University of Santa Clara - Redwood Yearbook (Santa Clara, CA)

Page 15 text:

THE REDWOOD co-operate. This he can do only by making nse of the means prescribed him by his Almighty Master. These means are his own actions, directed and co-ordinated by the dictates of the nat- ural Law ; and, let me repeat, not only his private actions, but those especially which have any bearing on the well- being of his fellow-men. For man is, by nature, not an isolated but a social being, destined, not to live apart from, but in intimate relation with his neigh- bor. With respect to others, then, we have certain rights and also, certain ob- ligations. So also the ruler with re- spect to his subjects. Provided his au- thority has been justly obtained, he has the right to command what is for the common good, and his subjects have the obligation to obey him. Likewise, he has the obligation to remain, in his de- crees, always within the Natural Law, and, should he disregard this law, his subjects have the the right to refuse him their homage. From all this may it not be logically concluded that Avhen a government has for centuries neg- lected the welfare of a subject people ; when its pai ' liament has been but a tyrant and its legislation but the tight- ening of slavery ' s chains, the rights and the authority of that government must necessarily cease? Again, I would not waste words by outlining England ' s career in Ireland. The world knows the story. Four words would embrace it all — murder, robbery and religious intolerance. In the Book of Kings, the Sacred Historian, after relating David ' s two- fold sin in murdering Uriah and taking unto himself Uriah ' s wife, goes on to tell how the prophet Nathan, sent by God, comes into the presence of David to reprehend him for his crime. And Nathan said to him: There were two men in one city, the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceed- ing many sheep and oxen. But the poor man had nothing at all but one little ewe lamb — and it was unto him as a daughter. And when a certain stran- ger was come to the rich man, he spared to take of his own sheep and oxen, to make a feast for that stranger — but took the poor man ' s ewe, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. And David ' s anger being exceed- ingly kindled against that man, he said to Nathan : As the Lord liveth the man that hath done this is a child of death. And Nathan said to David: Thou art the man !

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THE REDWOOD as snrely as the night the day, that au- thority exercised in direct violation of the decrees of God is authority in name alone, that legislation which over- steps the limits set by the dictates of the Natural Law is utterly without ob- ligation as regards those to whom it is intended to apply. Deny this and you assert the impossible — namely that an All-Holy Being could be capable of sanctioning the forces of its own de- struction. In a word, no government which has not the seal of Divine ap- proval has either the authority or the right to legislate, nor does there exist on the part of its subjects any obliga- tion to yield obedience to its behests. But, one might well ask, how are we to recognize this Divine approval? In what ways is it made manifest? The simplest method is to ascertain whether or not a government is based upon the preponderance of might over right, or upon the free consent of the governed. If the former, its claims are, beyond the shadow of a doubt, unjustifiable. If the latter, it may, in the generality of instances, be presumed valid and clothed Avith the proper authority to de- mand obedience. It were foolish to waste words in an endeavor to demon- strate under which of these two cate- gories England, in her relations with Ireland, comes. Since the first centu- ries of invasion, Ireland has never ceased to utter, by pen and sword, her protests at the shameful subjection in which Great Britain has ever sought to maintain her. In every age have the children of the Green Isle sacrificed their very life-blood rather than sur- render their priceless birthright of lib- erty into the hands of the world ' s bul- ly. Can we then accuse Ireland ' s sons of today of acting counter to their just rights, when they struggle to break the chains which bind them in defiance of the law of God and the law of nations ? Hardly. But there is another and no less forceful argument which cannot be overlooked by anyone willing to give the cause of Ireland fair consideration. Legislation enacted in opposition to the Natural Law is not only not binding, but, if indefinitely prolonged, is suffi- cient reason for the forfeiture of a rul- ers rights, if indeed he have any such. For Natural Law is but the manifesta- tion of the Eternal Law in man ' s re- gard. It is the guiding star of man ' s actions, public or private: it is the norm by which the intrinsic malice or merit of our deeds must be guaged. It regulates not only the relations of equal with equal, but the relations of ruler with subject. What is right when judged by its standard is right in the sight of God — what is wrong when judged by its standard cannot and will not merit the approval of Heaven. This is not Scholastic Apriorism; it is the necessary and immutable truth. It must be so. God, Infinite Wisdom per- sonified, in creating man could not do so without a very fixed and definite end in view, and toward that end, man, as a rational being, must rationally

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Two Pictures DREAMED a dream of yesterday- Was it glorious or grand? — Only a blood-stained soldier lay In tKe mud of No-man ' s land. Weirdly in the inky sky, A watcKing vulture wheeled. Its prey— the brave boy left to die On the ghastly battle-jield. Another picture— Ah ! ' Tv?as fair- To my conjured vision came; I saw a hero meet to wear His country ' s badge of fame. About him surged the cheering throng, But nearer to him pressed His Mother, her heart a song For the medals on his breast. I wonder oft, throughout the day, Which played the nobler part; The victor, or the vulture ' s prey With shrapnel in his heart. MARTIN M MURPHY 10