Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-05-13
Liberty and License.

The abuse of liberty, called license,
leads very frequently to curtail-
ment of liberty itself, but on the
whole the world has been gaining in
liberty, not only of nations but of
individuals, for many years. AS
peoples learn to govern themselves
they gain more and more freedom
from the restraints of government
imposed upon them, and as indi.
viduals learn to govern themselves
they also gain in liberty to do as they
may will, within the boundaries set
by natural and statute law.
1t is with nations as with children.
The latter are at first wholly under
the direction of their elders as thew
grow in years and discretion thew
are accorded more and more liberty
until, when they arrive at manhood
or womanhoOd, they are set entirely
free from parental control, but re-
main, of course, subjects of the state,
bound and controlled by the laws
thereof. Even as to the latter, thew
have more or less share i'm making
the laws, and the tendency of the
last century has been to enlarge the
sphere of individual freedom.
Liberty is what may be called the
natural state of the individual; it is
withheld from the infant or the child
or tender years only because he is
not at the time fitted by experience
and education to make wise use Of
1t, but just as soon as he acquires
needed control of himself he is al
lowed more liberty, and so on, until
ne Is left without parental restraint
altogether.
1t is well to keep this conception
OF liberty as natural right always
in mind while putting restraints
upon it, for then the restraints will
be properly regarded as mere tenn
porary devices, to be discarded Just
as soon as the child shows himself
able to care for his own welfare
This is not regulated by age. AS a
matter of convenience, it is assumed
that at certain age the youth has
reached maturity, and thenceforth
he Is free from parental restraint or
coercion, being at libei ty to do as he
may please, subject only to the laws
of the community in which he NAV
live. But, as a matter of fact, some
young people reach years of discre.
ton at an earlier age, and some,
though they live to be old men, never
attain them.
1t is well, however, in dealing with
children, to encourage them to as
sumo responsibility for themselves.
and therefore to give them Just as
much liberty at all times as they are
able to wisely use. They will thus
acquire strength of character early
in life, and be better fitted when thev
reach the legal limit to play the parts
of Independent men.
Real liberty, however, should not
be contOunded with license. The
tendency of the times, though in the
right direction, should not be allowed
to get beyond bounds. In the main,
the release of children from coercion
Is beneficial and the world is doubt
less better to-day than it was an hun
dred years ago, by reason Of the
greater liberty accorded the indi-
vidual, whatever his age, but in par
ticular cases old-time coercion is still
needed to put restraints upon the
young. When they abuse the lib
erty they have been given and show
tendency to lose respect for au.
therity they should have their privi.
leges curtailed, for they will have
but poor preparation for a life Of in
dependence if they have not learned
in their youth the necessity of ODE
dience to the law and to the author
lied ministers of the law.
The chief evil resulting from the
increased liberty allowed the young
in the present generation is the less
ened respect shown for parental au
thority and the lessened respect fol
parents themselves. Both should b,
maintained even though it should b,
necessary to retrace some of tn,
steps Of what is called our advancing
civilization. Liberty is natura
right, an eternal principle, but tru,
liberty can be maintained onl,
through obedience to necessary law
and there is no law so necessary a
that made by the parent tor the wis
government of his children durin,
their youth.-BditimOre Sun.
A Western farmer wrote to hi
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