Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-11-28


ligence, usually of one, and never OF
more than very limited number Of
aroifrstora' IApplauae. !
THE POWER OF THE ISptyIpuAL
In human affairs the power OF ulti-
mate decision irresistbly contracts as
II graduates to its apex, and there ia
no escape from this law of social and
political dynamics, and the growth Of
intelligence and means OF information
and communication seem only to in
crease its operation. Az an illustra-
ton of this, few years ago served
as member of a commission, COM
posed of 10 men, TO whom was and,
as | think, wisely and creditably
mitted the virtual decision OF a CON
tested popular election, which had
been held under circumstances OF un-
usual excitement in nation Of up
wards Of 00,O00, 900 inhabitants, under
a suffrage system, which includes,
practically, the entire male population
over the age of 81 years. And the final
decision Of that commission was car
ried by tho vote of single men, Der;
80 that the numerical pyramid Of
powerGose from an electoral base of
more than ., 900, 600 votes to tho mar
row apex of single vote, by which
the control Of tho entire executive
branch of tho government Of free
and strong nation, with its immense
and manifold powers, was committed
to the hands Of one Of the Presidential
candidates, for the term fixed by tho
Constitution. Let me emphasize what
! can only call the hinge Of this great
question, which, ! fear, in the conflict
Of more noisy forces, may be over
Swallowed. BY the recognition of the
Individual as the essential unit. of
society, the voluntary principle be-
comes the basis Of governmental
action. Abandon the man and dis
regard his moral nature silence the
voice Of his conscience, as it alter
nately pleads and threatens, and sub
stitute the rule Of overpowering mum
hors, and that mysterious and I'M
defined entity Collectivism, . in
which wisdom is supposed to be
gathered, or the single will of an
autocrat and the principle Of cor,
solidated and coercive mower will
necessarily be substituted. Not with.
out serious selfquestioning have l as
sumed to address yon upon Il subject so
profoundbeforet the aspects of which
| reyerently pause but cannot free
myself from a sense of duty to speak
straightforwardly and from my heart
as in the service Of perfect freedom, as
citizen of Christian country, to
men holding in this land the Same be.
lief, and upon topic in which the
highest duties of citizenship of both
countries have their roots. | must
not be misunderstood nor supposed to
harbor any intention to pass beyond
the province of secular discussion, or
the Just and natural scope Of the sub.
iect selected, which is the duty and
necessity of guarding personal freedom
and individual liberty as the very seed
and germ of human progress against
the encroachments of consolidated
power, and its suppression or over
throw by despotism in any of it's
shapes, whether Nultus instantis ty-
ranni, or Ciyium ardor praya iuben-
tium. Autocracy, Plutocracy, Oil
garchy, Socialism, or Mob-rue, each
and all are equally fatal to well ordered
government of which the end is the
personal liberty and happiness Of tho
individual, a society in which tho
essential unit is free man. An.
plause. When. from the thick
darkness where He was.i God snake
on Mount Sinai, His commandments
were addressed to the individuals of
the human race, and every solemn in
junction Of prohibition or Of perform
ance was pronounced TO each person
severally. Thou SHALT" and Thou
shalt not" never in the plural, but
III tho singular throughout. The one
prayer framed for human guidance by
the Son of God mainly and plainly
teaches these things The universal
Fatherhoodfof the Creator; the equal
individual and direct access, at will,
of every human being to Him: the
personality contained in the relation
of parent and child, ana the con-
sequent kindred Of the human race.
The injunction Of absolute privacy in
the approach to Him. alone and in the
seciusion of an inner room, the door
being closed, kneeling down in secret
surplication, and asking that the
kingdom of God shall como and Ills
viii be- dnne on earth. The divine
commandment Of this prayer conceded.
il is impossible to deny that the main
tenanee of individual conscience and
private Judgment is an absolute and
abiding duty, the performance Of which
contains tine germ of human happiness.
and its gro@tb, and that human pro
eress and safety are dependent upon
obedience to it, Applause la the
primordial nature Of man this princi
pie is implanted for "Gol created
man in His own image, in the image
Of God created lilo him; male and ia.
male created He them.'' And God
breathed into his nostrils the breath
Of life, and man became living soul,
and 10 this instrumentality, so selected
and endowed, dominion was given over
the earth and over every living thing
upon the earth. If va are seeking
light TO lead our march in life. and
arranging our plans Of government as
means tn the great end, it behooves us
to recognize this origin and underlying
nature, and 10 frame our laws in suhor,
dinatinn and harmony. From these
lHws " our bein9 there is no escRse.
! They must continue in operation, ac-
campaigning and entering into every
stage aud varied condition Of human
existence, under whatever form of
social and political association. Sd LONG
as tho world shall endure. III IL vain
to suppose that The life Of nation.
and Of the individuals who compose it,
can be ordered and regulated with
hope of healthful progress or perma-
nence when organized in disregard OF
in opposition to the law ordained in
it's creation. Some things are acct
dental and transitorr others are essen
TALLY permanent Tho freedom OF the
individual in human society is, and
always must be, the essential and i'm,
mutable factor to meet and obediently
to recognize and carry out the devotion.
mcnts of the supreme will as it shall
be permitted to become known to the
minds and consciences of men--if pro.