is but the logic OF Equality carried 10 It's
1egififihta t5ncluslUD. -A4e-4-
We'll, tie deInOcIatsts have been Proc ainng Equality
tD
their faith in Equality, seeing, I'm the ht OF their gteat
truth Equality how indispensable 70 the Commonwealth