Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1882-02-22
A Question OF Rights.


u could not exist. There can be n,
r law without restrictions upon natu
,r raj liberty. Rights are classified
a by celebrated author, DR.. Paley
1t as natural and adventitions. "Natu
!. raj rights are mans right to life
ana liberty, to the use of his limbs
d and the produce Of his labor, and
e 10 the enjoyment Of air, light, and
$ water; and could only be enjoyed
Il without restrictions in n state of
isolation or solitude. Adventitious
rights belong to a state of society
which possesses the right TO make
l any and all laws for the regulation
of such society,""
"To do what we will is natural
liberty; to do what we will con.
sistently with the interests of the
community is cirR liberty and the
only liberty desirable or that can
exist in civil society. To do what
one likes is certainly pleasant; but
if all could indulge in this pleasure.
land If one may all may,) the lib.
erty OF each person would receive
80 many checks and obstacles from /
the liberties of others. that il would /
be much less than if altogether
with himself were subjected TO
equal laws. In n state of society
the liberty of each is increased by
the restraint thrown on all: because
each gains more from the Limitation
OF the freedom of others, than he
loses from the diminution of his
own. The greater happiness of the
mdhyis the only ground for restrain
lng the liberty of the fer. Hence a
we arprehcnd the distinction be. {
lwccn personal and civil liberty. v
cltlI"n of the frccst republic in
The world may be imprisoned for @
MS crimes; and, though his per
'onal freedom be restrained by
'olts and letters, yet so long as his
confinement Is the effect of bcuc
lclal public law, his civil liberty is II
Iot invaded. II, then. the coercion -
l "A prison, be compatible with a ~
tate of civil freedom, there must :,
' e tue r smme compatibility in ,EGiGG i.
lOIt HloIcId tr NU.,",...:..." when '.
Ovcrnment imposes on the in.
ividual. That state is, in tact. h'
he most free where the best
revision is made for the l"
rady enactment of salutary laws. ma
government OF some sort springs
nj Of society. 1t is the only security ~
gainst foreign foes and against
Ic wrongs which the members of ~
society may do against each other:
nd the only agency by which jus ~
CO can he administered. All gov. 70
rnmcnt should hold it's existence Nj
My by the consent of the main M'
ody of the people. In the declare. roi
on of onr Independence it is as. an
'rtcd that governments derive lin
lcir just powers from the consent 70,
the governed, and it is the right
f the people TO utter az aboIixh to
lcm whenever they suppose that IN,
lclr own safety or happiness de.
ends upon such operations" These ~
riuciplcS are self evident and are vi
ia,
'trrrcd to as authority for the {
lactment of any ant all laws Nv
rcmcd necessary for the safety
nd happiness of the people. Iy|
The people are the sole judges Of Rr,
Icir necessities, and may alter or IA
,0lish existing regulations or enact h,
execute laws deemed necessary
+ the well being of society. Now i e,
the people in their sovereign '
pacity should have in mind that Al
IRVING Bowie knives, pistols, and J
c., concealed or otherwise, was and
To the best interests of
ems
cicty. is there any principle in. bet
lived in their prohibition that H.. u
Dnld not exist in the nnnishmeni 10