The Opelousas courier., 1894-06-09
A Tilt With the Dragon OF Drink.
Paperr read at lawn party, May 25th. by Pres
dent of Opelousas W. C. T. U.

| Paper read at lawn party, May 25th. by Presi-
dent of Opelousas W. CT
Liberty is one of the sweetest Blooms
given by heaven to the human race.
Nature has implanted the desire for
liberty in every human heart. For IL
berty, men, through all ages of the
worlds existence, have shoWI them
selves ready, willing, nay, eager 10 fight,
bleed and die. The whole history OF
the past is but the story OF mans strug-
gle against despOtism for the blessed
ness of freedom.
But, unless it be to the lordly lion
roaming the plains and jungles Of the
Dark Continent, or to the soaring eagle
in his wild eyry upon the brow of some
beetling crag, or perchance to the soil
tary hermit in his desert retreat afar
from the dwelling of men, there is no
such thing as absolute freedom.
To man in civilized society, all liberty
must he relative. His right to "life,
liberty, property and the pursuit OF
happiness" exists only in so far as 1T
interferes not with the like right OF his
neighbor. =.
To keep him within proper bounds is
the object of law. The effectual admin
iHration and execution of law renders
some form of government a necessity.
From the simple patriarchal rule OF the
widest Bedouin tribe, to the most elab-
| crate form known to Christian enilght-
eminent, all government is in some sort
a recognition of this principle OF rela-
tive liberty.
| Good government can exist only by
the consent and for the good Of the gov
erned." In government OF the peo-
pie, forthe people, by the people," where
...I ,.l -itrn y>t1p 10 .n1nthnH WIN n
sovereign owe more real than that
vested in England's MONARCHY the Gil
max of excellence is reached. But that
"every right implies Il duty" is an i'm
portant principle of moral science.
The old intellectual, moral and rellgi-
Gus rule must be brought into politics:
ITO whom much is given, of him shaii
much be ieqnired.n, Since right and
duty are colrelatives, the American
citizen whose rights are almost infinite,
who holds in his hand the ballot which
decides the destiny of IA nation and
which, to thousands, stands 10 the stead
of the NEUROLOGICAL aFates, bears upon
his shoulders an awful weight of res
possibility unfelt by him who obeys the
mandate of Sultan OF Car. The voter
holds in his grasp the balance of power.
1t is he who determines whether pros
perity shall make green the hills or ter
tile the valleys of the land, or whether
the whitening beams of adyersity's sun
shall scorch every tree and green her6,
bringing famine like that of Egypt. 1t
is for him to say whether "the throne OF
iniquity which frameth mischief
by a law" shall stand OF whether it
shall be cast down beyond the hope Of
establishment, and truth rise up vic
torious over error slain. He decides for
himself and he decides for others.
Peterman says in his Elements of
Civil Government The duties of
voters are the same, whether in the
| school district. the city, the country, the
state Or the United States; namely, to
u0te for the best men and the best meas
ares. Under whatever division of gov
ernment the people are living, they al
ways have the same interest In the
maintenance of order, in the enforce
ment of the laws. in the triumph of right
principles, and in the election of good
men to office"
Yet how careless are voters! How
ready 10 follow party even at tue ex-
pense of principle! How regardless of
the interest of the people at large
How blinded to their own! How I'M
willing to turn aside from the beaten
track of prejudice, though it be proven
to lead to evils innumerable!
Under the influence of excited feeling
a man may go to battle, face the can
non's mouth. and be ready to die for
the country for whose best interests he
has long refused to live. And we call
this patriotism. Moral courage is as
far above physical courage as mind is
above matter; and what our country
needs is moral patriotism. America
needs living men and needs them now
men who will not boast so much as
think men who will not fight SO much
as reason; men who will go to the polls
and vote iBtelligently.
concluded next week.