St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-07-07

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'he 'honght seeking expression ON sucb
'n ''''sioh' ahd before such an audi,
ehce aS this, shall treat of scholarsbi,
y" It's relation to some phase of life.
nave chosen. III recognition of this ey-
pectatlon, and because of my own iudu-
nhtht of ITS Importance to speak of f..'TL,
Scholar in Politics."
Politics is, i'll this country, a term ~,
comprehensive meaning. 1t iucIude.
lhe science of government, the admins
tratlon of public affairs, the duties ot
the citizen, and the methods and CON
duct of elections. In general. however
1t deals with the relations of the citizen
;tS IL voter to the state, and more com
monty with the mere machinery with
which parties are managed and official,
are appointed or chosen. The presru-
tatlon of my subject which it seems de-
slrable to make involves Il considera-
ti"n OF some of the functions of govern
ment, III order to judge more correctly
oi The evils IN administration and in
WHAT Is called practical politics, de
mandlng the attention of thoughtful
men.
Americans are now born into citizen
SHIP; most foreigners may hecomc cit
lZcllS ana an adult citizen of the Uni
ted States. unless under the UNEQUAL
and unjust disability of sex. is every
where, with tritiing exceptions, Il voter.
such Il person is Il factor in the Iesult
called government, small or large. af-
fectng 1t tivorablN oI untlvorablv. ac-
c"ldlnS to his intelligence. working
power and clearncsS and scnsitiycucSs
Al N l.iI
ever other pursuit he MAY follow. is "A
part "f the state, and cannot righttullN
sllrk his duties as IL citizen and Il voter.
1t Is an inheritance into which he i
born. and whose yoke he must bean. and
MS education only makes more inIper-
atINe the natural obligation to protect
the state against every assault hN which
ITS Integrity is put in peril The devo-
tlon of ancient patriotism WAS eucour-
aged 10y the assurance il w:S sweet and
beautiful to die for ones country. This
Is only giving what is sometimes tho't
To be the highest test of love: but there
may Ice Il higher measure oi real hero
Ism, and Il greater service to the state
gwen 10y him who tntclligentlv and
hravely. and with IL resolute and clear
cur moral purpose. remembers and
serves the common veal in every act of
his life.
\ republican government. in the con-
dcnsed definition of President Lincoln.
government of the people. 10y the
people and for the people, can only Ice
Il success. he kept III its proper work.
when the people are educated. When
the suffrage WAS, Il few Years ago. en-
Ian ged III England. one of the most con
SplcuouS opponents of the reform said
Now let us educate our masters"
This. 1t is true, does not involve the
idea of the ighrreducation which ought
10 Ice the achievement of the scholar,
but ii is supposed to he satisfied with
the mereSt rudimcmts of learning. But
if the safety of the state rests at all up
on education, it would seem to follow
that the better the education the better
the government: that there cannot be
too many educated people. too much
scholarship for the good of the common
wealth. The NcI! maXiuIs of free gov
cInmcnt thus give the scholars the
highest right to he heard and needed
concerning the principles of government
and methods of administration.
The complex machinery We call the
government Is not Il divine institutions
Il Caesar ruling 10y some authority Older
and stronger than men. 1t is IL human
invention aS much 81 a> the commune
or il trades union, although ancient
forms and prriudiceS, and the oppn>i-
ti"n of those possessed of power MAY
delay its transformations. and postpone
its development or decay. Ii breaks
slowly through the crust of custom, and
the shell not untrrqucntly remains.
when the spirit that inhabited it is dead
or departed. Ii is not ruled or shaped
10y influences coming down trom above
or coming up from beneath. \ society
of murdtrcrS. Il contederIcN of pick
pockets. Il gang of border rutfianS. have
II III Il rough form among themselves.
while they are daily violating the order
of the other oIganlZed forms. Indeed.
III It's origin. II Is very simple. 1t would
not be needed among perfect beings.
In such Il society the rights of each
would he respected 10y all. and an at
tempt to do justice 10y law would not
only he absurd but mischicvous like
an attempt to regulate the natural and
healthy circulation of the blood by ma
chinery. But. while men and women
are not perfect, organization becomes
necessary, that strength. whether of
brain or muscle, not i'll suhiection to
the moral sense, may not trcspasS upon
the rights of others. If there were but
two inhabitants in some remote island
in the Pacific, it is plain that neither
would have Il right to govern the other.
Each would have the right of Self-de
fenSe, but neither would have the right
to dominate. There, rights would not
he changed by adding another person
to the population. Each would still
have the right to self-defrnsc. but no
power to rule against the will of the
other. Natural rights would he the
same with three as with two, with IL
Thousand millions as well as with three.
The rights of the individual are the
same, whether he is one of two, or of
two hundred millions. Maiorities can
not change these rights, and if they re-
fuse ar restrict the enjoyment of them
they aIe guilty of Il usrrpation us rank
as that of the Shareholder or deSpot.
But what may do in the enjoyment
of my rights. any one may help me do,
and as have II right to defend my life
or my liberty. when aSsailed, my neigh
hors have IL right to help me d" this,
and we may, if We chose. for this com
mon cause, associate ourselves together.
Out of this comes government. II there
is such IL thing aS national right-and
in this centennial wear. when we are
celebrating the grand declaration of
national rights published II century ago,
we may take it as Il postulate, granted
without argument tue science of
government is developed from these
simple premises. But it is human: 1t
j. romposed of men and women of i'll