Year: 1862




1t seems well enough, at time when so
much is said about liberty and human
rights to occupy the Educational Column
for once with some inquiries concerning the
origin and extent of this liberty and these
rights. We are i'll the midst of an epoch
tul, OF human interest, and pregnant with
results that will advance our country to
Ioftier career, more wholesome prosperity,
a larger liberty, and diviner destiny than
the world has ever seen or dreamed Of
except the large hearted, prophetic souls
that believe IN the constant working OF a
moral purpose throughout all the agitations
OF society and the petty aims which engroSs
the thought Of the majority of mankind !;
or will blot out our nation from the list of
leading powers, and LEAVE US to be only a
hyword for all time to come.


So it concerns us to understand what lib
crty is, and what constitutes the basis of
our rights.


1t is sometimes loosely claimed that cy-
erything God has made was designed TO be
free, and that the fact Of our being created
by Him is the foundation of our right to
equal freedom with other men. But this
is altogether too generous; horse is crea-
ted 10y divine power, as much as man,
and on this hypothesis, is entitled to equal
freedom. The absurdity of the statement
is obvious; for no one considers it any in
justice to the horse, to make him the serv-
ant of man, if he be treated kindly That
seems to be the object of his creation, to
find his enjoyment in lending his strong,
feet limbs to the service of kind master
The same is true, to greater or less ex-
tent, of all animals the common voice of
humanity pronounces them servants of man
kind-as for food, clothing, labor, amuse-
ment or mere adornment.


Not so in regard to man. Though al
most every race has in its turn been SUBJ
ject to servitude, though millions are held
in unrequited service to-day, the almost
unanimous voice of humanity protests
against it, as repulsive to human conscience,
as odious in the sight of Heaven. To be
sure, there are apoloSists and even strenu-
GUS advocates of the practice, but history
proves that it is opposed to the humane and
generous sentiments, as well as the moral
convictions, of our nature.


This general voice against the practice
Of depriving any innocent persons of equal
rights with others, cannot be the result
of caprice or of accident; it testifes to some
thing in human nature that requires free
dom for its proper growth and enjoyment,
to something in each over which no other
has rightful control. And this is the basis
of all rights, the title to freedom; it is hu-
man nature itself,-the powers, thoughts,
hopes, afections-or that interior essence
which urges those powers, developes those
thoughts, cherishes those hopes, and kin
dies those affections-whioh distinguish
men from brutes. BY common consent,
these and similar characteristics are the
stamp of humanity. He who possesses
them is, by virtue Of such possession, man,
and entitled to all those rights and immu-
mites which belong to men. Even though
he possess these distinctive elements of hu-
man nature in smaller measure or less
developed degree than the average of men,
he does not thereby forfeit his claim to be
regarded and treated as man; only crime
can work rightful forfeiture of this claim
and of that liberty which common conscience
pronounces the birthright of all. Any vi
olation of another's rights ON the ground
of assumed OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of intel
lect, or character, or of person merely, is
an outrage against the essential rights OF
humanity; and be who commits such vlols-