Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-03-02
EBATE THE SENATE.
xR EMRINs, SPEECH.

MIR. ROBBINS SPEECH.
february ls, 1857, on The joint resolution re-
ported by the Library Committee 10 purchase
the eopg.rigM of MApIsoS's manuscript
tporks, described in said resolution.
! | consider this work of Mr. Madison, Bow
proposed to be given to the world under the
patronage of this Government, as the most
valuable 10 mankind that has appeared since
the days when Bacon gave TO the world hls
.Norun, Organon. That produced the rcvo-
luton in anaiytic., which has produced The
immense superiority of the moderns over the
ancents in the knowledge Of Nature, and IN
the improvement of the condition OF human
life-the fruit Of that knowledge. With Ba-
con it was mere theory; theory, however,
which he fondly cherished, and confidently
believed would be prolific, as 1t has beeh' OF
the most magnificent results; but IN the hanus
of Newton, and of his other disciples anu fol-
lowers, 1t became practical guide to those
astonishing discoveries, which, IN their conse-
quences, have, among other things, converted
those elements Of Nature before supposed to
be only to be controlled by the same Almlgh-
ty hand which formed them, into the ministers
and agents OF man, obedient to his VIII, and
subseivient to his use. 1t has enabled man
inspect her mechansn and 10 avail himself
Of her principles for the augmentation OF his
own power 1t has given him power alter
power; and is still gong on to give him pow
er upon power, as his researches 20 OH III ex-
ploring her bouDdless fields, and in making
discovery upon discovery; and to this grow
! ing increase OF human power, no human be-
ing can now assign the possible limits. True,
it has not enabled man, as it was tabled OF
him by the Poets Of old, to steal the fire from
the heavens; but ii has enabled him to DO
more and better-it has enabled hm to be-
come an humble pupil in the school OF the
Divine Artist; and, by studying his models,
to copy his agencies, though at the mneasur-
able distance which separates finite from
the Infinite Being.
/ AS this Organon of Bacon has been the
beacon-light TO man to guide him to the true
philosophy, aud to the Improvement OF MS
| physical condition, SO will this work OF Madl-
son, as | trust and predict, be his beacon
| light to guide him TO the true science OF free
government and to the Improvement OF his
political condition. The science Of free 60
vernment; the most difficult of all the sciences,
by far the most difficult, while it is the most
important to mankind; of all the slowest in
growth, the latest III maturity. Not the sci
ence which has penetrated the causes and
explained to mankind the phenomena of the
heavens is SO difficult; that has been found
of easier and more rapid attainment. Indeed,
the difficulties to be overcome in evolving
this science are so great, that we are to won
der less at its tardy advances, than at It's linal
SUCCESS. In the first place, it requires the
deepest and most perfect insight into the ma
ture of man: of man not only in his general
nature, but as modified by society; which
every where has superinduced and clothed
him with second nature denominated habit;
and that as diversified as the countries he III
habits. Then it requires that faculty of COM
prehensve combination, which is the rarest
of all the gifts Of God to man, and which,
whenever and wherever it appears, seems
destined to produce an era in human affairs;
faculty Of combining into a whole, where
the elements to be combined are so various,
as to be almost infinite; u whole perfect in re-
lation TO all its parts, and its parts perfect in
relation to the whole Besides, the periec,
model of the free Government is not like the
perfect model OF any science. OF every 9th
er science, the perfect model any where Is,
the perfect model every where, and every
where alike perfect. The perfect watch at
Washington,ior instanee,is the perfect watch
at Canton. and 80 all over the globe; but not
so the perfect model of the free Governments:
IN that, though the principles are the same
every where, the form varies as the clrcum-
stances vary, OF the people by whom 1t Is es-
tabllshed; to which circumstances 1t must al
ways be adjusted and made to conform.
Here, with US, the difficulties to be over
come in this achievement, from the nature OF!
the elements to be combined, were stupen-
dousIy great In looking back to those diff
cuties, that they were overcome ct all,appears
TO ne now little less than prodigy; and 1t
still fills me with astonishmeDt For here a
combination was required that would produce
structure, perfectly anomalous in the hlsto-
ry of human Governments; and such struc-
ture was produced, and as perfect as it was
novel. Here was People spread and spread
ing over u vast terrltoIy-stretching and to
stretch almost from the rising to the setting
,slIn-ths scattered and countless multitude
was to be ruled in freedom as one People,
and by the popular wil-that will TO be un-
controlled in itself, and controlling every
thing. Such an achievement, the most en-
lightehed friends of freedom and human
rights, in all countries, and in all nges, had
deemed TO be morally and physically impos-
sibe. Besides, here were thirteen States,
aud oil the other States to be formed out of
that vast territory, without being destroyed
as States, to be so combined as 10 form, IN I
the general aspect, but one simple Govern
ment; with all the unity and energy OF one
simple Governments powerful alike to assert
and maintain all their rights as nation, a.
gainst all other nations; and the rights of eve-
ry individual, all over this boundless domain,
against every aggressor; that is, n Govern
ment equally fitted and efficient for all the
purposes of peace and war. Such an achieve
ment, often before, and under much more ia
vorable circumstances, because upon much
more limited scale, had been attempted, but
never before accomplished; as is but too well