The Republican journal., 1899-04-20

stances, fallen into disrepute. In speak
ing of the population in feudal times, the
serfs were not considered The proprie-
tors developed the idea of duty, fidelity
and loyalty toward each other, but only
consulted their own wishes in dealing
with the serfs. There were attempts to
| organize the feudal system. tribunal
had to be organized for every trial, an
| army formed for every war, revenue
raised every time money was needed.
Army taxes and tribunals were special, not
permanent. The possessor of fef was
sovereign within his domain. When his
sovereign called him to attend parliament
he met there men invested with authority
| like himself. If he was dissatisfied with
the decisions of parliament he called on
his neighbors to aid him in resistance.
Hence force was the usual guar antee of
rights under the feudal system.
The federative system, which leaves
local government in the hands of local au-
thorities and takes to the general govern
ment only so much as is necessary to gen
eral society, requires greater maturity of
reason, morality and civilization than ex-
listed at that time. Feudalism failed in
its attempt to organize federative sys-
tenn of government, but it developed some
individual characters and some elevated
| Ideas The resistance practiced was per-
sonal, not legal. Legal resistance acts
under the direction of public reason.
The glory of civilization is to render the
principle of personal resistance useless.
This principle had been banished from the
Roman community but was re-ipstalled
again by feudalism.
The first sparks of modern poetry and
literature originated in baronial halls
Some writers have attempted to represent
feudalism as the golden age, but they fail
ed to consider its opposition to general
order or liberty.
There are those who can not speak the
word Journalism without feeling of dis
gust. They see only the misery inflicted
upon the great mass of society but fail TO
see the individual characters which are
being developed capable of organizing a
better state of society. The individual
prevailed in German society and any sys
TEN of Germanic origin would naturally
advance the individual. We shall find
other elements of society true to their orig
inal principles. The elements of civiliza-
ton have been enumerated as the munich
pal system, mere shadow descended
from the Roman Empire, the feudal sys-
TEN, chaos from barbarism. monarchy a
mere name, and the church, which
alone possessed vigor. The church as an
organized and independent society formed
the connecting link between the people
and their rulers.
Religion embraces not only the relation
Of man to God but the relation of
man to man. Though morality may be
claimed to exist independent of religion it
points ont to us the sphere of religion
from which it was borrowed.
Government is the natural outgrow Ii of
society whether religious or civil. Lead
ers will be sought among the most skill
fui. The function of government is to
discover truth or what is best tor the peo-
pie, place it before them and convince
them Of its value. The strongest govern
ment acts by the moral sentiment of the
people and not by force. Religious gov
eminent does not differ essentially in its
principles from civil government The
word caste is sometimes falsely applied to
the Christian clergy In ancient nations
castles were hereditary. While privileged
classes tyrannzed over the. world, the
church alone admitted all upon equal
terms. Castles are always immobile while
the church is always driven forward by
an impulse. The constant progress was
doubtless due to Placing all positions
within the reach of the most worthy.
The church was the popular and the most
accessi ole society OF the tunes: with all
lts Sood qualltles at least two detrimental
pfhcipies crePl INTO the church. The
rights OF reason have been denied but
we RUE couio not De enforced any more
'hah the pllnclple OF democracy could be
eIlhlha'eo from society. lhough man
never accepted precept unless approved
| os ms reason mat very GUARDIAN OF the
/
human sou mas been impaired ana dwarf
ed through lhdNentlon.
Ahothef pad pllhclple, winch was al
ways GisPuteo oy many good men, was
the rgbt OF prosecuting heresy or inter
tellInS WIN the IlbeIty OF human
ih"u%hi' here as elsewhere 1t should
nov pe supposed that oad principle viii
a'es an institution. There is III ali things
profound mixture OF good and eUl
struggling WIN each other, never con
qnefnS, never conquered. human ma
tue never reaches TO the extreme OF
9ooo OF eYli. Ihough there was an at
Tempt IN Tie chuIcu to suppress reason
aha personal liberty, they have mere won
Their brightest iaurels
In consequence of the fall of Rome and
the invasion of the barbafians, the church
asserted its independence of temporal
power. From its arguments against the