New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1841-11-27
For the Tribune.
Republican Government.


CXXXyIII, entitled DEMOCRACY, by George
Sidney Camp, is one passage which am anxious
should be diffused a, widely as possible 1t is in
the second chapter entitled Self Government :
and is fair specimen of the whole volume, which
ought to be studied by our youth; not only for its
basis upon which all tho positions of the author
are founded. Ths first part of the volume is al
most oracular; but the seaond portion contains
some things, which are at least topics of contro-
versy even among persons whose democratic phi
lanthropy and patriotism are unquesronable The
ensuing extract, however, is as grateful to our
American partialities, as it is unexceptonabe in
It's spirit, delineations and tendency:
The successful achievement of our indepen-
dence was one Of the chief causes OF the Revolu-
uonary movement in France. 1t inhamed Eng
land, Germany, and Italy, while it reused all Eu-
rope from the sleep of centuries
IT the principle of Self. Government is not in
harmony with the nature Of man, why have his en-
erges been developed Just in the proportion that
he has governed himself! 1t would be in vain to
inquire, upon any other principles, for the reason
that free Governments, occupying as they have bur
a small portion Of the geography and chronology
81 the world, have gone so far toward monopohz,ns
It's history. Although the transactions of the an
cient republics transpirad upon u small theatre
al that Is classic in literature, profound in science
or lllustrIoHs IN greatness, 10 be Intimately
associated with them. Although among the mo-
derns, the examples of such states have been toe
few, and too small and too imperfect to establish
the arguments yet in modern as in all other ages
becomes IroD int Al -
Government of the people of whom it is written
apProxImaes to SelfGovernment
With just PRIDE the unexamped prosperity of
our own country may be adduced The common
places of hyperboe are sober statements of truth
when applied to the rapid march over our land
From Bankrupt colony we have become the
cond commercial nation of the world. From po-
Pulalon equal to that of only two countries ip
Britain, we boast now TO equal, if not to surpass
her in numbers. From being confined upon thc
Atlantic sea board by the ocean on our right, and
savages and interminable wildernesses on our left.
We have subdued and occupied half continent
Cites and Villages spring from beneath the feet OF
the adveDturer rs he pauses the West; and those
OF few years challenge comparison with the growth
OF as many centuries in other countries.
Education and Christianity are so widely diffused
that they seem TO knock at every mans door, and
which they bring. Churches and schools and books
and newspapers are identif d most intimately with
all the habts of the people. Commerce floats upon
artificial rivers. and rides with the speed of the
elements in artificial vaes In estimating the |
more Pr ointment characteristics oil the whole; 80
commonly shared are the necessary comforts and !
substantial supports of life make overlook !
them, and forget that in those the humbest cut- |
vator of the soil may challenge comparison with |
the wcaihiest Banker We forgot that every log
house furnishes satisfactory meal to the danticst
appetite; hst when it sends forth its youthful in
mates to feed elsewhere, in q sound mind and
sound body, it gives them all that's necdful feed
themseves-that Merit itself asks no portion, and
Poverty it. elf does not beg aims
Look at the condition of the great mass of the
people in other countries. will not say the fer
as the wild beasts of the wood might as well
clam to restrain the cultivating hand OF man, and
vindicate the wilderness for their domain, a few
in any country claim the monopoly of the benefits
which God has made for the common ENJOYMENT OF
all.-Look at the mass in other countries What
proportion of them are beggared What proper
ton of them know the protecting arm OF Govern
ment, except in the experience of the punishmente
which it intiicts or of the wild, consoatory, and
reforming influences of Christianity, except in the
exaction of tithes and penances-or of The import
ance OF education except in the frowning aspect OF
their colleges How many OF this class I'LL their
lands sleep in their houses, and eat the
bread which they earn3 Who, upon the survey
of these circumstances, judges the language that
we have used 10 convey too strong an impression
of our comparative advantages.
The circulation of the volume entitled Demo
cracy' from which the foregoing extract is made
among the youth of country must be very
beneficial. 1t teaches in an impressive man
ner, the truth of the axiom which ought to sway in
all the acts and proceedings of civil society
That ,rtich is morally serong neoer can DC pO-
hticaHy right" CITIZEN.