The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-07-29
work the ruin of the people of this coun-
try, if they do not learn wisdom in time.
Intellectual training and education alone

work the ruin of the people of this coun-
try, if they do not learn wisdom in time.
intellectual training and education alone
cannot avert it, though these are good
and necessary. High intellectual train
ing united with great material prosperity
may bring their possessors to that pitch
of intense self.satisfaction that they are
almost, if not quite, ready to worship
themselves as gods and to believe that
the internal selfhood is divine. Towards
that condition the people of the United
States are moving, and the laws and the
constitution now in force are not sufficient
to check their career.
If, then, no higher principles nor mo.
tives can be brought to bear upon the
people 80 as to check this tendency; if
the reliance to save the country snd the
people from ruin is upon an enlightened
selfiuterest and that alone, then the re-
lance is vain and ruin is sure, unless
that enlightened self-interest is quick to
see the danger and devise and apply new
constitutions and laws as the emergencies
occur. Few constitutions and new laws
must be framed for the government. of
the States and. of the United States; for
the present will be found insufficient for
the future. If the danger is not met and
averted by law, it will be met without
law. And that method will not avert it,
for anarchial violence never accomplishes
what it aims to do.
That the people of this country have
the right to make any law that they think
will insure their safety and protection,
there can be no doubt. In them is vested
the supreme power. They are above all
constitutions and all laws except those of
God; for constitutions and laws emanate
from them, and they have the right to
make any changes in constitutions and
laws that they may see 6t, or whenever
their safety may require it. No vested
right, so-called, can be permitted to stand
in the way of the welfare of the people.
And if the liberty of one individual, or
of combination of individuals, becomes
dangerous to the general welfare, then
that liberty must be restricted. So, if
the accumulation of wealth in the hands
of few becomes oppressive to the great
majority, that accumulation mus. be
checked, so that the poor and the weak
may not be crushed. How that check
may best be brought to bear / know not
What form the constitution will assume
it is impossible to say. But change
must be made at some time, and that
time perhaps is not fir off. The people,
knowing what is due to them, knowing that
they are the source Of all power, will have
little inclination to look up to men of
wealth as leaders, when that wealth is
used to increase their burdens, and when
they know it has been accumulated main.
ly by unjust speculations in breadstufs
or by corners in stocks.
There is remedy for all the evils that
aflict humanity it is one to which
writers on political and social subjects
seldom refer. It>is thought, l suppose,
to be impracticable and quixotic by men
of the world so it is left for Sunday
wear, to be discussed in the pulpits once
week. That remedy is that every ,one
who processes to be Christian be one in
fact. When this is done all is done /;
and soon that perfect state of equal
rights and privileges, without poverty
and without wealth, that has Aoated for
ages as brilliant mirage before the men.
tai vision of philanthropists, prophets
and poets, would be a fixed, unchange.
able and divine reality. At present,
however, there seems to be little reason
to hope for the speedy application of
this remedy. And failing this, appeals
can be made only to enlightened self-in.
terest, or to war, revolution bloodshed,
resulting in the dissolution of the exit.
ing order and the beginning of new.
In conclusion, let me beg the readers
of this article, if there should be any,
that I have no animosity against the
rich. I know too we'll that he who is
poor and oppressed to.day would become
rich and tyrannical oppreasor to-mor.
row were he able Those who have no
money are no better than they who have
millions. All have the same nature; all
are equally avaricious; all are engaged
in the same foolish struggle for satisfac.
ton in the possession and enjoyment OF
material things, which ends always, and
cannot end otherwise, than in disappoint.
ment and disgust. I have written simply
as student of history and OF man, AMI
as an observer of the tendency of things
to-day. All schemes for the betterment
Of the condition of society, without the
absolute regeneration Of the members
composing it, are mere palliatives and do
good for very little while only, if at all.
Therefore war becomes absolutely neces.
sary and acts like storm in the elements
of nature, breaking up the old order oil
things and giving opportunities for the
| introduction of a new and better. But
human nature remains the same, and the
same srocesses must be gone through
with forever Until 6Ssii!lt the little leaven has
leavened the whole lump, az ssssd Christian
ty, having regenerated humanity, ylGssss Gsss
conquered the world.-JoHN A. CHAP.
MAN, in Nee06erry Observer.