Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-05-25
ouIteauIsm In schools.

Our attention has been called to a
small work used extensively IN our
common schools, called "The Science
Of Government" prepared by Joseph
Alden, Of Massachusetts,. In the main
the work is not Objectionable, and as
an outline OF government does very
well, but like most works eminating
from the "holier than thou" school of
Eastern Puritans teaches a doctrine,
the logical conclusions of which lead
to communism and makes the subject
the sole judge Of laws which he should
obey and teaches the right to nullify
at will all enactments which do not
conform to bis preconcelyed notions.
We quote from page 80;
"Questious relating TO n conflict of the law OF the
land With the law Of God, must be decided by each
one for himself There is no diyinely authorized
tribunal for the decision Of such questions."Eyery
one of US shall give account Of himself unto God
(Rom. XIX. l2) He must learn his duty for him
self and do IT, He must avail himself Of the assist
ance within his reach, but he must decide for him
self. He cannot throw the responsibility OF de-
cision on the church or the government"
This doctrine in the broad sense
here defined, and the superficial man.
ner in which it is and of necessity
must be taught in common school,
simply proclaims Guiteauism, and ex-
tends unrestrained license to each in
dividual, each crank, to "become law
unto himself" to justify his acts and
to plead immunity from punishment
for the dire consequence by setting up
a "higher law" The assassination Of
Garfield was but the legitimate out
growth of this tallacious teaching and
the putting in practice the heresy.
Guiteau justifies his murder by the
plea of divine inspiration and fluently
quotes scriptures in his defense. Other
criminals have done the same. 1t was
the plea of John Brown and his entire
school of "higher law" philosophers,
and if adopted as a rule of action will
lead to nothing but anarchy.
The law Of Nature, discernable By
the light of reason, should not be ig-
be. Says Blackstone:
'sGod when b created motion and endued 1t with
principle of nobility established certain rules for
the perpetual direction of that motion; also, when
he created man and endued him with free-wiu to
conduct himself in all parts of life, He laid down
certain immutable laws of human motion, whereby
that free-wil is in some degree regulated and re-
strained and gave him also the faculty of reason to
discern the purport Of those laws
"Considering the Creator only as being of inf
mite p0aper, He was able, unqueetionably, to have
prescribed whatever laws He pleased to his creature,
man, however unjust or severe. But, as Heis also
Being of infinite eoisdon, he has laid down only
such laws as were provided In those relations of JUS
tce that existed in the nature of things antecedent
to any positive precept There are the eternal, i'm
mutable laws of good and evil, to which the Creator
himself in all his dispensations conforms; and
which He has enabled human reason to discover so
far as they necessary for the conduct of human
actions. Such, among Others are these principles:
that we should live honestly should hurt nobody and
should render to every one his DUE"
Such is the law of Nature as used
by the masters, and its observance is
When this law, however,
is confused with the law of revelation.
without any authoritative Interpretation,
where is the safety of community?
Every man becomes his own judge
and anulls laws with impunity. Not
sven the interpretation of the church,
according to the author, is to be re-
ceived but each mind is to be its own
and no standard of authority
recognized.
This doctrine, accepted by feeble
mind, is the real cause of the murder
Of Garfield and is the rope which
hangs Guiteau. Is it not pernicious
IN a textbook in use in our common
schools and inculcated in the minds of
youth2 The author may have a right
to publish what he pleases, but the
which will adopt it and
treat it as correct standard with
which to govern human actions de-
serve the condemnation of the COM
munity and become to great extent
responsible for the lawlessness that
disturbs society.
Roads and DitcheS.