West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-11-02
to the fundamental principles of free

to the fundamental principles of free
Government
Liberty does not mean the privil
ege of keeping out Of Jail; it means
the right of every man to act as he
pleases, provided he does not IL
fringe on the rights of any other
man. Ifthat thing called personal
liberty" is to exist, the body of the
people must be taught correct views
on this subject. If our institutions
are to be preserved the more intelli-
gent portion of the community must
make known and press upon the peo-
ple the vital distinction between
parental Government and a legiti
mate Government. The idea of a
parental government is, that every
individual should be compelled to
conduct himself, in his private life,
in such manner as the persons adj
ministering the Government may
please To think will best promote his
personal welfare; if they think to-
bacco injurious, the law will forbid
it's use; if they think early rising
conducive to health, the law will
compel every man to quit his bed at
daylight; if they think the Episco-
pal cteed promotive of happiness,
the law will compel every person to
attend that church. This idea of
the function of Government is di-
rectly contrary to every principle
upon which personal---very. depends.
Legitimate Government is the oppo-
site of parental Government. Legit.
innate Government is based on the
proposition that its only duty is to
protect each individual in the enjoy
ment of all his rights; and to that
end may restrict others so far, and
SO far only, as is necessary TO pre-
vent them from treseassing on those
rights. The Government must DO
rothing to restrain my actions, ex-
cept where necessary to protect 9TH
er persons in the enjoyment of their
rights. In this way, and in no 9TH
er way, every one has the largest
amount of personal liberty that it is
possible to enjoy in state OF So
ciety.
The Prohibition movement is
rested on one or the other Of two
propositions one proposition is, that
a majority may forbid my use OF
whiskey because they fancy that
would be better without it; the 9TH
er proposition is, that the law shall
forbid me to drink, not because it
iniures, me, but because weak-mind-
ed persons are unable to centr1l
their own appetite. Both o. these
propositions spring from total mis-
conception of the province of Gov
ernment; and those who advance
either proposition obviously attempt
to have the Government do, as re-
spects grown man, what father
NAV do as respects his child. Our
institutions are gone unless this
false idea is repudiated; And it
surely will be repudiated whenever
the rank and file come to understand
it. The American theory is, that
Government is the agent and ser,
want of the people to protect the in
dividual members of society in the
ENJOYMENT of their rights; but pro-
hibition proceeds on the idea that
instead of protecting rights the gov
ernment is to determine what shall
be a mans rights; the government
shall dictate a mans personal habits
and decide what shall be his moral
conduct. The American theory is,
that Government is only TO protect
one man against other men; the pro-
hibition idea is, that the Government
is to protect ii man against the con
SEQUENCES of his own conduct. 1t is
amazing, the conservative portion
of the community sleep when such
a destructive doctrine is gaining
headway among the thonghtless
masses.
The cruel laws of the past did not
make men Christians and for pre-
ciscly the same reason prohibition
will not lessen the use ofintoXicants.
Coercive philanthropy is the pro
duct of diseased minds and is GER
tain to yield poisonous fruit.
We printed evidence of the happy
results of Local Option in Atlanta,
Ga. We also printed testimony Of
the utter failure of Prohibition in
Rhode Island. Local Option means
that each community shall close its
own saloons, Prohibition means
that one county shall meddle with
the local and domestic affairs of an
other county. The voters Of West
Virginia are To choose between home
rule and foreign rule. We are in
favor of local self government.