, 1873-06-08

png. but there seems nowhere ~ pe ally o7Po
sition to enforce them.
:.
NIB. MlIL AS a UT11TAR1AN.'
An Interesting discussion has sprung up since
the death Of Mr.. John Stuart Mill, on the ettl-
tude of TINT great thinker toward the Utilitarian
system OF morals. The subject ia not well
suited to the columns OF daily newspaper, but'
as other American journals are telling what they
know, or don't know, about it, ne shall take leave
to do tho same. e., =
We remarked in a former article, in opposition
to tho commonly received opinion, TINT Mr.
Mil could not be properly classed as utlll-
tartan, This was Mr.. James Martineau's opln-
ion, as expressed in his Essay On Mill, and such
"a the opinion of an able writer in the April
numbar of the Ne.o EngEander, whose article on
"Moral Intuition vs. Utilitarianism Is well
worth reading Such, also, is the opinion OF
Prof. John Stuart Blackie. whose work, entl-
tied tFour Phases Of Morals" il one
of the healthiest books Of tho season.
Utilitarianism is that system Of Morals which
denies the existence Of innate ideas. It is
branch Of the system OF Philosophy which de-
riyes all ideas from the operation OF tho five
senses, and denies that any ideas exist, or can
exist, which are not born in the organs Of seeing,
hearing, feeling, tasting, or smelling OF which
Lockeisreckonedt the father in English speculative
philosophy, though the system is as old as classic
Greece. To this school Of philosophy Mr. Miu
did undoubtedly belong. Ho places the bounds
OF human knowledge within the limits OF E1pe-
rience, and defines Cause to be "lnvariabillty
Of sequence" Whe1- the sun shines upon the
water, evaporation is tho inyariable sequence.
When We place Hi acorn in the ground, I'M
less disturbing forces come in, an OAK
tree ia the inyariable sequence. We know these
| things to bo facts, but we do not know (accord-
| ing to Mr.. MID anything about the causos OF
| evaporation or generation. Those things are be-
! voud the limits Of our experience, beyond the
reach Of our senses, and therefore unkno"able
In short, there is no such thing as cause IN his
system Of philosophy, but only an existing order
Of events.
Logically, therefore, A1r. Mill should have
bean q Utilitarian, for this branch OF tic
reneral .sygtem derives .all moral concep-
tons from Experience, and denies that
| there ever wes, Or ever can be, motn
idea obtained from any other source than tho
aggregate, tabulated. observed results oil human
conduct There is nothing virtuous per Sc.
Chastity only becomes q virtue after the evil
effects OF unchnstity have been observed. A Lie
is better than the truth only because the ten
dency Of lie is to produce confusion, uncer'
tainty, hatred, war, and other Inconvenience
Bcneyolence is better than selfshneas because
!, benevolonce results in the greatest happiness te
the greatest number. OF course, such system
, must have beginning somewhere. If there are
no innate moral ideas, where can We get start.
. ine-point for any system Of niorala2 The Uti1i.
tartan finds it in the desire Of happiness,- uni
I yersally- -diffused-we had almost said instinct
but the system forbids that We should have In
stincts.-a universally y-dinused act. The rca
motive of all our actions is happiness, that is
: self-intoreat, more or less enlightened. WIFE
the vicious and the selfish this motive is apparent
hut it is none the less active and omnipresent II
, the virtuous and the benevolent The V1rtuoui
man knows that virtue will most promote hif
9 happiness. He e1cels tho vicious man in knowl
edge, and in the ability to postpone present
good for greater future good. Virtue is pru
Q dence-vice imprudence. The benevolent mar
3 | knows that he may some time stand in need o
4 help; therefore lie gives money and time tt
/ | help others! The Christian believes that b.
9 faith and works, or perhaps by faith alone, HI
: shall gain heaven and avoid he'll. The motive
q OF eelf-interest ia all the same in his case
9 although the expected reward is post
d poned beyond the present life. The onl.
8 examples which tho world furnishes of v1rtu
? pursued for it's own sake, without the hope Q
9 reward or the fear Of punishment, a1e foun'
II among the Stole and Buddhist philosophers, Wit
r wero fools! Take out the underpinning Of self
q interest and the Utilitarian system, 60 far IS
It seeks to explain tho origin of moral ideas, fall
s to the ground. So far "a it seeks merely t.
0 classify, showing how moral ideas ten
o to promote tho g1eatest happiness G
q the greatest number,1it is an important branc
j. Of moral science. But this not what is undo,
I. stood by Utiltarianism. To be q Utiltarian, on
}, must affirm that there arc no innate moral ideat
a and that all moral conceptions arise from asce]
o tanning how tho greatest happiness Of the grea
:, est number is practically produced, and cod
7, flying the results Of the inquiry into such mi
j. chanical attributes as virtue, truth, beneyt
lence justice, honor, etc.
In order to determine whether Mr. Mill WAS,
:. was not, q Utilitarian, it is only necessary
:, find one deliberate utterauce Of his affirming tt
- existence Of moral idea having its origin ind
= pendently OF experience, and not founded near
OF remotely upon solf-lovo. It would ba easy
find many such. In his review OF Bentharn, Il
N first paper in his "Disaertations and Discu
y. sions," and the one which set all the Benthar
~ ties pouting, he says that We naturally fe