New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-08-16
TOLERANCE,

The spirit of tolerance-the perfect
willingness that others should entertain,
express and act out beliefs opposite to
our own, and the admission that theirs
may possibly be true-is rare virtue;
not alone in old countries and under mon
archial and aristocratic forms of govern
ment, but in the young, free, progressive
America. Theoretically, indeed, every
body in this country is free to express
opinions on any subject and to carve out
his own life, subject only to the law which
forbids certain injuries to his neighbor;
but practically the force Of public opinion
limits to a great extent the development
Of individuality. Old King Custom is
upheld by the suffrages of SO many that
the few who question his authority are
still liable to be branded as ''disturbers
of the public peace, "rebels" or 'here-
TICS" according as their opposition to
him may refer to social, political or re-
ligious matters. In different parts of
the country this social despotism is dis
played in different ways, public opinion
in the North, especially in New England,
being comparatively liberal in regard to
thought and discussion, but vigorously
exact in respect to conduct. In the
South, on the contrary, there has always
existed greater freedom for the exercise
of individuality, but less liberty of
thought-or rather its outcome express
sion. There man may theorize on any
subject in the heavens above, or on the
earth beneath, or in the waters under
the earth; may question the propriety of
every venerable usage, and the truth Of
every received opinion; may breach doc
trines whose general acceptance would
abolish at once the family hearth and the
ecclesiastical altar, and blot out the
words home and God from the vocabu-
larry of the world; but wo unto him if he
attempts to act out his theories. He is
placed under social pariah-
ship as memorable as that of the Indies.
His thoughts may expatiate throughout
boundless universe; his feet must keep on
the beaten track. Here it is otherwise.
Action is freer, opinion more restricted,
the natural result Of slavery, which per-
mitted no discussion of its right, and
modified morals by regards of trace,
color and previous condition" Where
there is one subject upon which peo-
pie are not allowed freedom Of thought
and discussion, they are less able
to assert their right to that free
dom on other subjects, and &C.
cordingly we find the soi-disant ruling
social class among our people, the coolest
and best" as they call themselves, dis
posed to be conservative" in politics
and ''orthodox" in religioh-that is, such
as make any profession whatever on the
latter subject. A man may stay away
from church altogether, may disregard
''the Sabbath" and live as if Christianity
were fable, and it will be no great de-
triment to his character with the commu-
nifty in general; but if he processes reli-
gion at all it must be in some orthodox
form. What is called ''liberal Christian
ity" is an exotic which does not thrive in
this climate. Indeed, it has always been
the boast of this class that the various So
called ''isms' of New England have never
found advocates or adherents this side of
"Mason and Dixon's line" and this is
true. Whether it is an advantage or not
is question too wide in its bearings to
be discussed in this article, but it is GER
tain that this hostility to novelty in the
domain Of thought, the natural offspring
of the political intolerance which neces-
sarily prevailed here was increased by the
fact that such novelty generally reached
us through the medium of New England
radical, progressive, aggressive New Eng
land.
During the war and since its close the
spirit of political intolerance received
1IcSu lLupu4bc vi OOGA oAACo, ALL VIC VOL
proved conclusively among other things
that opinions are vital things, and that
difference on fundamental questions Of
government, when not settled by free dis
cussion, will get themselves settled in
less peaceful way-by the clash of arms
namely and the thunder of artillery.
Neither is this decision final, however,
unless in accordance with truth; for, when
the smoke of battle clears away, and
war hangs up her blood-stained sword,
the question (Which side was right?'' is
still open for the discussion Of historians
and the arbirament Of experience. To
this tribunal must all doubtful questions
of politics be referred at last, but in the
it is in the interest not only
of truth and progress, but Of peace and
good. order, that the practical working
out of questions settled by the majority
should not be needlessly complicated or
by factious opposition, and that
the spirit of ostracism for opinion, so
fatal to these interests, should give place
to that of enlightened tolerance.
THE THERMOMETER.
The sullen stand in the upper ninetieS