The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-07-18
PATRIOTISM AND TRE1SOX,I
Both Are But Other Names of seIhshness
Says Writer.


been just celebrated. word about Patri-
otism and the Duty OF Patriotism Is not
an'ss.
Patriotism Is a most highly vaunted
virtue. but unless selfishness be virtue,
patriotism is not a virtue at all, 1t being
mostly If not merely. a form, disguised
indeed in many cases, OF selfshness.
country being substituted for self. one
loves country not because his place Of
birth but because his interests are there,
for when ones interests cease in the
country or become greater elsewhere. one
unhesitatingly emigrates IL circumstances
permit. and transfers his patriotism with
his allegiance TO the new country. Thou
sands of our most patriotic citizens were
only recently equally patriotic in their
native land, the inspiration in each case
being mainly. IL not wholly self interest.
No one loves country when country i'm
prisons or is about to execute him, be-
cause
mo man Ger felt the halter draw,
With good opinion of the law"
or even when country persecutes him.
Men are not anarchists because worse
than their fellowmen, but because they
believe country tramples on their rights.
Scratch the civilized man deep enough
and not very deep either, and We ma
tits said, the savage; and so scratch pa
triotism deep enough. and not very deep
either. and we find selfishness. SO strong
is the consciousness that patriotism and
sehshness are the same, or at least very
near akin, that We usually conJoln the
Old Flag with an appropriation. The mo-
tive of the war between the states was,
in spite of all the fine rhetoric written
about IL, at bottom selnshness, the Soutn
believing that its interests lay In separa-
tion. and the North and West believing
that their interests lay In union; hence
the edifying spectacle OF PATRIOTISM sheu-
ding the blood OF thousands OF prethleh,
and destroying millions OF property bu'
for selhshness having borrowed the Ihv
plumage of patriotism, II is douottui
whether the war would have been fought.
Paraphrasing a celebrated saying We
NAV we'll exclaim, patriotism! patriot
ism. what crimes have been committed
In thy name.
nv the way. iust as a peculiar merit
attaches TO patriotism, so peculiaI
odium attaches to treason, but the merit
and the odium spring from the same
root. seIdshness. our exaggerated IDEAS
of patriotism and treason are an lnher-
lance from ancient times when PATRIOTISM
and selhshness were necessarily sShoiio-
nous. for lack Of patriotism or treasoS
meant destruction of the city, "hlch was
F, country. II was patriotism, Tor eNtLIIc ,
| in Rome to clamor for the DESTRUCTION OK
| Carthage and patriotism was hot satls-
| fed until that great and wealthy CITY
| vas destroved. it's site sown with salt,
/ a,d tts neople slain, enslaved or scatter
ed Rut on the other hand II was pa
| triotism I'm Carthage to destroy Rome,
| which probably would have been served
! as Carthage was had Carthage been aole
! Rut I'm both cases selhshnes5 was the
| root Patriotism and treason are but
| other names of seIdshness. In 1872 dis
| union was patriotism TO New England
] i'm 1864 secession In Montgomery was VII
| est treason to the same section, and wee
/ versa as regards the South, the only or
/ ference being that selhshness occupied
! different standpoint at the dlnereht
times and in the different locahues'
/ Patriotism and treason having lost their
| old significance, treason Is now rarely
| punished. and patriotism is mostly a
| blind or stalking horse for selfish or cor
| rupt. or partisan ends, or as a ladder to
| climb into influence or notoriety, and pa
| triotism will continue 70 be cloak FOR
| selfish ends to public detriment 30 long
as we unduly honor patriotism as a spe-
/ cial virtue. Patriotism per Sc is not
, virtue: il Is oftener hideous, ruthless
crime.
| Patriotism In reason, like selflshness in
| reason. is a virtue, because II Is preserVd-
J tive OF the State just as seiishness In
| reason IS preservative of the individual,
! but patriotism needs to be guarded
! against abuse Just as carefully as sell
| nshness. So long, however, as My
| Country may she be always right. but
nv country! right or wrong" passes for
4 wi
be a potent spell to conjure with for
private or corporate advantage at public
| expense, and so long will country be In
| danger Of being plunged into iniquitous
| or disastrous war. Jingoism now mas
| querades in the guise OF patriotism, and
In the name Of patriotism demands the
/ ACQUISITION OF the Sandwich Islands,
though separated from us by thousands
] of miles. and should they be acquired
/ there is no telling 10 what lengths, or into
what dangers, that spurious patriotism,
| jingoism, will lead US.
The duty of patriotism is not therefore
| blindly to follow country, or rather lead
ers who temporarily control or pose as
country. but to consider calmly and coolly
whether country is right and If right fol-
low wherever it may lead, but
! If wrong then to oppose coun-
| try to the bitter end. Opposition
| then becomes patriotism, and advo-
/ cacy or even concurrence becomes trea-
| son. Scripture says try the spirits and
see whether they be of God. and so now IS
an appropriate time TO try patriotism and
| sec what is real and what spurious pa
! triotism. Not every one who cries Lord.
| Lord shall enter. and so not every one
who shouts patriotism is a patriot.
Richmond, Va, July II, 1897.
LII. y.