(67) 



211 



the laws of right, comes under the dominion of the 

 laws of brute force ; as said our Saviour : " Salt is good, 

 but if the salt have lost his savor, it is thenceforth good 

 for nothing but to be cast forth and trodden under foot 

 of men." 



Evil, being unsatisfying to the human heart, is in its 

 nature ever progressive, whether in the individual or the 

 nation ; and in estimating the practical results to man 

 of the actions prompted by the lower portion of our 

 nature, it is only necessary to carry out to its full devel- 

 opment each of those animal qualities which may in cer- 

 tain states of society be restrained by the social system. 

 In human history those qualities have repeatedly had 

 this development, and the battle of progress is fought 

 to decide whether they shall overthrow the system that 

 restrains them, or be overthrown by it. 



Entire obedience to the lower instincts of our nature 

 ensures destruction to the weaker, and generally to the 

 stronger also. A most marked case of this kind is seen 

 where the developed vices of civilization are introduced 

 among a savage people as, for example, the North 

 American Indians. These seem in consequence to be 

 hastening to extinction. 



But a system or a circuit of existence has been 

 allotted to the civil associations of the animal species 

 man, independently of his moral development. It may 

 be briefly stated thus : Races begin as poor offshoots or 

 emigrants from a parent stock. The law of labor de- 

 velops their powers, and increases their wealth and 

 numbers. These will be diminished by their various 

 vices ; but on the whole, in proportion as the intel- 

 lectual and economical elements prevail, wealth will in- 

 crease ; that is, they accumulate power, When this has 



