Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-07-30
FUTURE DESTINY OF THE WORLD.

tnat tney nave no longer need of guardians
From the time of David down to our days,
Kings have been at the head of affairs-it seems
now to be the turn of the people. The short
exceptions OF the Greek, Carthagenian and Ro-
man republics do not change the general fact
Of the political state of antiquity, viz: that mon
archy was the established condition of society
all over the globe; now, all societies abandon
monarchy, or at least monarchy such as we
have hitherto known IT,
The symptoms OF the social Transformation
abound. In vain do we attempt to reconstitute
a party for the absolute government of one
man; the elementary principles Of this govern
ment are not to be found; men have changed
as well as principles Though facts sometimes
appear to oppose each other, they nevertheless
concur towards the same result, like the wheels
a machine, which, turning in opposite direc-
tons, producea common action.
SovereignS by gradually submitting to neceS-
sary liberties, by detachng themselves without
violence, and without shock from their pedestal,
might transmit to their descendants, for long
er or shorter period, their hereditary sceptre re-
duced TO proportions measured by the laws
France would have more calmly ensured her
happiness and independence by keeping child
who could not have made Of the days of July
shameful deception; but nobody understood
the event
Kings persist in keeping what they cannot re-
tain: instead of descending gently by an inclined
falling into the abyss: monarchy instead Of dy-
ing glorious DEATH full of honor and years
runs the risk of being hayed alive--a melan-
choly mausoleum at Venice contains only the
skin OF an ilGstrious general The countries
least prepared for liberal institutions such as
Spain and Portugal, are impeiied TO constitution
al movements. In these countries ideas outstrp
men. France and England, like two mighty
battering rams, shake, by theirreiterated blows
the crumbiing rampartS OF ancient society. The
boldeSt doctrines on property, equality and IL
berry are proclaimed morning and evening in
the face OF monarchS, who tremble behind
triple line Of suspected soldiers. The deluge of
democracy is gaining upon them-they ascend
from story 10 story, from the ground floor to the
roof Of their places, whence they will cast them
selves into the waves that will swallow them lp
The discovery Of printing has changed the
conditions OF society; the press, machine
which cannot now be broken, will continue to
destroy the ancient world until it has formed
new one. Printing is the creating word of all
powers; the word Ga pdroie) created the uni
verse; unhappily the word (le Terbe) in man
partakes OF human infirmity; it will mingle evil
with good, till our fallen nature shall have reco-
vered its original purity.
Thus the transformation brought on by the
age OF the world viii take place, every thing is
calculated on this plan; nothing is now possible
but the natural death of society, as at present
constituted, which must lead to its regeneration.
IT is impiety to contend with the angel of God,
to fancy we shall arrest the designs of Provi-
dence. Behold from this elevated point Of view,
the French Revolution is but small part of
the general revolution; all Impotence ceases,
all the maximS OF ancient policy become inap-
plicable. Louis Philippe has brought the demo
cratic fruit nearer by half century to its ma
turity The stratum Of civism in which Philip
psm has planted ITSELF being less exhausted by
the revolution than the military and popular
CIR rN,n E.nA trhAe Az
ton of the Government of the 7th August; but
it will soon be exhausted.
But, after all, it must go. What are three,
four, six, ten, twenty years in the career OF
peoplel The former state of society persisted
with the Christian policy from which it issued.
AT Rome the government of a man was substi-
tuted for that of the law by Cesar they passed
from the republic to the empire. The revolu-
ton now proceeds in contrary direction; the
power of the law takes the place of that of
man; we pass from royalty to republicansm.
The era OF the people has returned; it remains
to be seen how it will be filled up.
What will the new Estate OF society be can
not tell: its laws are unknown to me; do not
comprehend it any more than the ancients could
comprehend the state of society without slaves,
produced by Christianity. How will fortune be
brought to level2 how will wages be adjusted
10 ldDOIs HOW Will W COulplete
emancipation? | know not Hitherto society
has proceeded by aggregation and by families:
what aspect will it bear when it shall be merely
individual, as it is tending to become as we see
il already form itself in the United States? Pro-
badly the human race will grow greater, but it
Is to be feared that man will grow less-that
eminent genius will be lost-that Imagination,
poetry, the arts, will expire in the cells Of socie-
ty like bee hive, in which each individual will
be but bee-a wheel in the machine-an atom
in organized matter. If the Christian religion
were to be extinguishd, the world would come
through liberty TO that social petrifcation which
China has attained through slavery
Modern society has taken ten centuries N
compose itself now it is decomposing Itself
The generations of the middle ages were vipor
Gus, because they Were in the ascending nro.
gression. We are weak, because we are in the
descending progression. This waning world
will not recover its strength till it shall have
reached the lowest degree, when il will begin
to reascend to a new life. see indeed. a no
- ~lz.~- Il