ery form of slavery. I hate dictation. I love liberty.

What do I mean by liberty? By physical liberty I mean the right to do
anything which does not interfere with the happiness of another. By
intellectual liberty I mean the right to think right and the right to
think wrong. Thought is the means by which we endeavor to arrive at
truth. If we know the truth already, we need not think. All that can
be required is honesty of purpose. You ask my opinion about anything;
I examine it honestly, and when my mind is made up, what should I tell
you? Should I tell you my real thought? What should I do? There is a
book put in my hands. I am told this is the Koran; it was written by
inspiration. I read it, and when I get through, suppose that I think in
my heart and in my brain, that it is utterly untrue, and you then ask
me, what do you think? Now, admitting that I live in Turkey, and have
no chance to get any office unless I am on the side of the Koran, what
should I say? Should I make a clean breast and say, that upon my honor
I do not believe it? What would you think then of my fellow-citizens if
they said: "That man is dangerous, he is dishonest."

Suppose I read the book called the bible, and when I get through I make
up my mind that it was written by men. A minister asks me, "Did you read
the bible?" I answer that I did. "Do you think it divinely inspired?"
What should I reply? Should I say to myself, "If I deny the inspiration
of the scriptures, the people will never clothe me with power." What
ought I to answer? Ought I not to say like a man: "I have read it; I do
not believe it." Should I not give the real transcript of my mind? Or
should I turn hypocrite and pretend what I do not feel, and hate myself
forever after for being a cringing coward. For my part I would rather
a man would tell me what he honestly thinks. I would rather he
would preserve his manhood. I had a thousand times rather be a manly
unbeliever than an unmanly believer. And if there is a judgment day,
a time when all will stand before some supreme being, I believe I will
stand higher, and stand a better chance of getting my case decided in my
favor, than any man sneaking through life pretending to believe what he
does not.

I have made up my mind to say my say. I

I shall do it kindly, distinctly; but I am going to do it. I know there
are thousands of men who substantially agree with me, but who are not
in a condition to express their thoughts. They ar