Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-02-09
CITIZENSHIP AND LAW.
Topical Program for February.

Theme-CltlZenShlp ana Law. No
true civilization can be expected per-
msnently to continue which is not
based upon the principles of Chris
tianity.
Discussion-My Citizenship: What
Does it Mean to My Country? Study
of Federal and State laws and local
ordinances concerning qualifications
for citizenship, conduct of elections,
etc. Questions and answers on civics
for women. Reading, "Lincoln's Po-
litical Religion"
Slogan-"Righteousness Exalteth
Nation"
The law is the standard and the
guardian of our liberty; it circum-
scribes and defends it; but to imagine
liberty without law, is to imagine
every man with sword in his hand
to destroy him who is weaker than
himself; and that would be no pleas
ant prospect to those who cry out
most for liberty.-Clarendon.
In all governments there must of
necessity be both the law and the
sword; laws without arms would give
us not liberty but licentiousness; and
arms without laws would produce
not subjection but slavery. The law,
therefore, should be unto the sword
what the handle is to the hatchet;
it should direct the stroke and tenn
per the force.-Colton.
To make an empire durable, the
magistrate must obey the laws, and
the people the magistrates.-Solon.
With us, law is nothing unless
close beside it stands warm, living
public opinion. Let that die or grow
Indifferent, and statutes are waste
paper, lacking all executive force
Wendell Phillips.
Laws are the very bulwarks of lib
erty; they define every mans rights,
and defend the individual liberties
of all men.-J. G. Holland.
Where law ends tyranny begins
William Pitt.
Unless one expects to live Cru
soc and dwell remote from his kind,
he must consent to some form of gov
ernment and submit to some code of
laws or regulations both for the
sake of his own safety and the promo
tion of the common good. The more
complex and involved does civiliza-
tion become, the less may one boast
of a personal liberty.
In democracy there is no person
al liberty only as ones own desires
and preferences are brought into
harmony with the popular will, and
self-will surrendered in order to Sc
sure the greater good to the larger
number. Alone in some unpopulated
domain one might say, "today shall
I do thus and So" Surrounded by
others endowed with equal unalien-
able rights as himself, one must or.
der his day with decent respect for
the rights of these others and compel
himself to conform to the rules and
regulations of the unit in which he
dWells.
Law is rule of action established
by authority and in a democracy ex-
presses the concrete sentiment of
majority Of the people. Especially is
this the case when law is enacted in
response to a direct demand of the
people signifed by ballot either in
the election of legislatures pledged
to the enactmentof certain measures,
or by the direct vote of the people for
the measure itself as exemplified in
the initiative. Law, therefore, is pri-
marily the protector of all the peo-
pie and must be supreme. Without
law the theory of individual liberty
prevails and anarchy rules. Even
imperfectly administered as it some-
times is, the supremacy of properly
constituted authority is infinitely to
be preferred to the rule of individual
passion and will.
In return for the protection afford
ed him by the laws under which he
lives the citizen assumes certain OBJ
legations, duties and responsibilities.
1t is within the province of the citi-
zen through the prescribed forms to
enact, amend, execute, or repeal
laws, ordinances or regulations ex-