The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-30
HILL ON PERSONAL LIBERTY.
THE SENATOR'S ADDRESS AT THE
nor GROWERS PICNIC.

Measure OF Liberty which Il q. Possible
to Confer Upon the Individual, Not In-
furious to the Real or Substantial Inter-
lists OF tho Community at Large.
ROME. n. Y. july 2a.-At the picnic OF the
Hop Growers Association at Sylvan Beach to-
day, Senator David u. Hill made an eloquent
address his subject being Personal Liberty"
senator Hill spoke. in part. us follows
Personal liberty. as it Ia generally under
stood, especially In its best II not It's broadcast
sense. means the largest measure OF liberty
which 1t is possible to confer upon the individ-
ua citizen not Injurious to the real or SUBJ
stantial interests OF the whole community.
1t may DO safely asserted. as n general rule.
that citizen may eat. drink. and wear what
ever no pleases. and that no may SOW and reap
In his fields whatever they will grow. and that
hs may manufacture in his shop whatever his
skill may Invent These are natural rights
which he possessed before governments wore
founded or constitutions framed. rights which
he never surrendered. and rights which con-
sttutlons and laws cannot Justly take away.
The abuse Of personal liberty By the citizen
Is always made tho plausible pretext for its
prohibition or restriction. You are familiar
with the old. threadbare argument, Men in
duge their appetites to excess: therefore. tho
good OF the community requires that the man
ufacture and sale Of what they eat and drink
must be prevented or represscd by stringent
and offensive laws"
The fallacy. to q large extent. OF this argyll
ment is apparent when 1t is reflected that the
abuse Of any right furnishes no adequate rea-
son for its destruction. How many absolute
rights would be permitted to remain II the
reasonable and Just exercise thereof at all
times was the imperative condition Of their
existence2
Who will assert that the freedom OF tho press
10 not frequently abused, and yet who is pre-
pared to declare that 1t, therefore. should be
abridged2
The air is filled with the noise OF disgraceful
religious dissensions upon abstract questions
OF orthodox doctrine. and prosecutions or
trials for alleged heresy among most respect
able denominations are becoming 30 frequent
that It is impossible for we poor miserable sin
ners to determine what is heresy and what is
not yet total denial OF the liberty OF con-
science would scarcely be tolerated In this
land Of boasted religious freedom.
How often is the privilege Of the writ OF ha-
beas corpus invoked in trivial cases and in
cases without merit and for the purpose OF de-
laying justice or at the instance OF unscrupu-
lous legal advocates for unjustifiable ends or
upon insufficient grounds. Yet those conceded
abuses are hardly sufficient to warrant the
destruction Of that most valuable writ. which
has always Justly been regarded as the sheet
anchor Of our liberties. and the denial OF
which would be the very essence OF tyranny
ITSELF
The guaranty OF the RICH. OF trial by jury has
always been most sacredly guarded. yet how
many miscarriages Of justice are believed to
occur through such trials. how susceptible are
iurymen to the influence Of popular passion.
how many wrong verdicts are rendered. how
many decisions reached through ignorance.
prejudice. partially. and sometimes even
through corruption, and how many verdicts Of
lgrttss are set aside by higher courts imposed
existing deiects and infrmities in the admin
T. istration Of justiee SCI serious though they are
ton Of any other method OF trial would prove
rights OF the citizen should be abolished or
abridged simply . because it is liable to abuse;
q s 's
power 4 i OPPOSED to the Spirit power Of our
There are those whose views are SO extreme
tia: they you'd the Fnsng q hops be
beer Thsy ds tn hs ae
that hops must be deemed to be a participant
In In whatever W eeys pertain to the inordnate
largely enter They forget the further fact
that hop raising Is an honorable OCCUPATION
much capital zap in the transaction Of its bust
1T may be suggested that. to be be- consistent In
their Inconsistency. they should 20 further
sale IN hs
tpte some Of the ingredients which enter into
the man9faetpre Of liuuor and are necessarily
for tn. evils which pertain to The Incorporate
r use 81 such tS LIQUORS They would prohibit or
foolish men md silly BOYS sometjmes
smoke too much. They would curtail numer-
csraod 70 Ssv thy
vent athletic exercises in our schools because
they they, mlght deve2p tendency toward profess
nfacture OF firearms in time Of peace. because
t inc are usually the instrument OF murder
t By t Gsipm to the crime committed
be- on he Se thst aei
and liber9lity have lately found little oncoIr-
s aes n the legislation Of our State, The
ms sh which has generally prevailed.
contest Of many years duration. was fin ally en-.
acted and although not a perfect, measure.
safe. m oderate. and practical. and reasonably
satisfactory to all interests.
the realm OF labor and in the domain OF
ihdustry, the principle involved in personal |
iherty cannot bee too frequently asserted. The
TACT cannot be too strongly emphasized that
90 d; With It as he pleases. He has a personal
ti NJ 10 name name MS own wages. his own hours.
which hS Is willing to be employed and they
ment is reached and there is an end n con-
ttroversy between them. The contract
n nan u or employer has any, right to interfere.
~ Is Dargaln between two com petent con-
6hsr 9W n1h.r They are free from che restrictions
not subject to the control or dctation of any
association or organization to which tn y
not owe any allegiance. In the performanco
OF such labor In a peaceful and orderly man.
ner. the workman. whoever he may he ia an
titled to the protection Of the law. which guar
considerations Of the relative rights Of
in si engaged In labor pursuits, about
mong well Informed men, do not con lict with
the obligations which workmen assume whe1
they voluntarily join labor organizations, ex.
cept In the matter OF personal honor which
may be involved. aud which may require sub
mission to the conclusions OF the majority
=, The legal rights OF such individuals un1ues-
Iona aIa