by bribery, by "stuffing the ballot box," " colonizing," or other means; When it forgets patriotism in its own interest, merging the great system of American ideas in the fleeting questions of the hour, or in the interests of particular men. E. That the safest, most permanent and most useful line of party division, is that between conservatives and progressives. F. That no good citizen should hesitate to leave any party, which, being guilty of these errors or excesses, endangers the peace and permanence of the American nation. When all parties are thus alike tainted, then the dissolution of our Government becomes only a question of time. NOTES. For an able and exhaustive discussion of the subject of this Lesson, see Lieber's Political Ethics, Vol. II, 412. E. What is the safest, most permanent and useful line of party demarkation? F. When should good citizens leave a party? What will happen when all political parties become demoralized? PART II. LEGAL IDEAS. 1. On turning back to the "Classification of American Ideas," you will see that we have hitherto treated exclusively of "POLITICAL IDEAS, which are the principles regulating the action of the people in forming and maintaining the Government in such shape that it is strong enough to punish criminals and protect its citizens in the enjoyment of all their rights, and yet powerless to do any harm to its own law-abiding people." 2. We come now to the discussion of those LEGAL IDEAS which underlie the laws through which the Government deals with accused persons and criminals, and regulates the rights of property and personal relations between man and man. 3. In Lesson II, 14, (of Law) we saw that American Laws are divided into Criminal, Civil, Maritime, Military, and Revenue Laws, and the Law of Nations. Were we to undertake to give a clear idea of all those departments of law, not only would such discussion greatly exceed the limits of this work, and be above the comprehension of young minds, but it would embrace a field occupied in common by all systems of laws. For all civilized nations have laws regulating the arrest and punishment of criminals, personal rights, property, armies, taxes, shipping, and foreign relations; and so vast is the scope of these laws that very few even of professional lawyers are found to be expert in those of any country save their own. We have heretofore, in Lessons 20 and 22, explained the distinctive American idea which subordinates the military to the civil power. In Lessons 5 and 9, we have shown that in America there is no taxation without representation, and that all officers employed in collecting the revenue are responsible to the people. And in Lesson 22, we have shown something of the American mode of dealing with foreign nations. We have now no more to say on the subjects of Military or Revenue law, or the Law of Nations. And on the topics of Criminal and Civil Law, we propose only to touch upon those fundamental ideas, peculiar to our system, which are of vital importance to personal liberty and happiness; as expressed in our Constitutions and Statutes, and easy of comprehension to every reader. LESSON XXVI. OF CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS. 1. What is the division line between criminal and civil law? The same that distinguishes public from private wrongs. "Private wrongs, or civil injuries, are an infringement or privation of the civil rights which belong to individuals, considered merely as individuals; public wrongs, or crimes and misdemeanors, are a 1. What is the distinction between criminal and civil law? Define private wrongs? Define public wrongs? Give an instance of a private wrong? Of a public wrong? (The teacher can here exercise his pupils by requiring them to give a variety of cases of each, so as to attain a clear idea of the fundamental division of law.) |