Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: but partially possessed and fiercely strove for by others, is here the immunity of all. Whilst, in divers regions, the will of one, or the tyranny of a few, holds in slavish subjection the prostrate multitude ; whilst there the people are degraded to a populace, and the populace sunk to the character and condition of a mob ; whilst the great mass of mankind are counted as scarce endued with the attributes of humanity, or but just supplied with so much intelligence as to render them mechanically more serviceable to their proud oppressors,—are treated as drudges and tools born to contribute to the convenience or pleasure, the luxury, dignity and pomp of the haughty ones who trample them down ; —here the poorest citizen is recognised in his just relations. He stands up every inch a man. He is placed on an equality of footing, in personal rights, with the most prosperous and opulent. Station can give no prerogative to crush, or to browbeat. The poor man's hut is his castle,—more strongly guarded from spoil or aggression, than feudal fortress in the iron age of Gothic barbarism. The avenues of preferment, the seats of power, the halls of legislation, civic honors, official distinctions, are open to the meritorious of every class. Useful arts, gainful traffic, the rewards of industry invite the competition of all; and every man, pursuing the business of an honest calling, may " sit under his own vine and fig tree, having none to molest or to make him afraid." But Liberty, sound Liberty, is not licentiousness. The broadest charter of freedom can never give exemption from all restraints. A man, whether high or low, rich or poor, is not privileged to do that which is alone right in his own eyes,—to pursue selfish and sinister aims, where they interfere with the just claims or the absolu...