Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1878-11-22

the sensational psychology-or the
doctrine of Locke and Condil-
lac, that all our knowledge is derived
from sensation-will generate the moral
doctrine that right and wrong are terms
Of mere SUFFICIENTLY, and that the only
tests of moral actions are mere feelings.
And so, right will be simply that which
each one thinks or feels is right; Just as
truth will be simply, and as Howe
Tooke argued, "that which one troweth,
i. e., thinketh or firmly belleveth."
And so the history OF phlios-
ophv clearly shows-and that
whether we read Schwegler, Ceberweg,
Maurice or Lewes-that the two great
schools OF psychologist have always had
CORRESPONDENCE different systems and
methods OF moral philosophy. The In
tuitionalists have always maintained
that there are pure axioms in morals no
less than in Geometry, that there is such
a thing as right and wrong actions IN
themselves and independent OF their
consequences, and that there is an OBJ
iective as well as subjective standard
OF right and wrong; while the Experien-
tialists and Sensationalists have as
uniformly maintained the very oppo..
site theory, or that the exclusive test OF
the rightness or wrongness OF actions Is
i'm their consequences.
>. 1t is necessary for the true health
and prosperity of the State that correct
system OF moral philosophy prevail in 1t
and be accepted by the great mass OF It's
thoughtful and active citizens: Those
who cannot see the influence for good
or evil, for the elevation or debasement
of peoples and States, that the prevail
ing system OF moral philosophy ever
EXISTS, have neither read history 10 adj
vantage nor been properly observant OF
the anteccdents and consequcnts OF their
own times. The French revolution
stands out before us as a vast mountain
OF impressive and solemn admonition
ON this point. Not simplyto the tyran-
nv OF rulers OF the widespread poverty
al the proletariat was that event, with
all its accompanying and succeeding
horrors and immoralities traccable. The
writer's on psychOlogic and moral phli-
osophies were powerful factors. IN It's
production. These men scattered among
the masses doctrines that not only
made the taxes more and more grinding
and calling to them, but also sapped
their respect tor..government, and prac,,,
tically obltcratcd in their bosoms all
distinction between right and wrong
actions i'm themselves. Had the masses
been dominated by opposite psyche
logic and moral principles-had they
been imbued with the doctrine that out
side OF and above all questions OF their
greatest happiness" there was a law
Divine and inflcxible declaring actions
right and wrong in themselves. and that
ior this reason alone and independent OF
all other considerations, the one class OF
actions ought to be performed and the
other cschewed; unquestionab.y ma
tional affairs would have assumed avery
different and more healthy phase. \
revolution might still have been affected,
but it certainly would not have been at
So awful expense OF blood, morals, and
religion. 1t NAV be almost said, indeed,
that the throne of Louis WI was left
in blood, and Marie Ant0inette was rob
bed of a Young and tenderly beloved
husband. and the Church OF NOtre-D Dame
was converted into Il republican cdifice,
and cOurtczan was borne INTO the
chanccl 10 sing republican songs and to
be worshipped as the goddess OF reason,
bv the power and influence OF the Utill-
tartan philosophy. Says Adams in his
Dc,arrucy and NonGrchy ~ France:
whether we consider the writers OF
that age as simply gathering into system
the loose thoughts that were at the time
floating among the people, or whether
we regard them AZ the orlginators OF the
methods Of thought that came to be gen
orally adopted, the fact remains that they
FURNISHED both tie ground and ne J"Stlhcd-
tion # he erents h,dt fOlloTed" And 80
will it he in every age Let the lawyer,
the doctor. the merchant the farmer,
and the common day laborer be doml-
mated hv the doctrine that actions are
morally indifferent in themselves and
receive their moral character and tone
solely from the consequences that they
will produce; and the inevitable ten
dencv will be to weaken the hold OF
virtue, honor. and honesty upon men
and subvert them rs practically govern
ing powers. Men are selfish by instinct
and are made more So by "the struggle
for existence" which is very earnest
and intrnsein these days; and when all
standards oi morality outside of utility
are set aside it will not he long before
the range Of the utility will be con-
tracted To the self, and what some phi
losophcrs have called the EgoiSt'r He
donism will become the dominating
principle. When the only test OF right
and wrong is-which Of these two ac-
tons oi mine will secure the greater
happiness to the greater number?
the question will soon be
changed into -, which will secure my
own greater happiness and by this test
will the action or conduct in the
premises he determined. And | need
not argue that just in proportion rs the
selfish principle dominates Il people in
the same proportion is the State on the
social. political, and moral decline. And
81 We argue against the Unitarian phi
losophy from the very principles OF
Utlitarianism itself. In order To the
attainment oi the very end that this
philosophy proposes To Itself and by
which il would test the morality of con-
duct -- the greatest happiness Of
the greatest number-it must itself lie
sci aside, and its opposite he adopted as
the governing principle. Just i'll proper
ton as the citizens OF the State through
all the varied departments Of life from
the highest Ia the lowest realize and act
upon the principle that there is a
righmess and wrongness OF moral ac-
tons in themselves, and that there is an
unvarying and authoritative objective
standard OF morality in the same pro-
portion, and only this, will the State he
socially, politically, and morally healthy,
AMI will the greatest happiness OF the
greatest number be secured.
;. 1t is all important that those who
mould and guide the politics of the
State should have a correct system OF
metaphysics and PSYCHOLOGY Ii the
correctness of what has been already
written be admitted, then il is needless
for me to make any further argument in
favor OF this proposition. 1t follows in
ferentially from the preceding prem
Uses: and all that is necessary
here is simply to give il