New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-04

from God only" is more important than
life. But insult or injuries to property are
not to invoke the risk of life in q duel or a
pitched battle. If any man or men inter
tere with right less than the right Of life,
the remedy is to be without involving life
Seif-defense against deadly assault is a
right both of individuals and of govern
mepts. but aggression never
All attempts to reform our local govern.
ments in behalf of q more economical or
acceptable ADMINISTRATION by methods which
involve an exposure of life, would sacrifice
life to property or so-called liberty, or some
chosen pursuit of happiness. and that
unnecessarily and unsuccessfully-un'
necessarily, for the right to life is
guaranteed by the existing authorities
unless, indeed, they are powerless or
unwilling to bring murderers to justice, or
themselves to assume the offensive actually,
and with that may and should be guaran-
teed the other rights. unsuccessfully. because
all that endangers life by act or precedent,
endangers also the other things sought.
Men say they rather be dead than live
UNDER certain conditioner things. but
that feeling is not brave or wise.
The contest for the very existence of
adequate civil authority somewhere
in the community, be the same larger
or smaller. may justly require the
risk of life in war. For upon the
existence of such authority in possession of
the physical force to sanction it, depends
the preservation of life from violence and
social war. A bloody contest for the exist
ence of nation, which has right and reason
to be in its integrity and separateness from
bloodshed by establishing the power best
fitted to prevent it within it's borders-that
is what a nation ia for. in its organized
shape, viz: to guarantee the first right of all
earthly existence, the right to life. Even, the
right to liberty, and still more, that to the
pursuit of happiness, comes after this, and
has more limitations and qualifications.
Until the first of these three is put upon
secure and lasting basis the other two are
of comparatively little value. If there is
no power anywhere in the community to
prevent violence and protect life, then
there is no civil authority to secure liberty
and the blessings of industry.
As all human relations rest back upon
physical life as their condition, so all human
law rests back upon physical power as its
sanction and final executor. A law that
can not be enforced is no law. And enforce
ment means the use of physical force ulti.
mately, if necessary. Thus all civil govern
ment, like all human life, is at bottom ply
steal government, physical life. And even
our sanctiication and ultimate salvation are
promoted and provided for during our natu-
raj lite, and by the incarnation of the Son
Of God, ''the word made flesh" the present
practical bearings of that eternal kingdom
are conditioned upon our temporal exist
ence.
Such being che scope and necessary func-
tons Of human governments, it is apparent
that they do but carry out, reepact and en-
force the law Of God and a. snch are re-
CURED and sanctioned BY Him-are part
Of His will HE that resisteth the power,
the ordinance Of God" As the
moral law is strictly the philosophy OF mans
natural lite as . social being. and govern.
ments are charged with the execution Of it.
we should expect the operation of civil law
TO be analogous, in some important respects,
to the operation of natural lave. o., in
the certainty Of punishment. Nature is
wise in the long run. and the God OF nature
is wise in making penalty for transgyessiOD
u natural law inexorably certain.
That is the most wholesome discipline. cor.
rection, means of evolution, education, per.
lection, VIZ: Tho unerring course of law, Of
cause in modifying effects. In all her ad-
nature is right in making pen.
atty certain and in appealing 70 the phvs.
cal conscience 40 it were by physical pen
sltles and vet0es She is right, and, there
Ore, benefcent in SO doing; truly and only
nerclful in following out her enactments to
he exact uttermost. ''verily, say unto
hee. thou shalt not come out" of her
iebtors prison until thou hast paid the
lttermost farthing." She will admit remedy,
ltonenent by law operating in its own
egitlmate sphere; the modification Of our |
aw by another. as we constantly see water |
,utting out fire, the antidote neu tralizine |
he poison, medicine and the laws of health !
tut in force removing disease So is il in |
iod's atonement. The law of the spirit of |
lie IN Christ Jesus making free from the
aw OF SIN and death, legally and neces-
arlly. But each and every law has its full
xecutIon. Il is only right and salutary,
Gale, that nature should follow up her sin
ers with the effects of their sin a. we'll as
ne effects OF their rights or remedial acts.
Now. what should be the analogy to this
civil government. having to enforce the
oral law. which il transcript Of social
w inwrOught with our nature. therefore
art OF natures system. as distinct from the
lpernatural and the hereafter! Civil law
aing part OF natural Law must be right
Id beneficent, in the same way that nature
viz: By certain and thorough execution
penalty tor transgression, the execution
law IN every case to the full extent TO |
hich it is applicable. In the case of MUIR.
II, tor instance, "A life for life," is jus.
e according to natural, scriptural, and
Q best human law. 1t is also the highest |
Incidence Or mercy to the individual
ember of society. a. lettering influence,
d TO society as whole by protec ting il
alnst the crime. Society has rights as we'll
the criminal, and clemency to him alone 10
aeity to 1t, while justice TO him 10 not
Ieity. though it send him out OF life
eedily. His repentance unto salvation
be accomplished as well in . month as '
lite time Of imprisonment. But nat {
al law, and so true civil law knows .
thing OF repentance. reformation and !
nedy, protection to society against this | I
me by any such means; they do not rem. L
the evil inflicted by the sinner. No re- '
ltance for murder will do chat. It may +
said the mans execution does not bring ! v
X his victim to life. No; but the execu- 0
q OF law always and everywhere is rene. o
! and nothing else is. Nothing else is a
ut, beneticent, merciful in the end. b
he facility with which fnen get into a v
ties, the pcomptness with which they r
sk out deadly weapons, Ego off at half
k, if | may be allowed the expression.
ne killing business, is badge of bar. o.
ism, an ear mark Of low form of
llzati0n. Such communities sometimes "
lie themselves on their quick sense of l
or, their courtesy and gentility. But O Il
tleman 10 first and forever a gentle
I. And the degree OF the sacredness OF IN
IAN life anywhere is q thermometer Of ia
i:zation there. Something il gained. "a
lever happens. when life is made more ii
Ire than before in this part Of our ! u,
ltry: for without that We can not get on b
IL. Let it be established, demonstrated. iii
en- III upon all the springs of human or
On here. that life is inv.olable, ex. te,
IN strict self-detense or by Que pro. ca
OF law; and the first step. the :ndis- ex
lole step. As taken toward a develop.
civilization. Without Thai we huiit |