Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-10-08
LIBERTY.

LIBERTY.
There is no word, the meaning of which is
so egregiously misunderstood as that Of the
word "liberty." The first meaning that Web
ster gives of it is: ability to do as one
pleases." In the nature of things there is no
such thing in existence as liability to do as
one pleases." No mortal ever possessed such
power. Neither the tyrants of ancient Ath-
ems, nor Alexander the Great, nor Caesar, nor
Napoleon, possessed the power to do as they
pleased Nor do the chiefs of savage tribes
possess such ability. It is true that there is
sense in which every individual can do as
he pleases; but it must be remembered that
if he pleases to do wrong, he must suffer the
penalties. Wrong-doing and suffering are
united in the inseparable relation Of cause
and effect. The dominion of law is univer-
sal, and its majesty is asserted in every in
stance with scrupulous exactness. Law may
be evaded and disregarded in it's preceptive
features, but its penalties are as certain to be
visited upon the violator of its precepts, as
there is existence in the universe Ability
to do as one pleases, with the expectation Of
evading punishment, is a 6gment of disor-
dered brain.
Man is social being. He is made social
not by his own enactments, but by fiat of
his Creator. By law of his nature, he is
bound to respect the rights of all those united
with him in the social compact. The king
dare not, with impunity, trample in the dust
single natural right of the most humble and
obscure of his subjects. A large number Of
the human family seem to forget that, by ma
ture, man is social being. They seem to
think that society is human arrangement
devised by the strong to oppress the weak. On
the contrary, human governments, so far as
they are in harmony with the nature of things,
are for the protection of the weak and restraint
of the strong.
Liberty, instead Of consisting in despising
law, finds its source and fountain in obedi-
ence-strict and absolute obedience This is
totally at variance with American notions of
liberty. The world seems to be of the opinion
that America is the land where men can do
as they please whether they please to do right
or wrong, and still 60 on and not be punished.
An Irishman once landed in one of the
American seaport towns. So soon as he put
his feet upon the soil he assumed an erect po-
sition and with an air of frantic delight de-
clared he was free. With huge stick in his
hand he commenced free stroll over the city.
He felt free to do as he pleased and he must
give to the world visible demonstration of
the fact that he not only knew he was free,
but that he was man enough to assert his
right. He commenced Trailing right and left,
upon every frangible thing within the reach
of his stick. Glass windows were broken into
thousands of pieces, dogs we're made to howl
with pain, and men, women and children were
seen running in every direction from the free
to-do.as.he-pleased Irishman. 1t was, for a
while, fine fun to him. He was delighted
with the country. He would not have gone
back to Ireland for anything. The scene
soon changed. 1t was not long before an Of
6cer placed his strong hand upon the mista-
ken man and led him to place made secure
by iron doors and iron bars. After contem-
plating his changed condition, with long
and heavy sigh, he said in suppressed and
sorrowful tone: 81 thought this was a free
country but I find it is not" The notions
of this Irishman were not very different from
those Of many Of our own country-men. Like
the Irishman, they never find out the true i'm
port of the word liberty until they are lodged
in prison or penitentiary, or are, by their
lawless acts, driven to the borders of infamy
and disgrace Many a silly creature has been
hopelessly ruined by his mistaken notions of
the word liberty. The only true and genuine
liberty in the world consist in strict obedience
to law. Everything else is destructive licen-
tOusness