Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1841-10-19
PROGRESS OF EQUALITY.

we nave before Us copy oil the Address lately
ueiiVered by w illlam Kent at schenectady, before
B the PHI Beta Kappa Society of Union College. We
nave 0een much pleased with the cheerful and hone
iul VEN o political philosophy IN which 1t IL writ
ten The author not one of those who look with
/ shfght upon the new modes of activity ia which
the human mind Is exertIng itself the present
day-his hair does not bristle with horror when an
a6le writer attacks The hereditary desceu, of n-oo-
erty or when set of men associate for the extlr-
patton OF wee anu poverty, "by rendering labor at
tractve. He is willing 10 see the human mind
pushing Its inquiries and experiments IN every Oh
rection assured that II will not long continue IN anv
vain quest lie commits his bark to the mighty
stream of tendencies Mr. Dana called IL I'm one
oil his lectures delivered in tins city, and feels no
alarm at the prospect OF the shores to which i,
Is bearing him lie trusts in the operation of those
nigh and comprehensive laws which bind in one
general and beautiful harmony all that is APPARENT
ly irregular IN the world OF mind as well as the
world OF matter. We extract the following passage
from Kent dIscouTSe.-N. \. Ere. Post
mo political revolution did take pace-un-
less by external force, when Alarlc and the
Cloths, or Mahomet and the Saracens, planted for
elgn nations in the country OF the conquered = in
winch the institutions affecting national habits man
ners ana interests, were suddenly changed. We GER
talny shall not witness such revolution an times
~ ct we shall see. and see, Il ceaseless pro-
gress IN the principles OF democracy and equality
slow, from the cautOusness OF our national ciarac-
ter, and from the predominance of the agricultural
interests and class class essentially and stub
borny republican, but then, cORrcrso not prone
change, with much OF the Meriioe and segregated
from the Wild enthusiasm and heated pa ssons which
crowded cities engender. Nioent changes with
such a class are impossible. Lut the gradual adj
vance OF our distinctive principles in asserting the
equality OF all men-ln the removal of all regulations
not essentially necessary-in the Jealousy OF usual
wealth--in the reduction OF the nagistracv to the
level OF the community - III the relaxation OF the
strctness OF Jurisprudence, and the sernness of the
sanctions OF the lawn the abatement of reverence
for the individual, and the elevation. and even tyr
amy, OF public opinion all this shall see and
IT were madness 10 resist, and folly dcplore. 4
modern system OF geology finds sutiicen. solution
of the problems OF the in the cotemporaneOus
action OF the elements around And thus, though
anticipating, in the political world nothing like the
earthquake, the deluge, volcanic fire, yet the
great principles of our system, more and more d.
vergeat from those OF our ancestors, will flow on
their course, each year producing effective, Dut
startling results and gradually wearing away the
maXims, CLAIMS laws, preludIces and manners. de-
rived FROM preceding times, and transatlantic sys
TENS OF governments.
This permanence, amidst mutation or rather
this gradual yielding to political action, winch, on
a cursory view, to threaten the dissolution OF
all things, VIII never check party spirit, winch has
increased, Is increasing. and ought tn be- but never
will Dc diminished 1t Is naturally incident TO our
country, the of our December, or the heats
OF our July. We hear every day, the hope express
ed, that when some particular event shall come
when other shall be elected TO or REJECT
ed from, one measure lie carried or defeated.
there viii be repose That repose Will never come.
Go on the ocean, and predict that its gales VIII
cease to blow, and It's pillows to roll: but venture
not To foretell that. IN our American democracy,
parties and factions Will not follow each other. IN
endless succession, till the laws Of human nature
shall moulder with age, and hope shall cease TO an
4 10 Ia "a
selfshress to seduce, and errng reason 70 obscure
the hear, aad mind o. man.
But what duties VIII await the patriot among
us VIII e be called TO teebler trials, than IN OF
er countries and need he be invested with sghter
courage and weaker nerves Far from 1t W hen
the American patriot shall come forth, in season OF
emergency to oppose national injustice or oppres-
sion, he Will cOme-nOt ike the resistant OF kingly
despotisn like the Russells and !iampdens of Eng
land but he will in the majestic form OF "a
TO, Arstdes, and 1.-The features OF ms charac
ter will wear the hardlhood OF antiquity. De Toe
queriHc and other writer's on poiicS, deplore
the isolation of the individual. who rcsIsts popular
opinions, and the very prOstraton OF SOUL winch Oc-
ours before the viii OF a multItudnous democracy
This belief is probably much eXaggerated-eXag-
gerated in the Illegal tyranny Of opinion on the one
side, and in the imputed surrender OF independent
thought on the other but il must be conceded that
the highest and virtue il required 70 re-
sist popular errors and popular IMPRESSIONS
In the same spirit Is the passage which we next
quote relating to the conflict Of religious crceds:
But what means the new resuscltatioD OF sects
among us! Is any one to become prcdominan,
any new revolution counter At hand ! Are w 10
be oeerrun 10y Catholics or converted by Oxford
tracts sophisticated by Jesuts or broken into re-
gous anarchy by ultra-ProtcstantIsn The very
asking of such questions appear 20 answer them
the very variety Of the apprehenslonS seems 10 DIS
pei them. All natures difference make all nature
peace Ne sect with Us, happily, can become pre-
dominant and their near equality IN numbers pre-
serves u from the oppressive tyranny o. any Nor
do antic pate in the endless discussions and con
iroversies which VIII arise, that last extremity q
fcrceuess and Intolerance winch IN tne cd world.
mark religious discussions because, IN the Ole
world. religion IS distinguish by pafica. PRIV
leres or temporal wealth. Men Nil offer. aud dis
cuss. and quarrel ON every subject. lie satire oi
Swift il scarcely cN,ravagant, winch divided the
kingdom of Lilllput into two great parties on the
breaking Of the cry, and wearing the hecl- 10 the
shoe into the fiife -endtrHS and the big-t tdiGRs
into the high heef and the h,C heel paites And,
according 10 Mr. llalam. there i an indelble dis
tinction IN the theological world cheating two per
manent classes. the one contencng for the right O.
brots to think t3r others, and the second Ior he
right Of fools 10 think for themselves But IN al
these dssens IONS there is. thank lieaten no pcit-
zeal privilege, temporal wealth dependent on
the issue OF the contest. Al sects and clvis On>
will unie IN opposition 10 the result, al least IN IA
vor Of any particular one. There are 10 globes.
nor prebend, tithes attendant on peculiar faith
No accursed badge. "a III Europe, denotes that 20
htIcal privilege accompanies ri gieu5 ascendancy
The strong aru Of flesh not brought. al Of tBe
church to wrtst from the wretched peasant coutr-
buttons 10 4 iath hc sbhoIs