New-York tribune., 1842-02-03
,p ppownsoNs LECTURE.

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v,,;on delivered last evening at Clinton Hall
h..c.o ,sr,,II but ;n,eDscn, and interested audi
60. The branch of the general subject which
ho made the topic OF spccla! remark "as inc Part
tia, l.as been and that which is get 10 be, played
bv the United State. in the advancement OF the
human race He believed it the peculiar mission
of our country 70 make real spirit which shall
combine at once the morarv OF Theocracv, the or
der of the State and thu individual freedom which
is but jus, beginning 20 be asserted and recognised
All the circumstances Of Its existence TINS far
mark i, as specially appointed TO thi. work by
Providcnce.. The timc of its discovery is clear
evidence OF this. l, was JUS; that period when
the sacerdotal and social elements had reached the
perfection of thcrpowcr and when under their pres
sure the liberty Of the individual began assert itsel
but had no room for its devclopement. 1t was
Just then tina, the New World was discovered. and
the first effect OF this great TO draw of
from Europe large share of her poorer classes,
and thus make better the condition Of those who
remained.
The balance of power thus thrown into the
hands Of the industrial classes property was more
generally dii'used: competition was increased, and
industrv became rcspec,ablc for before tha, time,
the merchant prince, though worth his millions was
deFpiscd and tr1lmplcd on as we now contemn the
man tina, carries the hod. The only avenues TO dis
tinc,ion were military glory and the Church. Now,
however the case was changed and idlencss became
disreputable and so is it now; for although We may
meet and admire the butterflies who toll not, and al
though we nav smile upon them in the saloon, vet
in our hearts wchave no respect for them. We feel
that every body should do something; and if the Ia
borcr is lcspiscd among Us it is not because ne Is
aborcr-but because he is ignorant, or coarse, or
because he lacks some of the graces which adorn
Society. Bu, let him be enlightened and few doors
will be closed against him.
Most important was this shifting Of power from
hereditary nobility ITO the hands of the industrial
classes upon the progress of civilization and tree
dom. Every could then become an indepen.
dent proprictor and the feeling which prompted
him to s;y to his ncighbor, . IN as good you
and YOU shall rot be my master, grew up within
him; and this feeling it which gave birth to
our Revolution.
The reaction of the principles established i'll this
country by our Revolutions upon the nations of
Europe, was immense. Thus was kindled the
French Revolution, which began under American
influence. Its first measures were concerted at
the house of Mr.. Jefferson in Paris, and 1t is pro.
bublc that the Declaration Of Rights adopted by
the Assembly was pcnned by him. TO be sure,
VIC in America, where the divine right OF inSur-
rcc,on is maintained, nrc accustomed to shrek
long, loud and with terrible agony over this French
Revolution butt was iii truth g orious uprising
of Humanity for It's rights. 1t is often as
crbcd to the influence of the writings of Fotairc
of Rousseau and of Condorcct; but it would have
come forth if these men had never fvcd-if there
had been no French Philosophy and no Encyclo
pcdiss. The fcudal church and the feudal state
had lost their life and hung a dead and heavy
weight upon the shoulders of men; and itmust be
thrown off, Men asked for bread and the Court
gave them a gallows; they were starving-and
starving cnwill do terrible things. They wrcakcd
their vengeance on the mobility, and never was
vcng cancc more rig htcous than that.
The French Revolution in fact cxcrted great
influence in advancing civilization. Kings were
taught BY it that they could not trust to old usages
for safety against the complaints of the people
they began to learn that they held their crowns
quite ns much BY the forbearance of their subjects
as BY the grace of God; and whenever they heard
any little stir among their pcople-whcn they heard
the word Liberty pronounccd-thcy began TO
feel of their heads to see if their crowns were
there They found that they could only reign by
iusice-and Louis PHILIPPE at this day finds his
security not in his 300. 600 armed men, but in his
complaisanco TO the people.
This lesson pcrpetually teaching by our
example. The nations of the Old World see thnt
do very well without kings and that we do not
suffer greatly from lack of an aristocracy: and
when they see this they will not rest easy under
them. But much depends upon the wisdom of
this coun,rv If VIC would have our example pow
crtu for good we must not convert our Halls OF
Legislation into bcar-gardcnS must be sober
and orderly, and labor always for the common good
Thus much for the influence of that part of our
history which is past AS the principles by
which wc are to fulfil our future destiny, the first
remark of Mr.. Brownson that all political
and social action must be subscrvicnt TO Industry.
Ii is bv the action and hustle of trade that all ,ha,
Is valuable Is acquired. Men say that Il prosper
ous nation is quiet and peaceful and unrufied; SO
is the grave, and 50 is stagnant pool. Where
there is no action there is worth Life consists
in action; and the length of mans life is not
measured by the number of years, but BY the
lions that he feels and the thoughts that he thinks.
The first branch of industry then which should
receive the attention Of u statesman, Mr. Brown
son said, is Commerce. Our country must be
great Commercial Republic this is given in its
DESTINY; we may read it in the extent OF it, terri
tory lh, nunhcr OF lis harhors the variety OF lis