University of Virginia Library

Victim Of Conscience

Yet another blind spot: in a
relativist age, we cannot know truly
if we are right and even then, when
we are - or even what right is or
ought to be. Democratic majorities,
moreover, do not claim to be
"right"; they are - as Thoreau said
they were not - expedients that are
both practical and in some tune
with the ethical ideal of equality,
and they express not so much
"right" or "wrong" or "good" or
"bad" but sentiment and interest of
the greater number.

For Thoreau himself was a
victim of other men who followed
their "conscience," who were sure
they were "right," Would Thoreau
like to be governed by the
conscience, by the conceptions of
"right" of George Wallace, Strom
Thurmond, or even Harry Byrd -
let alone the Rev. Carl McIntyre or
Robert Welch?