The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-12
THE RIGHT TO LIVE.
Cardinal Manning Argues That 1t Is Superior
to All Laws Made by Man.
Special to the IDdi.napolis Journal

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
BALTIMORE, Nd, April 1.-THE April num-
her of the American Catholic Quarterly of Phil
adelphla. will contain importans paper from
the pen of Cardinal Manning, entitled, 'The
Law of Nature, Divine and Supreme" The ar
tlcls was written for the purpose of making
more clear the doctrine of the Catholic Church
regarding the rights of the poor. ated by
His Eminence last January, and which
has been more or less misunderstood. The fol-
lowing are extracts from the articles
'sThe Atlantic cable has so fully explained the
circumstances under which | appealed Co the
law of nature that hardly Ike to weary the
reader with repetition Nevertheless I may
SO Tar return upon the past as to say that my
words were spoken in conference. not mere
public meeting. and written for use ia one of
our most literary, may say. esoteric reviews.
It can hardly be necessary to justify
what have said among Catholics, / might even
say among Christians, but both Catholics and
Christians often not fully aware OF the broad
and solid ground on which they habitually rest
will, therefore, draw out in full what tie other
day / gave only in reference. do not do this
out of pedantry, but out OF prudence, for some
good men may, for want OF knowledge, be mis-
led.
Firstly the law of nature. all men have
common right to the of things which were
created for them and their sustenance.
"Second-But this common right does not ex-
clude the possession of anything which becomes
proper to each The common right is by natural
law. and the positive law of property is expe-
dent for three reasons: (a1 What is our own is
more carefully used than what is common;
(b) human affairs better ordered By recog-
nized private rights; lei human society ia more
peaceful when each has his own, protected by
the law of justice SUM cuiQue.
'sThlrd-Theft, therefore, is always sin, for
two reasons: Ia, 1t is contrary to justice;
tbl. 1t is committed either by stealth or by vio-
leuce.
'Fourth-But the human and positive law
cannot derogate from the natural aad divine
law. According to the divine law. all things are
ordained to sustain the life of man, and. there
FORE the division and appropriation of things
cannot hinder the sustenance of man in case of
necessity Therefore, the possessions of those
who have food IN superabundance are due, by
by the natural law, for the sustenance of the
poor. - This doctrine lies the founda-
ton OF the positive law of property In all
Cnrlstendom It exists as an unwritten law In
all Catholic countries 10 France it is the Droit
travail; in England it is clothed in a legal
statute IN our poor Law. under which everyone
has a right either TO work or To bread without
work In the old Scotch law it was recognized
under the title of burden sech: starving man
had right to carry away as much meat as he
could on his back
'Ali these authorities T give, not by way of
example or exhortation TO larceny, but in proof
of the natural right from which they flow.
1t must be borne IN mind that my pur-
pose was to justify and elevate the poor law of
England by showing that it was founded upon
the natural right of man TO life and to the sus-
tenance of life In proving this was compelled
to show that this natural law is supreme over
all positive law. The opponents of the poor law,
to evade the main question. promptly seized on
the latter to escape from the former.
1.-THE obligation to feed the hungry springs
from the natural right of every TO life and
to the food necessary for the sustenance of life.
So strict is the natural law that it prevails over
all positive laws of property. Necessity has
laws, and a starving has natural right to
his neighbor's bread / am afraid that those
who speak confidently about rights. obliga-
tions and laws have not studied, or have forgot
ten, the first principles of all hunan positive
law. If the law of property did not rest upon a
natural right, it could not long exist. They
who deny it justify the dictum la propriete
c'est levol. Before the natural right to live all
human laws must give way"