The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1888-04-20


Cardlnnl Naming kxplalns Ms Late a.
t~rcnces In Regard 90 she Right % MA
90 Iise-srhe Law % Nature pisine nns
supremr-"
BALTIMORE. April is.-Thc April num-
Der Of the dmerican Catholic Quarterly
Rsrier 81 Philadelphia. will contain an
important paper from the pen of Cardinal
Manning entitled: .'Tne Law 81 Nature.
Divine and Supreme" The article was
written for the purpose Of making more
clear the doctrine of the Catholic church
regarding the rights Of the poor, - stated
BY His Eminence last January, and which
has been more or less misunderstood
The following are extracts from h arti-
Gle:
The Atlantic cable has 90 fully explained the
circumstances under which 1 appealed 20 the
Law OF nature. that I hardly like 20 weary the
reader with a repetition. Nevertheless. I may
20 far return upon the past a. 70 say that my
eords were spoken IN q conference. not q mere
public meeting. and written for use IN one Of
our most literary. ! may shy esoteric.
reviews. II can hardly be necessary
10 justify what have said among
Catholics. l might even say among Christians;
but both Catholics and Christians arc often not
fully aware OF the broad and solid ground on
which they hnbituaiiy rest Iwili. therefore,
III" Nut II iuN MA3k the owner N&I gave NAtI
In the reference. lido IN . not out OF pcdantry,
but out OF prudence. for some good men may.
for want OF iknowiedgc. b misied. Ny the
law OF nature all men have 4 common right 90
the use Of things which were created for them
and their sustcnancc. Hut this common right
does not exclude the possession ~ any thing
which becomes proper TO each The common
right IL BY natural law. and the positive Law az
property IL cxredient for three reasons: WHAT
IA Amr own IL more IXr|MIIE U<|I ThXm
what IL common Human Affairs are bet
ter ordered BY rccogn ned private rights
Human society Is more peaceful when each he's
hts own. protected by the Law Of justice srsus
criqa<. a-Theft therefore. Is always . sin
for two reasons: " IL contrary 20 Justice. II
t.-But the human and positive law can NOT
derrogate from the natural and Divine Law.
According 70 the Divine law. all things are or
dainct 70 sustain the life OF man. and there
fore the division and appropriation
OF thing can not hinder the sus-
tcnancc Of man in case Of necessity Therefore.
The possessi rs OF those who have food super
abundantly are due BY the natural Law for the
sustenance OF the poor. This doctrine lies NJ
The foundation OF the positive Law Of
all property IN Chnstcndom- II cx-
lists rs an unwriften Law In all Catho.ic
countries. In France IL n the dr0f NJ
frarniL. In England ~ Is clothed In . legal
statute In our Poor Law. under which every one
has - right either 70 work or 20 bread without
work. In the old Scotch Law II was rccog-
nized under the title OF Burdcnsech-a starv-
Ing man had q right "a carry away
a. much meat - he could On his
back. All these authorities I give not
by way OF example or exhortaticn % larceny.
but in proof Of the natural right from which
they dow. II must be borne In mind that ny
purpose was 10 justify and elevate the Poor
Law o. England by showing that u was founded
upon the natural right Of man 70 live and 70
the sustenance OF life. In proving this ! was
compelled 70 show that this natural law - su-
prcme over ali positive Law. The opponents OF
the Poor aw. 70 evade the main question.
promptly seized on the latter 20 escape the
former. The obligation TO feed the
hungry springs from the natural
right OF every man 70 life and 70
the food necessary for the snstensnce
OF life. So strict Is this natural night
that Il prevails over all positive laws OF prop
erfy. Necessity has no Law. and Z starving
man has . natural right 20 his neixhbors
bread. I am afraid that those Who speak %
confidently about right Obligations and avs
have not studied. or have forroften the nrss
principles OF all human positive Law. II the
Law Of property did not rest upon = natural
right II could not long exist They who dcry
II justify the dictum o. propr>fs fs<f 70 rot
Before the natural right 70 live all human laws
must give way.