The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-11
..nEDIEyAL MILITARY GOVERNMENTS,
Lecture by the Rev. George w. Samp-
SON, LII. d., Before the New York
Liberal Club.

Lecture by the Rev. George w. Samp-
SON, LII. d., Before the New York
Liberal Club.
The large hall OF PlimptOn Building was well
filed last evening by very select audience. who
came to hear the Rev. DR.. George w. Sampson's
lecture on MEDIEVAL Military Governments" The
meeting was presided over by Mr.. w. L. Ormsby,
the Secretary being Mr., D. 7. Garner. The lee
turer spoke substantially as follows:-
In considering the medieval empires the
hinging principles iully developed at the open
ing OF the new era must be recalled These Jour
arbitrary and the penalty severe, because OF the
rough lie OF people; second, law may be
elaborated by civilization, and the government
which administers 1t in the hands of corrupt men;
third, with good laws and Just government
state OF war may require the suspension Of civil
law and give arbitrary authority to the Cher
Executives; and, fourth, corrupt men, under the
claim to religious authority, may Gsurp dominion
over Dotn law ana government The shifting bril-
lance ana gloom Of the Middle Ages cannot oe un-
derstood without noticing these principles. In
Northern and Central Europe rude tribes with
many noble traits lived under military chieftains.
Marriage was never more sternly guarded, and at
times woman was adored IN knight errantry. Land
was held by chieftans, tenants paying rental in
produce and military service. Laws related
manly to injuries to person, plumber OF prop
inflicted by personal duel, by family ana
trends, and sney were either corporal
- O by pn in l"s ve
OF the visigoths-still supreme in Spaln-glye the
authority vi the Old DruidS TO priests, ana the 0afh
to be taken by u Jew becoming u Christian con-
tanned three pages oil law Latin IS lcariul. Inc
famous Salic law gives personal property by in-
hcritance TO sons and daughters, and II there are
children to the heirs OF the sister Ol che mother
rst, and then to those or the sister OF the iathcr
but landed property could go only TO male heir,
because all land was subject TO II tax OF personal
military service. The Sale law Is named from the
German Franks, who came from tile River lsel or
Ysala the kipuarian RON those living on the banks
OF the Rhine to which are added the Burgun-
dian, the Bavarian, the FrisOnan. the saxon and
the All Manntan, or amen's-the name found ny
Tacitus and still the French name for Germans. In
Western ASIA, under the Koran OF Mahcinet, a
military empire grew up Poygamy was the per-
qulslte OF military rank; the sOidlery remaining
unmarried. All land was held SUBJECT to the
for the tenants Penalties were corporal. trials
instant and arbitrary aud ecclesiastical despotism
was anatica. In the close OF the eighth ana the
beginning Of the ninth century Greek philosophy
and Roman law began TO be studied. AT Bagdad.
on the Ilgris, Haroun al Raschld and A-Mdmoun
had the Grecan and Roman classics translated;
but the Mahometan doctors crushed the spirit
OF philosophy because 1t threatened the Koran.
Then sue ,eeded the ages Of ideal, material, scep-
tic and mystic philosophy. Cousins analysis prov
inu true even in Arabia. Then arose Ion. Roschd,
or Ayerrops OF whom Renan wrote ably In 1852.
Devoted to the physical study OF natural science
and TO Jurisprudence as taught by Aristotle, Aver
r0gs was soon slenced and his works burned by
MahomeCan dervises Fortunately Ayerroes
lived N COrdova spain. He was admired by Jew.
,sh and Christian scholars, aud his works have
been preserved through them. HIS testimony to
the mission OF woman, as drawn from Grcctan
ideas, is worthy TO immortaze him. Though
MahOmetan, philosophy especially as applied to
yAwa. QQald. pot he recQncued With Ibe MSbeWe!Rn