The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-09-17
DOME STyC,
trOm Tie National Mteilsg.,,c,
,.,,,, . -. w '''''0''"t III eTt1l tIItt1
THE STANDARD OF INTELLECT

THE STANDARD OF INTELLECT
iii "ero called upon to graduate the human mind
should say that the brightest order of intellect ,tps
/ . Which exhibits itself N drttOn."
ar. NcDuDie'S Hamburg Speech
oi all the theories which have recently bern
advanced, for the purpose of sustaining the mil
tdry claims Of Gen Jackson to the Chief Mar.
| naCv of the Unon there is none more boI5
navel, or dangerous, than the graduation of The
human mind proposed by Mr.. McDuire al
were called upon Is US he) TO graduate the
human mind, | should say that the bripli,s,
order OF human Intellec; is that which eA libi,s
= itself IN action ; the next, that which exhibited
. Itself in Dabiic speaking and the next, and
the iOUed of the three, that which exhibit, IT,
-" sell in icr't,4 x"
In proposing this STANDARD by which the rels
tive qualifications of all rival candidates NAV. in
inture ne determined, DIR DcDuflie appears
To have been aware that h. was running a al,
against the p.sirant of preceding ages, the
common conseUl oi mankind and especiaIly A.
galnsi the opinions and practice of the Amer.
eau People for, II nshciing it into existence
tie obsers's that, " aaert is no country in mdith
IN erroneous s'dpdardis so generally adopted
" for estimating the character and qualification
Of pu5i,c men ~ our own; =" noe are i.nirsr-
'mlig IN The hhbt Of supposing that a nan has
'fnteHfs for g0uerh1hg IN proportion 10 ms iat
" EMS J0Tpu6Hc speaking or Written compose
" tt0H." But this, II seems, is a deiuSion. The
rishtest order Of intellect has not been exhibit
ed in writing or speaking but in action: and
therefore, writers and orators must not, in ia.
lure, be selected for offices requiring eminent a.
blllty the maxim OF Plato is not true that lea.
! State Is the happIest whose philosophers were
httgs and whose Kings were philo Sophers"
| HE world has been mistaken in assigning the
] fri Of,
pearc, Locke, Bacon aud Arisiote-who only
eXnibned then talents in written ,onpositiom
or To Demosihcnes Cicero, Burke. & Chatham.
because the vgor OF their minds was displaypd in
! public speaking, Tie pretcnsions Of a Jefferson
| = n. Madison, Otis, and Franklin, were sill
NJ prer"eierons, for, until placed in author.
| ~ tn wc'n only known writer's or public
-peakcrs ti"ncetorth. action is 10 be the test Of
intrliafa aud, consgning these names to oh.
! srar.iy and their works 10 oblivion, the youth
of our country must hereafter be taught thai they
may omit thcir collegiate pursuits. throw away
ihe,I musiy Volumes or resign them to the IN
| fsrior order Of writers and orators. discipline
| theIr minds without study, improve their facnl-
ties without labor, acquire knowledge by intu
ton abandon the hfatrn path to fame, and as,
sert their claims 10 intellectual superiority by
boldly advcnturng on the great theatre of ac.
! ton.
But, before we abandon prejudices which
seem 10 have sprung from the dawn Of ciylIilzs.
ton and revert 10 maxims of the savage state
! N which the chief was chosen for the yieor of
his arm, and his proves in battle, may il not be
well TO inquire what are the species of action
which are alone 10 exhibit this infallible stand
ard of intellectual superiority
u there be any obscuritv in Mr.. McDuffe's
meaning, IT has originated from the use of
general term 10 express an idea intended TO he
more limited, Speaking and writing, being ou-
! ~ notifications of action. il would seem, at first
view, that the distinction attempted 10 be drawn,
is merely verbal and that the effort OF the ora.
/ tor. by which the proceedings of a Senate are
determined, is as much his action, as the COM
mand OF a General which results in victory. II
! Is obvious, however that this term has been in
tended to express something different flom Ell
Their writing orSpeaking, and to apply TO one
who Is neither an orator nor writer.
Is II thcnthe actions of farmer, mechanic,
or merchant, TO which Mr.. McDuffie refers
However honorable aud useful they cannot be
considered as exhibiting more intellect than the
actions ct those who are engaged in many o.
ther pursuits, aud know not that General
Jaclson mas been dist nguished by his attain
ments IN any OF these professions. Is II the ac'
and hospitals of Europe for the purpose of dimIn-
Iishlng the sum of human mser, Certainly
not. even i'll the opinion of Mr.. McDufie for
IN whatever estimation Howard might have
been held for his services in the cause of hut
manliy, no Engiishman would have thought that
the benevolent Sheriff OF Bedford possessed the
qualifications requisite for Prime Minister, the
actual Executive of Great Britain and don NJ
less, tine Hero Of MIR. NcDufie is not me
Howard OF America. Is it the action OF Act
blades, the great qropetype ofambitous dfna'
sugueS, who was az times All Athenian, Spartan,
lhessalian. and Persian who was ready o.
the call of interest 10 abandon a friend )r serve
an enemy; to desert or support opinions when
ne had before deliberately avowed TO fight Tor
or against his country with equal indifference
whose love of distinction imprlled him. at one
time, o cut of the tail of his dog in order TO hs
upon HIMSELF the attention of the multitude, anu
At another to involve his country in a Wal
winch proved iatal To her existence. whose ~
consistency OF conduct was only equalIed by hl'
| contempt for human slaughter and whose NIL
| nary talents were so great as to give success u
The cause IN which caprice might incline, or tor
tune compel him 10 engage? Surely h, ac'
IONS, however dazzling, are not to be held u!