Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-04-02

not be unacceptable.
1t is, in form, Review of work on the Grand
Philosophy of Society," by Frauz Xavier Baader,
Alderman professor at Munich who has travelled
in England and distinguished himself through
out Europe ty several works upon Philosophi.
cal SUBJECTS many of which have been published
under the title OF Contributions 10 Dynamic, as
opposed 10 Mechanical Philosophy' lie is high,
ly praised by the reviewer for the remarkable
strength and consistency Of thought whercwith
he has developed the laws and actions of organ
ic. structure, and for the penetrating and gen.
erazing observation Oh which his style of ar
gument is founded.
The writer of the review begins by deploring
the extent to which men and states are govern
ed, nowadays, by physical morality instead of
spiritual faith 'l'hese IDEAS, he says, which
though not talked about, were known and felt
in other days. as the very powers ofspirtual life
are now but little felt and only spoken Of as the
contrares to real things. The many seek no
center but self, endlessly divided against itself;
and each new apostle Of revolution commences
his mission on the modest supposition of his own
absolute autonomy The falsty and dangerous
tendency of this belief are well set forth, and
great, though little Understood and lightly es-
teemed truth is expressed in the following sem
tencc: "let the idea Of achat IRE ,eam penetrate
our rulers and our people, and it will be SELF
fulfHing prophecy Of mhat zee shall hare"
To master the idea of organic unity and ac-
tvity, he contends, is the only way TO the secret
of social strength and stability: and in order to
doths, the principles of the Bible must not only
be assented to and believed, but must be lived
and acted-they must come forth in self-devel-
opement. as the results oftheir own proper sci
ence.' The sum OF his opinions with reference
to society and government, is well expressed iu
the following sentence. At is not by wealth, tho
it accumulate into mountains, nor by armies, nor
by adamantIne fortresses, nor by surrounding
ocean that state consists but by the unitye
strength OF religious thought: and, say the advo-
cate of vague sentiment what they will. it is only
by communion of thought that fellowship Of
feeling, which is the lite-blood of constitution
is produced. We need hierarchy of thought
full and religious minds reverenced by all, be-
cause they rerere and crpiore that truth, which is
IN all and ADORE dlL'
The writer contends strenuously against the
substitution, for this indweling law, OF any bond
from without no matter whether it assume the
form Of monarchy or democracy. Those who
overlook the unitvc religious principle, in state
are mere political mechanics, giving at best only
an aggregation of compulsve forces, without
concentration or living energy. The prirato
interest OF each individual for his guide, too, with
the attending conviction that there can be no
absolute duty of one toward another, society is to
be made merely the battle field Of contendng
interests and it IS only by the thraldom Of a
portion of the society that it can exist
But find it impossible, within any reason
able limits to give any thing like an adequate
sketch of this mastery article. Someting of It's
spirit and tendency may be gathered from what
have already sad. 1t contains some sharp
! hits at the 'reformers, of the present dav, who
never see beyond the rudest notions of lnechan-
cal, workshop Constitutional manufactured
1T is a perous fooery,' he SAYS, of the present
day, that leads our political quacks to imagine
that they can contract or destroy societies at
| pleasure by insane theories That man-calf
Owen, jeremiah Benthan's largon, and Elmer :
son,who carcatures German metaphysics for tho
looser sort of American Un,arians, are all treat
ed with more severity than pollteness.
1t is on the whole one of tie ablest, most
philosophical articles that have seen fora long
time, in the pages Of magazine and 10 lesson
could be more needed at the present time, when
IDEAS have apparently lost their power and tho
laws ofmechanics govern our states and consti-
tutions carpenters, than the one WHICH ii teach
es. And yet it has not been read, | am quite
sure, by half dozen of the prominent politicians
or society ulders in this city. ! have myself,
spoken OF and shown ii to several: but they can
see nothing good III lt-because, as they are
pleased TO observe, they think it not practical
enough, They say this, however, and close the
book, as finishing the first page. When Will
it be felt that the l.'c Of grarity is as practical
thing a. the blow OF the axe--to which il cives
all It's force!
The Proclamation Of President Harrison ha y
been issued. calling upon Congress 10 assemble
on the 2ls day OF May noNt-and thus is des-
troyed one Of the many subjects of speculation
and vague conjecture, for tie uews-mongers Of
lIIc 'iclNloI.S' llc ICSGeU' ana MS az net
seem to have arrived at the conclusion. that a
Special Session was necessary, only after long
and labor,ous examination OF all the affairs OF
) government by the several Heads OF Depart
ments 1t is SAID that every member Of the
Cabinet, since his appointment has been ardu
| ously engaged, from an early hour in the day
in many cases until midnight, in examining the
state OF accounts nd,he general condition OF the
, business entrusted TO his supcn sion. The
contrast thus afforded to the lazy shutll,ng mode
r OF transacting business, practised by their i'm.
; mediate predecessors, strikes all beholders with
surprise, and especially The clerks The Eve.
| ming Post loses 10 time in condemning this frs,
, measure OF Gen. liarrison's administration q
leading article in that journal yesterday contained
, some most stupid comments upon it, ascribinr /,
t wholly to the influence Of Mr.. Clay against tho
t advice of Mr.. Webster, and deriving great CON.