The Arkansas advocate., 1830-05-05

oted cabinets of Europe.
 One of the first and most glorious tri-
 umphs achieved by public opinion, was
 the overthrow of the society of Jesus, a s6eicty called into existence by the ttllle ref
 ormation, and formed for the express
 purpose et crushing the growth Of ssera=
 erous principles, and restraining the exs efcise Of the human intellect. If untir- lngzeal and disintereSted devotion to the
 cause of the society, if unshrinlzing per severance and daring enterprise could
 have sustained an institution in spite of popular opinion, the Jesuits had all these to support them. Their principles were lpropagated in every Christian country, aud their missionaries led the van of civ ilizatien in India, Ethiopia, and Brazil.
 All the inducements of the confessional and all the terrors oftheinquisition were employed to compass their purposes.
 Then precepts accompanied the first les sons instilled into the mind of childhood.
 As the faculties were expanded, every passion, every prejudice were enlisted in the cause of error; to the avaricious was offered the prospect of unbounded wealth, to the yoiuptuary represented all the seducements of pleasure, and the liberty efenjoying themwithoutviolence to the conscience or danger to the soul; to the ambitious and the generous was offered the full gratifcaton of theirlofti- est aspirations; honor, fame, power, rank were spread before them, provided they would but bend themselves to the degra- dation of ofhumannature. Theysurround- ed the death-bed, dispensing anticipa- lions of happiness, though the hands of the dying man were reezing with the gore of the innocent, for all means were lawful, provided they were prudent.- Buteven with such opportunities for con- trolling te mind, they tiieJ failed iIl destroy ing itsindependence. They had toyield. in one country after another the edict went forth for their suppression, till by amissive from the papal chair itself, was eonsummated thetriumph of publicopin- ion. Great must have been the revolu ton of ideas to produce such effects; Catholic princes compelled to relinquish their dearest prejudiees, and lay their ban on the most efficient instrument of Catholic usurpation.
 Another conspicuous lineament in the character of this eventful period was pro- duced by the transition of intellectual culture from the few to the many, equal Izing without leveliing the distinctions of birth and station. The society of the learned was not only tolerated, 1t was assiduousb cultiyatedby the great; ;leay- ing the laborious jntricacies of diploma cy, statesmen thought 1t not beneath them to become authors, and even mon archs deigncd al times to lay aside the sceptre for the pen. Government was studied and liberahzed; theories were formed in every department of politics, and new science sprang up, treating of the wealth and power Of nations. The axe was laid to the root of all institutions, to the modes of thinking and the period was evidently at hand when the people would rise to hew them down and cast them into the fire. Besides these gen- eral changes, there were in many of the individual states ample manifestations of the approach of deep political re- generation. In Portugal was seen an unavailing attempt to force upon the people system of reform in opposition to its wishes, though for it's own benefit. But the talents of a Pon1bal, with the most unlimited authority ever enjoyed by a minister in Europe, the power that was able to crush the Jesuits and disa- ble the opposition of an inveterate nobil- ity, were unable to carry into healthy operation one lasting improvement in agriculture, commerce, finances, the ar my, or the Government. The opinions, the usages of fthe nation were unyieiding; though death was the penalty of one look of dissent, of one word of disobedience, the clamor of discontent was not stilled; though at the command of the minister the vineyards ceased to be purple with the grape, yet the vallies yielded not their increase nor did the hills grow yellow with the golden corn.
 For Spain likewise, this was the event falperiea. The everlasting hlllsformed no barrierto the onward march of liberal principles. The sacred fire, without dImlnution of it's intenseness, was null tplied and spread, till in every valley and on every hill in the most bigoted country of Europe, many peasant bo-