THE RIGHTS OF THE CITIZEN. 
IV.—TO HIS OWN EEPUTATION. 
By E. L. Godkin. 
HE first condition of sary result of the working of the social 
all permanent associa- instinct. Whether this view, or the oj^- 
tions of men, however posing one that morals are the creation 
primitive, is that each of the Divine will, be the correct one, 
member should, in a makes little dilference for my present 
greater or less degree, purpose. W^hat is certain is that the 
enjoy the confidence need of mutual help, on which gregarious 
and good opinion of existence depends, created the very first 
his fellows. No social organization, form of individual property, the earliest 
however rudimentary, could hold to- of individual belongings, in the shape 
gether for any great length of time of social repute. No matter how far we 
unless the majority of those compos- go back in the earlier forms of society, 
ing it were satisfied that they had in even in those in which individual own- 
common certain ideas about the things ership of material things can hardly 
which most concerned the safety and be said to exist, in which lands are held 
weKare of the community. This com- for the common tribal benefit, and even 
mon stock of ideas need not be, and, game is turned into the common tribal 
as a general rule, has not been, what stock, we find that there is always one 
civilized men call morality. Civilized thing which is each man’s peculium, 
notions of right and wrong may have which, though of no use to anyone else, 
but little, if any, place in it. But it is to him the most valuable thing on 
always imposes certain obligations in eartli, namely, the estimation in which 
the matter of fidehty to custom, and of he is held by the other men of the tribe 
mutual help and succor in times of dan- with regard to the principal social vir- 
ger, necessity, and tribulation, the non- tue. 
fulfilment of which calls forth some I say “the principal social virtue,” 
sort of social j)enalty. In aU pursuits because every community, civilized or 
of tribal life, whether the particular uncivilized, arranges social virtues on a 
undertaking be war, or hunting, or ma- scale of its own. At the top of the list 
rauding, or merrymaking, or marrying, it places the virtue which it considers 
the savage is expected to behave in the most important to its own existence 
manner prescribed by the customs and and prosperity. In barbarous or mili- 
traditions of the community, so that his tary communities physical courage nat- 
fellows may depend on him. No man urally occupies this place. The highest 
in the tribe can keep his social place honors are reserved for the successful 
unless the other members are able to fighting man, and the deepest scorn 
foresee how he will act under any given heaped on the man who shrinks from 
set of circumstances. This is the neces- fighting. Courage was, in truth, the 
sary basis of all gregarious existence, only foundation for respectability all 
even that of animals. Buffaloes or wild over Eui’ope in the Middle Ages, except 
horses could not live in herds, or wolves in the commercial Eepublics, where it 
hunt in packs, or wild geese fly in flocks, was supplemented, if not supplanted, by 
without some sort of general under- financial probity. To-day it has sunk 
standing or agreement as to gregarious into a very secondary position in all. 
conduct, violation of which would en- commercial communities, and has been 
tail death, or expulsion, or desertion. almost lost sight of in others, as is 
Darwin and Spencer think that out of shown by the disappearance of the duel, 
this gregarious sympathy and co-opera- In the former, in order to be respected 
tion grew civilized morality, as a neces- by his neighbors, a man must, as a gen- 
