Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-11-25
PROPERTY aNp CTS mlanrs.
Ministef Phelps Ahie sFseah nefero The
Edinhnrgh PHILOSOPHERS.

Edinhmgh philosophers,
Nrw lIAvFs, tov, TO-. Tho folnwlnu IL
an abstract q the address u United states
Minister Phelps lwfAro rho Philosophical
institution at EdIaburgh oNlhc 18Th inst.
"ln the Magma eharla " King John the
rnost significant expression N lts most
crlrhraicd clause l. the Phrase iAmillar
now, nut unknown TIL thep) per lecam
torfr'.-by the law OF tho land II indi.
oalos a. once theoriterion and the bulwatk
% the liberties of hngliahmea, aud, with
lts context, Introducing Tor Tho Hrst tme
Into tho theory OF ciyli government the
Idea that human rights ara tho fouada
ton nnd not a concession " human al.
thorliy,
"Tho theory Of our government Is chat
The natural rights OF man, thoHe OF Ne,
liberty aud property, are not derived from
but are anteccdonte of The government
which Is instituted Tor their malntonance
oa lt' llrst aud principal object, shaft 1 eau
mover be- allowed 90 Infringe thom, aud
when II oeaseu tooheotyo ihom tho ohliga.
son Vt allegiance torminatcs ANA the
Right Of revolution hcplua The line
which dlyidcn the constitutional aud
merely legal rights defines aud limits the
power Of malofltlea, u respect TO mere.
~ legal rights, their power Is supreme;
over constitutional rghta they bave no
control. Clyll liberty Ii simply the en-
lOyment Of fundamental rights IN thoir
inil cXtont, ana fro government Ia
government appropriate IN form that
ueoures permanent protection 70 all men
aliheh
iicfering 10 class government, Mr..
Phelps hnyal "No claHR government can
bu free, b cause the Indispensable oondl.
sion OF free government rs the equality VI
rights Of all CLASSES. Whom popular
form OF government becomes class goy
urnm0nt 10 which fundamental rlghtn are
not equally protected u oXlinpu6hos Il
self, and q new system Of arbitrary power
rises out Vt the ruins, In ynrl0uB
parts OF the world, Ia various forms, tho
rlghie Of property has given rise tp
violent diteussion, Nnd haa become
sometimes q subject Of eerldnh disturb.
nnGo In some quarters II takes tho shape
Of active oppoaltlon TO all property and
oil government
''Snch enterprises are only appropriate.
~ moi by the bullet Rnd tho ropo. In
other directions We hear much VI 70.
Gently discovered antag0nlHm between
labor aud what IN called gpptal, eH II u
were possible that elements should DO
eutngonielle which arc urcupahry ~ each
oihur'a existence, hlAswhrrH inequality
IN the distribution Of property IN tho sub.
loot of debate, ana many theories OF legr
islati0n 20 counterfeit u aro brought for,
ward.
,'As the geld Of human cxerllon has
grown wider and the ability " mankind
hna boon morc ard more turned % The ae.
qglsition Of wealth, the line between tho
lien aud poor has bHen more sharply
drawn That thlH disparity ahuuld be re,
moved by cgiylailnni that u ehuula be.
como the oiil30 If the law 20 onrloh p0y.
Orty by diminishing WoAlihi that tbs
iRborer should come somehow to re-.
Cciye more t1an hia hlre, aud that tile un-
fortunate, idle aud proligai should share
che property ihty nave not created aFe
thu epe0lpuA proportions oarQeflY
listened 10 by those whom they promise
10 btnf0t. There "a vague idea that
the relations OF this Hubifet are % ia.
dergo a0mo change which no ono 10
clearly able 70 describe Theirs IN a fest
ing Of inde0nablo alarm on no one hand
ana Of equally indcinablo expectation
on ihe other. Under whatever flfm lbsf0
propORsle are brought forward, tluy all
tend TO Tho same result 20 Invade tho
right Of private property and 70 take by
- one man ia order q give 70
another,
~ am lar from lulohdi0gt TO Hay nothing
fartbor enn 30 done IN this direction by
,,tsa N, iudiclUus legislation Upon this
LIN ,1n ,.s,,,,, Nv desire not 20 be mleln'
tsrpreiod nm dea 'pg WY W. ,,F1s
Of properly. ! an not ''f''g''h
abuse. The security % To- title aOus nat
PLACES ilg 0wnor beyond The power Of the
government IN many particulars con
ncCtad with IL use and deposition,
"Tbe idea ~ TOO common that IN leglgla.
ton n 60 be found pRnaeea for all pOr
row and Tor oil misfortune. Evon under |
free government the world may be gov. |
erned TOO muoh. Liberty, 70 be- worthy |
Of tho nRmn, should Do restrained no fnr
ther than Ia necessary FORTS preservation.
The invasion Of tho night Of property do.
fsats also tho equality q the law. |
The equality ~ lights IN or.
dained Nv God, The inequality " |
condition iH equally Ofdnin0d. |
IL las pleased Providence 10 accord 10 |
bat few tho capacity ~ accumulate prop |
orty 10 any RfOat extent " N bene- |
neent provision that the mass Of man.
Kind must live by industry. II ~ b bloss-
ing, not curse, that by tho sweat 81 our |
brow We thail eat bread. n IN grave |
error, therefore, 10 believe that the insa'
sion ~ the right OF property IL Tor
the advantage al the poor. Tho 70
suit II precisely the reverse Free
government, while the hiRheht and beei
civic condition for al who live under if,
ia especially 10 this advantage 81 the Ren.
eral mass 81 mon. II 10 10 iteelf on elcya'
ton 81 tho common people ana iheif
emancipation from the tyfhnny Of an ois-
Rarohy. When free government ID l0Htby
being allowed 20 degenerate Into class
government the strong are likely 70 take